After receiving two significant grants last fall, the nursing program at Walla Walla University welcomed students into newly renovated simulation labs and classes based on updated curriculum. The goal of both of these updates is to provide high-level nursing education to our students, continuing the tradition that earned WWU recognition in 2021 as the best school in Washington state for a bachelor’s degree in nursing.
The new state-of-the-art nursing simulation labs provide a decidedly realistic and safe environment for students to practice and master their skills. Students interact with manikins that provide feedback verbally and through vital signs such as a physical pulse and lung, cardiac and bowel sounds. A control room allows instructors to oversee work and help students better understand their performance.
Recent renovations also modernized a realistic hospital and long-term care room. Working in realistic settings and simulations allows students to build confidence and step into their clinical rotations with confidence. “We are so delighted to be able to provide this rich simulation experience for our students,” said Michaelynn Paul, dean and professor of nursing.
These facility transformations come as the university continues a transition to competency-based learning. WWU received $100,000 in funding from American Association of Colleges of Nursing to support these curriculum changes. The grant was awarded to only 10 schools, including Johns Hopkins University and Texas State University. WWU was the only Seventh-day Adventist university and the only university in the Pacific Northwest to receive the grant.
