Bloomington, Indiana – Thanks in large part to a $1.2 million grant from Indiana University Health, Ivy Tech Community College in Bloomington has announced the launch of a new, state-of-the-art nursing training facility, significantly enhancing its capacity to prepare nursing students. Targeting vital workforce needs in the healthcare industry, the funding has helped to build a 4,000-square-foot facility meant to improve the quality and scope of nursing education provided.
Now joined with the main campus at 200 Daniels Way, the new Lee J. Marchant School of Nursing training lab provides an advanced learning environment with 18 fully equipped beds, a major improvement from the eight beds in the prior facility. Along with doubling the teaching capacity, this growth incorporates innovative medical simulation technologies to replicate outpatient and inpatient environments.
Ivy Tech Bloomington President, Erik Coyne, highlighted the transformative nature of the new lab. “The quality of care has just gone up immeasurably,” Coyne said as reported by Indiana Public Radio.
Courtesy of Ivy Tech Community College in Bloomington
Ivy Tech Community College is not only growing physically but also raising the quality of instruction it can offer. High-fidelity medical manikins and specially designed tutoring and one-on-one instruction areas in the lab guarantee a more individualized and successful learning environment for students.
Though initial projections place the cost of the new lab at about $4 million, smart planning and the use of existing college space helped the project be finished for less than $300,000 out of pocket for the college. This affordable strategy has maximized the grant from IU Health, therefore supporting Ivy Tech’s dedication to financial accountability and educational achievement.
Ivy Tech Bloomington welcomes 190 students overall across three nursing programs: the Associate of Science in Nursing, Transition to ASN, and Practical Nursing. Apart from relieving past capacity issues, the new facility gives fresh learning possibilities including nighttime courses catered for LPNs, certified medical assistants, paramedics, and military medics. With this development, Ivy Tech becomes the first in the state to provide a curriculum of this kind, therefore pioneering flexible nursing education.
Courtesy of Ivy Tech Community College in Bloomington
Reflecting on the broader impact of the new lab, Coyne added, “It’s going to change the personality of our campus, and change the personality of our school.”
After the COVID-19 pandemic caused a time of less on-campus activities, this initiative marks a major step towards reviving the campus environment and increasing student involvement.
Ivy Tech Bloomington is positioned to not only satisfy the current need for trained nursing professionals but also set a bar for nursing education statewide as the entire shift of the nursing program back to the main building is slated to finish by next spring. With applications for new programs starting next spring, the future appears bright for prospective nurses training at Ivy Tech, armed with improved tools and chances to flourish in their key positions within the healthcare sector.
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