DAYTONA BEACH − Dedicated healthcare simulation labs in a new Daytona State College building could help the Bob and Carol Allen School of Nursing reach a new level of prestige.
The college May 21 hosted a ribbon-cutting event, capping an 18-month, $7.7 million renovation of the former College of Arts and Sciences building, which was left in “rough shape” by Hurricane Ian in 2022, according to DSC President Tom LoBasso.
The resulting Quanta-Honors and Health Technology Hall provides labs that resemble hospital rooms, complete with AI-powered mannequins and equipment used in real-world healthcare settings. The two-story building is 15,000 square feet.
Health technology floor resembles hospital rooms
The building’s first floor includes space for DSC’s massive nursing program.
“Our new center is fully equipped with advanced hospital technology,” said Maxine Hicks, dean of nursing. “From electronic medication dispensers and beds to artificial intelligence enhanced simulators and virtual reality, providing our students with immersive experiences that closely mirror real-world practice.”
The program aims to prepare students in theory and practice.
“Becoming a nurse requires more than knowledge. It requires confidence, precision, and the ability to perform under pressure,” LoBasso said. “This starts with hands-on training in an environment that feels real.”
DSC aims for nursing sim center accreditation
About a dozen nursing programs in Florida have accredited nursing simulation labs, Hicks said.
“Our immediate goal is to earn national accreditation for this simulation center,” she said. “… We are intentionally moving towards designation as a program of distinction.”
Daytona State has the second largest nursing program in the Florida State College System, “with a capacity to graduate up to 420 practice-ready nurses each year,” Hicks said. “This is substantial progress in addressing the critical nursing shortage facing our region.”
The new space figures to help DSC maintain one of the highest pass rates on the NCLEX, nursing’s licensure test.
Hicks said during the past three years, Daytona State’s rate topped 95%, well above the Florida average.
“Our program is a high-quality, workforce-relevant powerhouse,” she said. “We are committed to student success. Our graduation outcomes and state board pass rates prove it.”
New space for Quanta-Honors College
DSC Board Chair Randall Howard said the new building’s second floor will house the Quanta-Honors College, supporting a mission of transforming students’ lives and the community.
“Employers are looking for people who can think critically, communicate effectively, collaborate with others, and solve problems that don’t always have easy answers,” Howard said. “That’s exactly the kind of environment the Quanta-Honors College strives to create.”
Benjamin Graydon, chair of the Quanta-Honors College, said the building offers the kind of flexible space needed for the program, whose second-year students this fall will embark on an original study on how humans experience emerging technologies. The work will involve courses on psychology, report writing and elementary statistics.
Meanwhile, the first-year students will study composition, humanities and critical thinking as they study ancient Greek and Roman civilizations and their legacies.
This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: $7.7M renovation for Daytona State’s nursing program. What’s included?
Reporting by Mark Harper, Daytona Beach News-Journal / The Daytona Beach News-Journal
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Mark Harper, Daytona Beach News-Journal | USA TODAY Network
