The earth was turned on Monday at Bega’s University of Wollongong (UOW) campus to celebrate the building of a new Clinical Education Unit forming stage three of the campus redevelopment.
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The unit will hold state-of-the-art nursing simulation labs in a three bed hospital ward layout and is a big step forward for nurse education in the region.
The construction comes at a time when the university is predicting that population health trends, combined with an ageing nursing workforce and poor retention rates will lead to an acute and sustained nursing shortage.
The expansion will cost $1.5 million with the construction of stages three and four expected to inject $7 million into the local economy.
“Gaining workplace experience and be able to practice in a simulated environment will allow the students to extend themselves,” Acting Head of the School of Nursing, Dr Joanne Joyce McCoach said.
“We are really looking forward to working in the new facility.”
The simulation environment will allow students to learn in a range of different scenarios to being placed in a hospital environment.
“The nursing simulation labs will provide a simulated, yet close to lifelike environment, featuring original hospital equipment, ideal to reproduce a wide range of professional health settings including hospital based care, mental health, aged and community care,” Ms Joyce McCoach said.
“The Clinical Laboratory is fully equipped to practice all clinical skills.”
Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Professor Eeva Leinonen said the project demonstrates UOW’s commitment to nurse education to meet the health needs of residents in regional areas.
“Students can actually learn in an environment that’s safe for them,” she said.
“They will be able to make a mistake and try again, there will be drop in opportunities and we won’t be limited by the environment.
“The students will be able to work in a space that feels like theirs and they can experiment.”
State Minister for Transport and Infrastructure and member for Bega, Andrew Constance said the construction was a major investment in the community.
“The economic and social uplift that comes with the university is significant,” he said.
There are currently more than 160 students studying at the UOW Bega campus and has seen over 350 local people graduate from its walls during its 15 years in the area.
“We have experienced strong demand for nursing education at our Bega campus with more than 40 new students taking up courses in the past two years,” Ms Leinonen said.
“As well as providing educational opportunities for people who would otherwise miss out, many of these students stay and work in regional areas supporting smaller communities meet the challenges of addressing healthcare needs,” she said.
