U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine, a member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, announced $300,000 in federal funding for the Southwest Virginia Higher Education Center Foundation in Abingdon to create the Southwest Virginia Regional Simulation Lab for Nursing and Allied Health. The lab will simulate clinical experience for 450 students and 11 organizations, helping Virginians develop clinical decision-making skills in a controlled, life-like environment and advance their educational and career pathways.
“It’s critical that our health care professionals have access to high-quality education and training to advance their careers and best support our communities,” said the senators. “We’re glad this funding will help hundreds of students in Southwest Virginia get that training and help address the health care worker shortage in the region.”
Specifically, the lab will help meet the high demand for nurses and other health professionals in the region by increasing the availability of simulated clinical experiences. The lab will help students meet up to a quarter of their required clinical hours, complete courses and certifications, and allow community college students to continue their educations through bachelor’s and other graduate level courses. The funding, which was awarded by the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC), will be used to provide equipment and supplies to ensure the lab meets clinical standards.
Warner and Kaine have long supported Virginia’s health care workforce and ARC. They introduced bipartisan legislation to help curb hospital closures in rural communities by making sure hospitals are fairly reimbursed by the federal government for their services. They also announced nearly $6 million in federal funding for community health workforce training across Virginia. The draft of the Fiscal Year 2024 government funding bill, which the senators are working to pass, includes $200 million for ARC.
