The nursing program at The University of Texas at El Paso is getting a major boost thanks to a $1.1 million donation from The Hospitals of Providence and Tenet Healthcare Foundation, aiming to address the nursing shortage in the region, according to UTEP Newsfeed. This funding is slated for the enhancement of UTEP's nursing simulation laboratories with state-of-the-art AI-enhanced manikins.
These upgrades will not only enhance the quality of hands-on clinical education and training provided but also enable the university to increase its undergraduate nursing class sizes, with UTEP President Heather Wilson stating, "This gift will take our Nursing Center for Simulation to the next level with very realistic mannikins," she thanked The Hospitals of Providence for their support that's set to boost the number of qualified nurses in the area, as per UTEP Newsfeed. The new high-fidelity manikins allow for more students to be trained at the same time and for more graduates each semester, according to Leslie Robbins, Ph.D., dean of the College of Nursing.
According to Nicholas Tejeda, Western Group President for Tenet Healthcare, the initiative reflects a commitment to strengthening the health care framework within El Paso with aspirations to retain the skilled nursing talent locally, as quoted in UTEP Newsfeed. Additionally, this philanthropic gesture will be matched with funds from a previously awarded grant from the Paso del Norte Health Foundation, effectively doubling the impact of the investment.
