Cox College plans to improve skills training with Missouri State Board of Nursing grant
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A nearly $270,000 grant will help Cox College improve their skills labs for nursing students.
Cox College in Springfield was among 11 colleges and universities in the state to receive grant funding that is meant to help enhance nursing education programs and develop solutions to alleviate staff shortages, according to a press release from Gov. Mike Parson's office.
The grants, which were part of a special appropriation to the Missouri State Board of Nursing, totaled $2,997,690. Cox College's grant is for $269,793.
“My administration has prioritized workforce development, especially for our high demand fields such as nursing," Parson said in the press release. “It is vitally important that we continue to invest in Missouri’s health care workforce. These grant funds will assist with expanding clinical partnerships and nursing resources to better provide students with a valuable education as well as increase enrollment capacity in the future.”
More:Missouri Hospital Association report highlights 'full-blown crisis in hospital staffing'
Dr. Amy Townsend, VP of student nursing at Cox College, explained that the funds will be used to expand the clinical skills section of the school's clinical skills and simulation center. The skills section allows students to learn concepts before putting them into practice.
"The students practice their hands-on skills in there in a really safe environment, and this will allow us to get some technology in there that will really just allow us to be more intentional about how they're practicing those skills," Townsend said.
Townsend feels the funds are an investment in health care.
"It's very gratifying to us to see the commitment to nursing and the nursing workforce, and the whole health care workforce, at a state level," Townsend said. "We have a lot of support in that way, really helping to get more members of the community into the nursing and health care workforce — that's really gratifying for us as educators."
Other schools and their respective grants are:
$298,016 to Avila University in Kansas City.
$296,000 to Bolivar Technical College.
$300,000 to Goldfarb School of Nursing in St. Louis.
$275,900 to Jefferson College in Hillsboro.
$230,044 to Missouri Western State University in St. Joseph.
$300,000 to South Central Career Center in West Plains.
$298,137 to St. Louis University.
$300,000 to University of Missouri-Kansas City.
$300,000 to University of Central Missouri in Warrensburg.
$129,800 to William Jewell College in Liberty.
Susan Szuch is the health and public policy reporter for the Springfield News-Leader. Follow her on Twitter @szuchsm. Story idea? Email her at sszuch@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: Cox College in Springfield receives nearly $270K to improve skills lab
