Nursing simulation centers will be developed at Stony Brook University and two additional State University of New York (SUNY) campuses under a new initiative to enhance simulation-based education within SUNY nursing programs. This effort is part of Governor Kathy Hochul's legislative measures designed to advance nursing education across the state.
The $62 million total investment includes $35 million allocated through SUNY capital awards, with additional funding coming from campus contributions. The nursing simulation centers will be situated at Stony Brook University, the University at Buffalo, and SUNY Canton. Governor Hochul underscored the importance of this investment, stating, “By investing in nurses of the future, we’re investing in the talent of aspiring professionals across our state and in the health care workforce we all rely on.”
The allocated campuses have different focuses. Stony Brook and SUNY Canton are designated as SUNY Regional Nursing Simulation Centers, targeting the Long Island and North Country regions, respectively. Meanwhile, the University at Buffalo will host the SUNY System-Wide Nursing Simulation Center of Excellence, described as a hub for education and innovation system-wide.
John B. King Jr., the SUNY Chancellor, remarked on the development, emphasizing the significance of the groundbreaking investment: “SUNY is committed to strengthening New York’s healthcare workforce, and today’s groundbreaking investment in nursing simulation is a testament to this commitment... transforming how we prepare our students to address the healthcare workforce shortage and evolving healthcare needs of New Yorkers.”
The campuses aim to provide comprehensive, hands-on training in several key healthcare areas, including labor and delivery, high acuity care, and community health. All participating institutions have committed to expanding prelicensure nursing program enrollment, made possible by 2023 legislation allowing nursing students to complete a substantial portion of clinical training through simulation.
Stony Brook University expects the new regional center to enable a 19 percent first-year increase in prelicensure nursing enrollment after project completion, with potential growth of 27 percent over the following five years. Enhancements will be made to local simulation spaces, alongside utilizing simulcast software for remote education across Long Island.
Patricia Bruckenthal, the Dean of the Stony Brook University School of Nursing, expressed gratitude for the opportunity to advance nursing education: “We are grateful to Governor Hochul, SUNY, and Stony Brook University for this opportunity to expand and enhance nursing education through simulation-based learning... we are not only enhancing the clinical competencies of our students and nursing students across our region but also fostering an environment where interdisciplinary teams can engage in transformative learning experiences.”
William A. Wertheim, MD, Executive Vice President for Stony Brook Medicine, highlighted the university's role as Suffolk County’s primary academic medical center: “This designation as a SUNY Regional Nursing Simulation Center reflects our long-standing commitment to preparing the next generation of nurses.”
The SUNY Future of Health Care Workforce Task Force, assembled to tackle healthcare workforce issues, aligns with this expansion in terms of leveraging nursing simulation as a priority action area. The combined investment anticipates significant enrollment growth, adding potentially hundreds of new nursing students across the designated centers and further enhancing training capacity state-wide.