title: Promoting collaboration in nursing education: the development of a regional simulation laboratory.
abstract: This article describes a collaboratively developed plan for a regional patient simulation laboratory for nursing education. The Western North Carolina Regional Simulation Laboratory will be located at the Enka Campus of the Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College at the Department of Nursing of Western Carolina University (Candler, NC). A proactive collaborative consortium has been established to help meet the demand for nursing education in the 13 most rural mountain counties of western North Carolina. Through a 2-year process with regional networking, the nursing administration of Western Carolina University, Mission Hospitals, Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College, and affiliated community colleges, consortium hospitals, and emergency care services developed a vision and a proposal for an innovative program for the nursing education of the future. The consortium proposed the establishment of a 3-year integrated educational program utilizing state-of-the-art simulation manikin technology. Financial resources were obtained from a charitable grant from The Duke Endowment (Charlotte, NC). Sustainability of funding will be ensured through university, hospital, and community college collaboration.
authors.affiliation: Western Carolina University, Candler, NC 28715, USA.
authors.forename: Sharon Elizabeth
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Metcalfe
authors.forename: Vincent P
authors.initials: VP
authors.lastname: Hall
authors.forename: Alesia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Carpenter
mesh_terms: D002983:Clinical Competence; D003299:Cooperative Behavior; D004508:Education, Nursing, Baccalaureate / Q000458:organization & administration*; D005544:Forecasting; D006739:Hospital Administration; D006801:Humans; D007373:Interinstitutional Relations; D008348:Manikins; D020380:Needs Assessment; D009657:North Carolina; D016544:Patient Simulation; D016730:Program Development; D012040:Regional Health Planning / Q000458:organization & administration*; D012579:Schools, Nursing / Q000458:organization & administration; D014146:Training Support; D014495:Universities / Q000458:organization & administration