GETTING IT OPEN – Officials with West Virginia Northern Community College cut the ribbon Tuesday morning, helping to officially unveil the Weirton campus’ new nursing simulation lab. The lab features two simulation rooms and a control room. -- Craig howell

The latest effort was showcased Tuesday morning, as the college’s Weirton campus unveiled its new nursing simulation lab.

“It’s a great day to celebrate nursing training and education in Weirton,” noted WVNCC President Daniel Mossor, Ph.D.

The new labs are part of upgrades at the college made possible through a $1 million Nursing Workforce Expansion Program grant awarded by the state, as well as $500,000 in additional contributions, Mossor explained.

According to Bonnie Peterman, chair of WVNCC’s allied health division, the simulation labs will provide nursing students with an opportunity to have experiences they typically wouldn’t in the classroom environment through the use of programmable mid- and high-fidelity mannequins.

IN THE LAB – The nursing simulation lab at West Virginia Northern Community College’s Weirton campus includes high-fidelity mannequins mimicking adults, youth and infants, which will assist the college’s nursing students to better learn treatment methods and responses to real-life scenarios. -- Craig Howell

“Students can practice real-life scenarios,” Peterman explained.

The Weirton campus’ lab features two simulation rooms and a control room, as well as an adult mannequin, pediatric mannequin and even those depicting infants. Peterman said the mannequins can be programmed to mimic life-like vital signs, to speak and respond to nursing students, and to simulate a variety of medical conditions.

Work in the labs will provide close to real-life experiences for the students prior to them obtaining employment in the medical field, allowing them to build up experience with certain situations.

“It will help them to critically think a little faster and a little better,” she said.

WVNCC currently offers degree programs in the fields of registered nurse, patient care technicians, and certified nursing assistant. Those programs will be joined in the fall, Mossor said, by tracks in licensed practical nursing, medical laboratory technician and the rejuvenation of a respiratory therapy program this fall.

“A lot is happening in healthcare at Northern,” Mossor said.

Similar labs are available at the college’s Wheeling and New Martinsville campuses.