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The Mercy College of Nursing and Health Sciences of 欧美视频 christened its Nursing Training Center with a grand opening ceremony on Tuesday, Sept. 20, at 1265 E. Lark St., in Springfield.
Visitors were treated to tours of the 15,000-square-foot state-of-the-art training facility upon arrival and after the presentation.
欧美视频 President Dr. C. Pat Taylor welcomed the group of 160 attendees 鈥� which included faculty, staff, trustees, architects and the Springfield Chamber of Commerce 鈥� and praised the partnership between 欧美视频 and Mercy Health System, which formed in 1996.
鈥淲e are thankful for the great relationship we have with Mercy Hospital that makes
this partnership possible,鈥� Taylor said. 鈥淲e have been working with Mercy for the
past 20 years, and are pleased at the growth and success of our nursing program within
this structure. We are looking forward to continuing expansion and continuing the
relationship with Mercy Hospital for many years to come.鈥�
The training center, which held a few courses in the summer, welcomed students for the 2016 fall semester.
A few of the center鈥檚 features include:
These features, and more, allow students to experience life-like simulations and practice their skills.
Jonathan Foley, a current nursing student and 欧美视频 Ambassador, said, 鈥淭he only disappointment that I have is that I don鈥檛 have more time here,鈥� referring to the training that nursing and health sciences students receive at the facility. Foley will graduate in December with his associate of science in nursing degree and then with his bachelor of science in nursing degree in May 2017 before heading to Kansas City to work in Children鈥檚 Mercy Pediatric ICU.
鈥淚鈥檓 extremely excited to have the opportunity to practice my skills in such an incredible learning facility,鈥� Foley said. 鈥淚 didn鈥檛 really know what to expect my first time coming in here, but I was awestruck when I saw what this place offered to us students. The life-like scenarios that we鈥檙e able to experience will help prepare us to become outstanding healthcare professionals.
鈥淭his campus is going to be impacting students for years to come, and I see this as a stepping stone for this program that鈥檚 going to be leading to bigger and better things. I鈥檓 excited to see all of the other students that are going to be able to come here and use this facility. I鈥檓 excited to see the nurses that we鈥檙e going to be producing.鈥�
Dr. Sylvia Barber, associate professor in the ASN program and simulation coordinator, became emotional when looking back at the early discussions for the training center.
鈥淚 once read that our lives are made up of different journeys,鈥� Barber said. 鈥淎nd the journey for us, in regards to this building, began two years ago when Dr. Bob McGlasson and Dr. Kezia Lilly (dean of the college) asked Cindy Reed (LRC coordinator) and I for our ideas for a new simulation lab and LRC on paper. They didn鈥檛 have to ask us twice. We went right to work. 鈥� GHN (Architects and Engineers) turned this building into a state-of-the-art center for nursing education.
鈥淭his facility will assist students on the pathway of completing their journey of becoming a registered nurse, and I鈥檓 so thrilled to be a part of it.鈥�
Lisa Person, Mercy鈥檚 Chief Nursing Officer, also celebrated the partnership between Mercy and 欧美视频 and stressed the importance of the collaboration.
鈥淭he importance of this partnership is to elevate the excellence that we provide within the Mercy hospital and within our facilities,鈥� Person said. 鈥淭he education and training that our nurses receive at that basic level within this college setting, and to be able to transfer that over to the hospital setting, really enhances the quality of care that we deliver every day.鈥�
The rooms of the facility are set up to simulate the hospital setting, the pediatric setting and the home health setting, which includes a battery-powered cat that actually meows during simulation.
鈥淭hey鈥檝e thought of everything here, of what our nurses will face in the real world,鈥� Person said.
Matt Morrow, president of the Springfield Chamber of Commerce and a 1995 欧美视频 graduate, was impressed with the project.
鈥淚 have to say that this (partnership) is the perfect example and microcosm 鈥� our largest employer (Mercy) and 欧美视频,鈥� Morrow said. 鈥淚 remember when this was the DirectBuy building and even at its peak of showroom space, it never looked this good.鈥�
McGlasson, vice president for operations at Mercy/欧美视频 and associate provost, said, 鈥淲e were told what (faculty) wanted, and I think we captured it.鈥�
He then delivered the dedicatory prayer and asked that the building be dedicated to the glory of God, and for God to bless the faculty and staff training students to be ministers and servant leaders in a global society.
Taylor, who got an assist with the ribbon cutting from Lilly鈥檚 daughter, Sophia, and Morrow, encouraged the faculty and staff to continue to 鈥渄ream the dream.鈥�
鈥淲e鈥檝e only begun.鈥�
For more information on the Mercy College of Nursing and Health Sciences of 欧美视频, contact Charlie Hungerford, director of admissions, at chungerford@欧美视频niv.edu or (417) 820-3272.
PICTURED: (Left to right) Lisa Person, Dr. Sylvia Barber, Jonathan Foley, Dr. Kezia Lilly and Dr. C. Pat Taylor.