SBU buys birthing simulators using state grant funds

A state grant recently awarded to Southwest Baptist University has allowed its Department of Nursing to invest in over $140,000 worth of new training technology.

Utilizing a $142,158 grant through the Missouri Nursing Education Incentive Program, SBU purchased birthing simulators and related tools to enhance instruction in maternal, newborn and postpartum care, according to a news release. The equipment is intended to provide students with hands-on knowledge and experience in labor and delivery health care.

“Nursing students with increased access to tactical training and higher levels of supervised education are better positioned to confidently utilize those skills when entering the workforce,” said Heather Daulton, coordinator of SBU’s Bachelor of Science in Nursing program on the Bolivar campus, in the release.

The purchase included two simulators, audio-visual capabilities through a SimCapture subscription with Laerdal Medical and warranties for both simulators.

To qualify for the grant, SBU’s nursing program was required to meet benchmarks including national nursing licensure exam pass rates at or above 80%, as well as graduation and job placement rates greater than or equal to 80%, according to the release.

The BSN degree program in Bolivar serves residential students living on campus and has operated with a cohort of 30 students each spring semester. The Missouri State Board of Nursing recently approved an expansion to 45 students per cohort beginning each fall semester. Students interested in the program must first be accepted and enrolled as an undergraduate student on the Bolivar campus and complete a separate application for the program.

Additionally, SBU offers associate’s and bachelor’s nursing degrees through its Springfield and Salem campuses for students not participating in a residential program.

The grant investment comes after the university announced late last year an expansion of its health education partnership with Mercy Springfield Communities that added several degree programs in nursing and health science, according to past Springfield Business Journal reporting.