The Middlesex College Nursing Program has opened a new state-of-the-art Nursing Simulation Lab.
The lab, which was created in partnership with Hackensack Meridian Health, was created to help promote patient safety and prepare students for practice in the nation’s complex and dynamic health care system.
The Nursing Simulation Lab includes three inpatient rooms for adult, pediatric, and maternity care; a community room; and nurse’s station.
Every room is set up with similar medical equipment and furnishings found in the clinical environment, and students are able to practice medication administration and documentation using in-room laptops.
In addition, each room has video recording capabilities that provide students with the opportunity to learn from observations of their peers’ performance during debriefing with simulation faculty.
Funding for the facility was through the state’s Securing Our Children’s Future, which supports workforce training for in-demand careers at state colleges.
“The Nursing Simulation Lab serves as a state-of-the-art learning center designed to mirror a professional health care setting for nursing students to become workforce ready,” said Kara Kaldawi, director of the joint Middlesex College/Hackensack Meridian Health Nursing Program.
The simulation program begins with the basics of nursing practice and progresses to complex patient situations and advanced skills. Students are able to learn to think critically in complicated situations, communicate effectively with patients, and optimize patient outcomes through teamwork and the development of interprofessional skills.
Kaldawi noted that simulation lab practice has been shown to significantly enhance nursing students’ clinical judgment, decision-making, and hands-on skills, while encouraging collaboration with their peers.
“Research highlights that incorporating simulation-based learning into nursing education can improve students’ readiness for clinical scenarios, ultimately contributing to a confident graduate who is able to make safe and timely decisions,” Kaldawi said.
“The partnership between Hackensack Meridian Health and Middlesex College continues to provide new and innovative opportunities for students and faculty,” said Regina Foley, executive vice president at Hackensack Meridian Health. Foley also acts as the interim president central region, chief nurse executive, and chief transformation and integration officer for the healthcare provider.
College President Mark McCormick said that the lab shows the college’s commitment to providing students with the high-quality of education and hands-on training
“We are preparing future nurses to excel in an ever-evolving health care environment, he said. “The Nursing Simulation Lab offers our students the opportunity to engage in realistic scenarios that will help them develop the critical thinking and clinical skills needed to enhance patient care and ensure the safety and well-being of those they serve.”
In 2023, the Nursing Program achieved a 100% first-time pass rate on the National Council Licensure Examination, required for nursing graduates to pass to be licensed as a registered nurse in the United States and Canada.,
It also has a three-year average first-time pass rate of 94.69%, which consistently exceeds the associate degree national average for first-time exam test takers.
More information about the nursing program can be found on the College website.
