Albany State University (ASU) will begin construction of the new Nursing and Health Sciences Simulation Facility on the West Campus on Monday, November 21, 2022. The facility aligns with Goal 2: Institutional Sustainability and Responsible Stewardship in the University’s 2025 Strategic Plan, The Standard.

During this time, the West Campus Entrance "East Access Drive" will be closed. It is estimated the entrance will be closed for approximately one year. This is the entrance closest to the I Building and the Facilities Management office. Traffic will be redirected to the other campus entrances (West Access Drive and Collegiate Drive).

The University asks the campus and community to please pardon their progress during the construction of this exciting and impactful endeavor. Additional information on the upcoming Groundbreaking Ceremony is forthcoming.

The Albany State University Nursing and Health Sciences Simulation Facility will create opportunities to support and enable collaboration with other programs in the region and will include space for simulation labs with low, medium, and high-fidelity manikins, control rooms, observation spaces, related hospital simulation spaces, work areas, and more. The facility will create 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.

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, fixture, and equipment in 2020, 2021, and 2022.

This new building project will be in a current green space on the West Campus, directly in front of the I and B Buildings. The project comprises a single-story simulation lab facility of approximately 16,338 gross square feet in a steel-framed building with a supporting metal deck.

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

The kickoff meeting for the Nursing and Health Sciences Simulation Facility began in early 2022. Since the project's inception, university administration and faculty members from the Darton College of Health Professions have worked collaboratively with the USG system office staff, the design firm, and the contractor to develop the plans necessary to bring the new state-of-the-art facility to life.

In November 2021, the project team presented the design plans to the Board of Regents. In January 2022, the team began solidifying the designs.

In March 2022, an additional design presentation was held with USG office staff. Between August and October, the project team worked to solidify the final details for moving the project forward. Construction plans were drafted, and the construction permit was issued in November 2022.

Construction will begin on November 21, 2022.