Spokane Community College is spending $482,500 to build new nursing simulation suites and observation rooms.
The project in SCC Building 16, which also houses the campus library, will build three suites that mimic hospital rooms in which manikins will be used. Each suite will adjoin an observation room with one-way glass. Students and instructors in the observation room will watch nursing students deal with a variety of simulations while controlling the manikin.
“We can see out and see what the students are doing, but they can’t see in,” said Cheri Osler, associate dean of nursing at SCC.
Obstetric, pediatric and a variety of other medical and surgical simulations will be part of the school’s curriculum, said Marty Sells, co-chair of the school’s nursing department.“This will be a realistic simulation environment. Students will see things they may not see in the clinical environment” or situations that be too advanced for a nursing student, said Sells. The work is scheduled to be complete in March, in time for the spring quarter, but Osler said the rooms may not be equipped unti the fall quarter. The project is completely paid for out of SCC’s budget, with no state appropriation.The school’s nursing program has roots from 1950, when SCC’s predecessor Spokane Technical and Vocational School began the practical nursing program. An associate degree nursing program was instituted in 1970 and, following years of programs being added to shepherd people to nursing degrees, an articulation agreement was developed with Washington State University’s College of Nursing.Since 2008, SCC students have used a WSU simulation lab on the University District campus.Halme Builders is the general contractor for the lab remodeling project, which was designed by ALSC Architects.Contact the writer: (509) 459-5440 nickd@spokesman.com
