Southwest Baptist University recently held a very special baby shower in its Department
of Nursing to celebrate the arrival of exciting new training technology.
Thanks to a $142,158 grant through Missouri’s Nursing Education Incentive Program, SBU purchased birthing simulators and related tools to enhance instruction in maternal, newborn, and post-partum care. Students will gain hands-on knowledge and experience in the vital discipline of labor and delivery health care.
Included in the purchase were two simulators (a mother and a baby), audio-visual capabilities through a Laerdal SimCapture subscription, and warranties for both simulators.
“Nursing students with increased access to tactical training and higher levels of supervised education are better positioned to confidently utilize those skills when entering the workforce,” said Heather Daulton, coordinator of SBU’s Bachelor of Science in Nursing program on the Bolivar campus.
In order to qualify for the grant, SBU’s program had to meet multiple benchmarks, including:
- NCLEX-RN licensure exam pass rates greater than or equal to 80%
- A record of meeting requirements for full approval by the Missouri State Board of Nursing
- Graduation rates greater than or equal to 80%
- Job placement rates greater than or equal to 90%
Dr. Brittney Hendrickson, dean of SBU’s Mercy College of Health Professions, said that the grant program also targeted institutions where there is a continued shortage of health professionals working in the field. The new resources will ensure SBU graduates are exceptionally prepared to step into those settings and provide quality care to patients.
“The BSN program’s overarching goal was to increase faculty teaching resources through enhanced simulation technology that will benefit nursing students and future patients,” Dr. Hendrickson said.
The BSN program on the Bolivar campus serves residential students living on the campus and has operated with a cohort of 30 students each spring semester. The Missouri State Board of Nursing recently approved an expansion to 45 students per cohort beginning each fall semester. Students interested in the program must first be accepted and enrolled as an undergraduate student on the Bolivar campus and complete a separate application for the program.
In addition to the Bolivar BSN program, SBU offers associate’s and bachelor’s nursing degrees through its Springfield and Salem campuses for students not participating in a residential program.
Published May 6, 2024