May 25, 2015

Bega nursing labs an investment in health and community

Supporting the health needs of the South Coast with construction of nursing simulation labs at UOW Bega. 

The $1.5 million Clinical Education Unit will provide nurse education and comprises state-of-the-art nursing simulation labs in a three-bed hospital ward layout.

It forms Stage 3 of the Campus development and is being built on the northern side of the existing campus building and works are scheduled to be completed later this year in readiness for the 2016 academic year.

Dr Joanne Joyce McCoach, Acting Head of the School of Nursing, said the Clinical Education Unit‘s nursing simulation labs would provide an innovative, safe, stimulating and nurturing learning environment to educate future health care professionals, who are committed to lifelong learning for the benefit of the nursing profession and the community.

“The nursing simulation labs will provide a simulated, yet close to lifelike environment, featuring original hospital equipment, ideal to reproduce a wide range of professional health settings including hospital-based care, mental health, aged and community care.

"The Clinical Laboratory is fully equipped to practice all clinical skills.”

A further Stage 4 expansion of the campus is planned at a later stage, bringing the total investment in the Bega Campus site to $6.5 million since 2000. 

The project demonstrates UOW’s commitment to education in regional areas and coincides with the 15th birthday of the Bega campus in 2015, which also marks the University’s celebration of 40 years as an independent higher education institution.

The Bega Clinical Education Unit will provide benefits to the local community through improved quality of clinical care and health and wellbeing as the ageing of Bega’s population increases demand on the region’s health services.

The construction of the combined Stages 3 and 4 is expected to inject $7 million into the local economy and support at least 20 direct jobs during construction. Rankin Builders of Pambula were awarded the tender for the current works.

Population health trends, combined with an ageing nursing workforce and poor retention rates, are projected to lead to an acute and sustained nursing shortage.

Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) Professor Eeva Leinonen said the project demonstrated UOW’s commitment to nurse education to meet the health needs of residents in regional areas.

“We have experienced strong demand for nursing education at our Bega Campus with more than 40 new students taking up courses in the past two years,” she said.

“As well as providing educational opportunities for people who would otherwise miss out, many of these students stay and work in regional areas supporting smaller communities meet the challenges of addressing healthcare needs.”

There are currently more than 160 students studying at the UOW Bega campus, which offers Bachelor degrees in Arts, Business, Social Science, Teaching and Nursing.

Along with UOW staff, attending the ground breaking ceremony were The Hon Andrew Constance MP, State Member for Bega, Minister for Transport and Infrastructure, Councillor Liz Seckold, Deputy Mayor, Bega Valley Shire Council and Nicole Tate, Director Nursing & Midwifery Bega Valley, NSW Health.

Local Aboriginal elder Aunty Colleen Dixon conducted the Welcome to Country acknowledgement and spoke about the Indigenous history of the site and the Bega Valley.