Albany State University (ASU) recently held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the Nursing and Health Sciences Simulation Center. The ceremony included remarks from Interim President Dr. Lawrence Drake II, University System of Georgia (USG) Chancellor Sonny Perdue, USG Regent and President and CEO of the Albany Area Chamber of Commerce, Barbara Rivera-Holmes.

The ceremony concluded with a building tour led by ASU Darton College of Health Professions faculty, staff, and students. Campus and community members attended, including members of the USG Board of Regents, and legislators Senator Freddie Powell Sims and Georgia House Representative Gerald Greene. Dougherty County Commission Councilman Lorenzo Heard was also in attendance.

“This facility and university are important to Southwest Georgia. This is a modern facility that can help all 13 career fields in healthcare instruction with better services, better training, and better education. Students will practice in a simulated capacity and be ready to go to work immediately. It’s modern, futuristic, and a real icon edifice for the type of education Albany State provides to our healthcare fields,” said Chancellor Sonny Perdue.

Interim President Dr. Lawrence Drake II presided over the ceremony. 

“This is a milestone for this institution, and this ribbon cutting reflects a lot of hard work and a number of years of people coming together and dreaming about what’s possible. This state-of-the-art facility will serve as a functional asset for how we instruct and provide instructional design for healthcare. You’re going to see AI and different technologies at work, in how the building was designed and the instruction that will take place,” said Interim President Dr. Lawrence Drake.

The simulation lab, a facility of approximately 16,338 square feet creates a robust pipeline of nursing, health science, and medical graduates to fill the need for professional practitioners in Georgia, and will play a key role in improving patient care and outcomes. Students will have access to simulation labs with low, medium, and high-fidelity manikins, control rooms, observation spaces, related hospital simulation spaces, work areas, and more. The facility will also create opportunities to support and enable collaboration with other regional programs.

The Nursing and Health Sciences Simulation Facility concept was approved by the University System of Georgia (USG) Board of Regents, Governor Brian Kemp, and the Georgia General Assembly in 2020. Funds were allocated for the design, construction, furniture, fixtures, and equipment in 2020, 2021, and 2022.

The space will be an active learning area with a simulated hospital and rehab facility environment. Additional rooms include active learning areas with simulated environments in clinic and home healthcare settings and administrative offices.

“Within these walls, our students will engage in realistic, hands-on learning experiences crucial to their development in healthcare. The advanced simulation technology housed here will allow ASU students to practice and master their skills and prepare them for real-world challenges. Healthcare is continuously evolving, and our approach to education must evolve with it. This center is designed to be adaptable and houses the latest advancements in medical technology and medical science. We are ensuring our graduates are equipped with the knowledge and skills needed to work in the hospital and outpatient setting and with the confidence they need to develop exponential patient care,” said Dr. Sarah Brinson, Dean of the Darton College of Health Professions.

The university offers nearly 20 nursing and health sciences certifications and degrees, including emergency medical services, respiratory therapy, radiologic science, nursing, and more. The center is set to be used for courses in the upcoming Fall semester.