National Park College (NPC) has been awarded a grant from the Arkansas Office of Skills Development (OSD) to fund a birthing suite simulator. This initiative aims to enhance clinical training for nursing students, particularly in maternal and newborn care, an area with limited clinical slots in Garland County. The total cost for this project is $370,630.74. The grant will reimburse NPC up to $220,631 for itemized expenses for this project. CHI St. Vincent of Hot Springs has agreed to contribute the remaining $150,000 for this project.
NPC faces challenges in providing adequate clinical training in maternal and newborn care due to limited clinical slots in Garland County. The birthing suite simulator will address these challenges through simulation, in accordance with Arkansas State Board of Nursing rules, which allow up to 50% of clinical hours to be completed via simulation.
Vice President for Patient Care Services and Assistant Chief Nursing Officer for CHI St. Vincent Hot Springs Teresa Lambert, said, “CHI St Vincent Hot Springs is proud to support National Park College in their efforts to provide this new birthing suite simulator for their nursing students. We always get top-quality nurses from the NPC program and this new simulator will enhance the students' learning experience in the future.”
Dean of Nursing and Health Sciences, Janice Ivers said, “I would like to express my profound gratitude for the Arkansas Office of Skills Development’s generous support. This funding is a pivotal enhancement for our nursing programs, allowing us to significantly improve hands-on clinical training for our students. Addressing the longstanding challenge of securing sufficient maternal and newborn, and pediatric acute care clinical slots, this investment will bolster our simulation capabilities, particularly through the expansion of the NPC birthing suite. This development ensures that our students will receive a thorough and effective education, equipping them to excel in the evolving field of health care. This advancement not only benefits our students but also supports the broader health care community in Garland County and beyond, reinforcing our commitment to cultivating highly-skilled and compassionate nursing professionals to meet regional health care needs.”