Lincoln –Six Nebraska educational institutions have been awarded a total of $510,000 in grant funding for nursing simulation equipment. The Nebraska Hospital Association administered the state funding, which was authorized under LB 227 in 2023.
The simulation funding will go toward equipment used to enrich the nursing school experience of students and will provide free professional development to over 16 hospitals through partnerships with the following academic organizations:
- Clarkson College
- Methodist College
- Metropolitan Community College
- Nebraska Wesleyan University
- Union College
- UNMC-Lincoln
- UNMC-Norfolk
“Workforce shortages remain the greatest challenge for Nebraska hospitals,” said Jeremy Nordquist, President of the Nebraska Hospital Association. “This funding for nursing program simulation equipment is an important state investment in the development of our current and future health care workforce.”
Applications are still being accepted for this grant money. Successful applicants must have demonstrated how this award will be used to provide additional training with hospitals and build partnerships in their communities.
“These awards are just the tip of the iceberg in finding innovative solutions to the health care workforce issue in Nebraska,” remarked Stacey L. Ocander, EdD, Senior Director, Workforce and Education Initiatives for the Nebraska Hospital Association. “This funding will not only modernize psychomotor learning for our nursing students but will provide much needed access to the current nursing workforce in our hospitals through new and existing partnerships.”
Education innovation can be seen across Nebraska through exciting funding requests that include:
- Hal S3201 mannequins for medical-surgical, high-risk/low occurrent events,
ICU scenarios, and skills competency;
- Pediatric simulators to increase hands-on pediatric training;
- Birthing mannequins to expand obstetric experiences for students where maternal deserts exist, and;
- Immersive Virtual Reality used to enhance critical thinking and improve clinical judgement through scenarios and patient care exercises.
