By Hank Russell
Stony Brook University has been named as one of three SUNY educational establishments to be named a SUNY Regional Nursing Simulation Center. This program is part of Governor Kathy Hochul’s signature legislation to expand simulation-based education in SUNY nursing programs. The $62 million investment includes $35 million in direct SUNY capital awards, with the remaining funds contributed by campus matches. The other two centers will be located on the University at Buffalo and SUNY Canton.
At Stony Brook University, the new regional nursing simulation center will support a 19 percent increase in prelicensure nursing enrollment in the first-year post-project completion, with a projected 27 percent increase over the next five years. Stony Brook will significantly expand its simulation space footprint to enhance in-person nursing education while also leveraging advanced simulcast software technology to provide remote learning opportunities across Long Island.
As a SUNY Regional Nursing Simulation Center, Hochul said, Stony Brook will serve as a critical resource for the Long Island region. “By investing in nurses of the future, we’re investing in the talent of aspiring professionals across our state and in the health care workforce we all rely on,” Hochul said. “The SUNY nursing simulation centers will make extraordinary strides toward preparing students and strengthening the pipeline of excellence in our SUNY system and beyond.”
SUNY Chancellor John B. King Jr. said, “SUNY is committed to strengthening New York’s healthcare workforce, and today’s groundbreaking investment in nursing simulation is a testament to this commitment, and a reminder of the key role public higher education plays in health outcomes and workforce development.”
The selected campuses will provide high-quality, hands-on training for some of the most needed clinical practice areas in health care, such as labor and delivery, high acuity cases, and community health. With their investments, each campus has committed to significant prelicensure nursing program enrollment growth, leveraging the legislation Governor Hochul signed in May of 2023 permitting nursing students to complete up to one-third of their clinical training through high-quality simulation experiences.
“By integrating cutting-edge simulation technologies, we are not only enhancing the clinical competencies of our students and nursing students across our region but also fostering an environment where interdisciplinary teams can engage in transformative learning experiences,” said Dean Dr. Patricia Bruckenthal of SBU’s School of Nursing. “This center stands as a testament to our dedication to preparing nurse leaders who will shape the future of healthcare delivery.”
To further support simulation-facing faculty and staff across the SUNY system, an additional SUNY System-Wide Nursing Simulation Center of Excellence dedicated to faculty training and professional development in nursing simulation is expected to be announced in the near future, according to Hochul’s office.
State Senator Anthony Palumbo (R-New Suffolk) said, “This critical funding to establish a Nursing Simulation Center at Stony Brook University will help New York’s flagship university remain on the cutting edge of medical advancements in the field of nursing and will provide students with the skills and experience needed to meet today’s growing healthcare challenges. As home to Long Island’s Regional Nursing Simulation Center, SBU will equip the next generation of nurses — helping them provide the highest quality of care to patients throughout Long Island and the greater metropolitan region.”
“The establishment of a Regional Nursing Simulation Center at Stony Brook University is a critical step toward building a stronger, more resilient healthcare workforce on Long Island and across New York State,” state Assemblywoman Rebecca Kassay (D-Port Jefferson). “This initiative will not only expand access to high-quality, hands-on training for our aspiring nurses but will also support our hospitals, clinics, and communities by preparing more qualified professionals. I am grateful for SUNY’s leadership in pioneering innovative, simulation-based education that meets the moment and addresses our state’s urgent nursing shortage.”