RCC Receives $3 Million For New Nursing Simulation Lab

SUFFERN, NY — Rockland Community College will receive a $3 million federal grant to fund the construction of a new state-of-the-art Nursing Simulation Lab on Rockland Community College’s main campus in Suffern.

Nursing simulation laboratories are used to prepare students with workforce skills. This funding will provide the Simulation Lab with much-needed high-fidelity mannequins and equipment that can mimic real life scenarios that students will face in the field, college officials said.

"This could not have come at a more significant moment as our nation is experiencing a desperate need for nurses as we continue to see a shortage in the healthcare industry," said Dr. Susan Deer, Officer in Charge of Rockland Community College.

The current lab is a one-room facility in the tech center. There is also a one room skills lab. The funds will be used for design, construction, and high-tech equipment to make a state-of-the-art facility that will allow for a significantly higher percentage of nursing students to be able to be trained in the space.

The money is part of the Fiscal Year 2023 omnibus appropriations bill, which includes nearly $29 million in Community Project Funding for 15 different projects across New York’s 17th Congressional District, said former Rep. Mondaire Jones.

RCC’s Nursing Program has received recent accolades. It was ranked No. 2 out of 153 New York State Board of Nursing approved schools to pursue an associate degree in nursing; and RegisteredNursing.org ranked the Rockland Community College Nursing Program No. 5 out of 103 in New York State for 2023 Best RN programs.

The college’s accredited Associate Degree in Nursing program prepares nurses to meet the needs of the community, and incorporates philosophical beliefs, scientific discipline, and concepts from nursing research to prepare nurses for careers in the ever-changing healthcare system.

Tuition costs at RCC are about one-third of other colleges in New York, making it an affordable choice for future nurses, school officials pointed out.