Upgraded nursing lab to replicate real world

PROVIDENCE – Rhode Island College is using a $282,150 federal appropriation to upgrade its School of Nursing clinical laboratory and transform it into a state-of-the-art facility that replicates real-world clinical environments.
U.S. Sen. Jack Reed, D-R.I., secured the funds for the college and announced the award during a recent visit to the campus with RIC President Nancy Carriuolo and Dean Jane Williams.
“This funding will provide students with practical training and allow them to hone their skills on the latest health-monitoring technology,” Reed said.
Reed also noted that Rhode Island and the nation face a shortage of nurses, so training new, highly skilled nurses is important.
The upgrade will entail transforming classrooms in the Fogarty Life Science Building to reproduce patient care settings adaptable to a wide range of conditions, including a basic hospital unit, a critical care area, a birthing area and a health-assessment section.
The nursing school, which has 450 undergraduates, will also use federal funds to buy patient simulators and mannequins to teach clinical skills and critical thinking. &#8226