Thursday, April 3, 2025
4/3/2025
Community Project Funding/Congressionally Directed Spending - Construction - A simulation center is an educational practice that provides a safe learning environment for future health care professionals. The center provides a way for students to safely practice skills and real-life scenarios in a non-threatening environment. Simulators are life-like and produce physiological features such as heart, lung, and bowel sounds, heart rhythms, wounds, and verbal responses. Health-care professionals and educators develop scenarios that mimic real life situations in which students need to respond to as if it were an actual incident. Examples include but are not limited to childbirth, trauma, TB, AIDS, Rapid Cycle code situations, Pediatric foreign body aspiration, correct medication administration, med surgical, post-operative care, pre and post OB care, end of life, mental health scenarios, and leadership simulation prior to graduating. A more recent way to expand healthcare training is through virtual reality (VR) simulations. These offer a realistic, safe, and hands-on opportunity for a more immersive and customizable experience. Simulation has been a part of health care education and has provided active learning experiences in a clinical laboratory setting for students for many years. Using simulators is an evidence-based teaching approach and is widely accepted and utilized in health care education programs such as nursing, respiratory therapy and athletic training programs around the state and nation. In the simulation laboratory, students experience the "next best thing" to a live care setting and situation with patients. The need for a well-prepared healthcare professional work force is essential in the state of Alabama and specifically in District 3 in which Jacksonville State University is located. An overview of health outcomes, health behaviors, and clinical care provides ample evidence that health profession students need to be prepared to enter the workforce. The following health outcomes are considered worse than the US average: breast cancer deaths, colorectal cancer deaths, dental care, diabetes, frequent mental distress, high blood pressure, limited access to healthy foods, smoking, and physical inactivity. The center will provide our students with opportunities and state-of-the-art equipment for them to be prepared for these challenges in our district and state. The funding from this non-competitive grant will support needed resources to support and advance student learning in a healthcare setting. Resources include building modernization, state-of-the-art equipment, technology, and furniture.
HHS’ Tracking Accountability in Government Grants System (TAGGS) website provides access to detailed descriptions of grants, loans, aggregated direct payments and other types of financial assistance awarded by the HHS Operating Divisions (OPDIVs) and the Office of the Secretary Staff Divisions (STAFFDIVs).