Georgia College receives $2 million grant to expand nursing training in Georgia
New grant aims to help Georgia train more nurses
MILLEDGEVILLE, Georgia(41NBC/WMGT) — Georgia College & State University has received a $2 million grant to expand healthcare simulation training and help address Georgia’s projected nursing shortage.
The funding, awarded through the University System of Georgia and the Georgia Department of Community Health’s GREAT Health Program, will make Georgia College a statewide hub for healthcare simulation training.
The grant will expand the university’s Simulation and Translational Research Center, which provides aspiring healthcare workers with clinical training needed to earn professional certifications.
Georgia is projected to face a shortage of 12,370 nurses by the end of 2026, representing a 12% workforce gap, according to the Health Resources and Services Administration.
University officials say limited clinical placement opportunities and an aging nursing workforce are contributing to the shortage. The Georgia Board of Health Care Workforce reports that about 40% of Georgia nurses are age 50 or older.
The grant will fund seven new faculty and staff positions at the Simulation Center and double enrollment capacity in Georgia College’s accredited Healthcare Simulation Certificate program.
The funding also will pay for new training equipment, including 21 high-fidelity patient simulators, nine hybrid simulation devices, 28 hospital beds, IV pumps and a 3D printer.
The Healthcare Simulation Certificate program trains healthcare educators from across Georgia to develop and administer simulation training programs that meet national and international standards.
“As clinical placement opportunities become increasingly limited, simulation-based learning plays a critical role in preparing the next generation of nurses with the knowledge, skills and confidence needed to deliver exceptional patient care,” said Dr. Holley Roberts, Georgia College’s provost and vice president for Academic Affairs.
Georgia College opened its renovated Simulation and Translational Research Center last fall. The facility expanded from 6,000 square feet to more than twice that size to provide additional clinical training opportunities for students in the university’s School of Nursing and College of Health Sciences.
The center currently provides more than 33,000 clinical hours annually to nursing students. Executive Director Dr. Sterling Roberts says the additional staff and equipment could increase that number to 38,000 hours each year.
The expanded facility also will allow undergraduate nursing students to take advanced simulation courses focused on critical and emergency care, obstetrics, pediatrics and psychiatric care.
In October, the Simulation Center received full accreditation from the Society for Simulation in Healthcare, becoming the second institution in the University System of Georgia to earn that level of recognition.
The $2 million grant is expected to expand access to simulation-based training and help prepare more nurses to enter Georgia’s healthcare workforce.
