Dayton Daily News: Wright State nursing students begin semester in renovated labs

More than 200 students at Wright State University’s School of Nursing will get to utilize newly renovated laboratory space during the fall semester.

The space was recently completed during the first phase of a $6 million improvement project, the university stated in a press release, adding this will allow nursing students to train in a setting that reflects what they will experience in their careers.

“These are the spaces where our nursing students build the foundation of their clinical skills, gaining the knowledge, confidence, and hands-on experience they need to provide safe, quality patient care,” said Marty Sexton, Ph.D., dean of the College of Health, Education and Human Services. “Providing a modern learning environment that reflects what they will see in the workplace gives students the opportunity to build their skills and confidence before caring for patients in a clinical setting.”

The first phase of the project, which began in the summer, updated three teaching laboratories in the School of Nursing’s Learning Resource Center. The renovated nursing laboratories provide nearly 13,700 student hours of hands-on learning each semester for approximately 200 students enrolled in certain courses.

Lab improvements included adding equipment and furnishings commonly found in contemporary patient-care settings: hospital beds and headwalls, IV equipment, mannequins, privacy curtains and updated aesthetics.

The renovation allows students to train in spaces that more closely mirror the environments they will encounter during clinical rotations and future careers in hospitals and other healthcare settings, according to Wright State University. This will help those students develop and practice the necessary nursing assessment and clinical skills before transitioning into patient care settings.

Nursing major Peyton Fife, a junior, is already getting more realistic experience from the renovated laboratories, she said.

“Having access to updated equipment and new spaces has made me feel more confident when performing skills,” she said. “It has made my learning more engaging and has better prepared me for my future career.”

The second phase of the project is expected to begin in summer 2027. This phase will continue modernizing and expanding the Learning Resource Center, including additional laboratory space renovations and developing two new simulation rooms, according to the university.

The program’s expansion supports Wright State’s partnership with Premier Health by training more nurses who will be ready to transition into the workforce after graduation and help address nursing shortages in critical care areas.

Wright State and Premier Health work together to provide the Nursing Academy, giving students annual tuition assistance, hands-on training as part-time Premier Health employees, a Wright State education and a direct pathway to employment after graduation.

Read the full story at daytondailynews.com.