Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College held a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Friday, Oct. 11, for the Healthcare Simulation Center at its Advanced Manufacturing and Technology Center in Gulfport. More than 100 community partners, students, faculty and staff attended the event. The new center will be the only simulation center with public access on the Mississippi Gulf Coast.
Among the guest speakers was Lanelle Weems with the Mississippi Office of Nursing Workforce.
Also speaking at the event was Susan Hunt, a Harrison County representative on the MGCCC Board of Trustees and first vice chairperson of the Board. “This center will produce students who are well trained and prepared to work in the South Mississippi health care industry,” she said.
Part of the master plan for MGCCC’s Nursing and Allied Health Division, the center will be available to Nursing and Allied Health students as well as clinical affiliates, community partners and public/private organizations not affiliated with the college. It will contain state-of-the-art simulators designed to help students and practitioners develop preparedness and insight that is best learned and practiced in realistic conditions.
Continuing-education opportunities will also be offered at the center using state-of-the-art health care simulators, and it will provide health care industry personnel the means to achieve recertification and to be up to date on new procedures and skills.
“The center will include areas for obstetrics, intensive care, medical/surgical/pediatric and emergency/triage – all areas vital to training health care professionals,” said MGCCC president Dr. Mary S. Graham. “The college has successfully and purposefully focused on innovative programs that promote student employability and on providing facilities that are flexible and creative to foster the 21st century learner. The Healthcare Simulation Center reflects those goals.”