Albany State to begin planning for simulation center

(ALBANY, GA) – Albany State University’s Health Sciences Department is going to expand in a major way in the coming years.

The Georgia State Assembly announced late last week that the university has been given $800,000 to begin planning for a new simulation center for the nursing program.

“The simulation center will provide our students with hands on opportunities in our nursing programs and health science programs, as well as our community partners. It will take our learning in the classroom, and apply it to hands-on training as they would see in the hospital,” says ASU Dean of the College of Health Professions, Dr. Sarah Brinson.

The simulation center will be a part of Albany State’s 2025 plan to improve community outreach over the next five years.

As well, it’s part of the University System of Georgia’s plan to increase the number of students in the health profession.

With Georgia’s ongoing nursing shortage, it helps to make Albany a hub for nursing students.

Dr. Brinson tells us, “This simulation center is going to help us address that challenge of placing our students in clinical acute care settings, as well as help the USG to enhance the state’s nursing pipeline through this center at Albany State University.”

While the actual facility is still years off from being a reality at this point, it stands to help bolster Albany State’s nursing program for the University System of Georgia.

“This simulation center will actually create opportunities to support and enable collaborations with many other programs in the region; with other USG schools, the Technical College System, and private nursing and Health Science programs,” says Brinson.

Albany State University officials hope to begin looking at property by the fall of 2021.