CHAMBERSBURG – New nursing simulators and exercise science equipment, like treadmills and body scanners, to help students prepare for their careers in health care are now available at Wilson College, thanks to funding from a WellSpan Summit Endowment grant.
Last year, WellSpan supported community projects by investing more than $1.9 million in community grants across central Pennsylvania.
“This specific program is an investment in our potential future workforce,” says Julia Kint, community grants program administrator at WellSpan Health. “If we can help provide the best educational tools, then it will better prepare students for their careers.”
Professional training equipment
Nursing students at Wilson College now have access to two new refurbished beds to practice taking care of patients, while also practicing safe bedside manner. They also used the funds to update “Hal,” their pediatric manikin that simulates multiple scenarios for the students. Hal’s new software allows him to talk, breathe, turn blue and even have seizures so students can experience more high-risk simulations in the comfort of their classroom.
“We’re so grateful to be able to give something more realistic to the students to train with,” said Professor Kim Erwin of Wilson College. “The grant really helps us stay current with educational tools and devices and makes teaching more interactive for me. We want to give back to the community and help create critical thinkers. and this grant helps us do that.”
Waverly Moffet, Olalla Sanchez and Rachel Newswanger are sophomore nursing students and appreciate how helpful the beds and “Hal” have been to their learning experience.
“It’s great to know we’re using similar technology that’s found in local hospitals, so we don’t miss a beat when we leave the classroom,” Olalla said. “It definitely feels more realistic and gives us better practice for the different scenarios we may experience.”
The grant also provided tools for exercise science students to measure body composition and physical demand during exercise. A smart stationary bike and two new treadmills allow students to learn and to exercise while doing it.
Several students have seen the equipment at internships as they assist professional athletes, including Ben Metz, a senior who plans to pursue a career as a personal trainer when he graduates.
“Being able to practice with the new equipment has been so great,” Hardy said. “I know I’ll be using this for my future job and be better prepared. It’s opening up more job opportunities for everyone.”
Professor Nikolas Rosenberry wants to offer the best opportunities to his students.
“It’s a big deal to have this equipment available this year,” he said. “Not only does it help students feel more comfortable by the time they enter the workforce, but it helps them improve their communication skills by practicing with other students and faculty every day. It’s been night and day compared to what we had access to last year.”
Overall, the grant has impacted approximately 100 students in the program, which continues to grow every year. Students with bachelor’s degrees in exercise science and in health sciences are currently in high demand.
Mindy Guinard, director of nursing and health sciences at Wilson College, is grateful for the college’s relationship with WellSpan.
“This support helps us keep more students in the community when they enter the health care field after graduating,” Guinard said. “It also helps us assist students in gaining more knowledge to make them sought-after graduates.”
