Nursing students have a new clinical simulation center on the campus to help educate and relay hands on clinical experience.

The Clinical Nursing Simulation Center moved from ground floor of University Towers to the basement of Stark Learning Center during the summer. The CNSC holds up to 250 students at a time and is complete with a student lounge located down the hall.

Director of the CNSC Joyce Chmil said the center came as a result of the nursing program needing additional room due to growth in the major.

“Our program has grown so quickly that we needed to find more space to house all the students,” she said. “This space became available and met all of our needs.”

The CNSC houses tools to instruct an interactive education including anatomical models, low and high-fidelity manikins , vital signs simulators and standardized patients. These manikins are life-like models that students work with. Clinical style rooms set up to run simulations, along with a brief room accommodating computers to get students ready to go forth with simulations. There are also two state of the art classrooms, two- way mirrors to monitor students with simulations, white board walls and a house plan layout to expose students to a home care setting.

“The CNSC is really nice. The rooms really resemble hospital and clinical settings,” said Ashley Truglio, sophomore nursing student.

Simulations are four phases long, with around four to six students doing the simulations at a time in an effort to give each student individual attention.

The goal of the CNSC is to educate students to relate the knowledge they learn in the classroom setting to the clinical environment. Students learn what is expected from real health care environments through the clinical simulation of the CNSC. The simulations are designed to be as realistic as possible.

“Students should have a center that in reality simulates an actually health care environment,” Mary Ann Merrigan, associate dean of the School of Nursing, said. “We are very happy and grateful to have this stimulation center for the students to learn in.”

The CNSC provides a structured learning atmosphere in a simulated clinical environment that allows students to develop and gain confidence in their clinical judgment as student nurses. To participate in a simulation, students have to schedule a time. In order for students to move on to apply their skills in real health care environments, they have to first go though and get qualified by passing simulations.

Students are really excited about the new CNSC. “My favorite part is the environment and the staff. Everyone is so friendly and very helpful,” said Kris Kierys, sophomore nursing major.

“I would encourage anyone interested in the nursing to take a look at the CNSC,” Merrigan said “It is realistic and a great on-hands experience student nurses need.”

All nursing majors have swipe access to the CNSC during hours of operation, 8a.m. – 8p.m. and on selected weekends. The lounge has 24 hour swipe access to all nursing students.