Colorado Mountain College was the recent recipient of a $125,000 grant from Google intended to support three nursing-simulation labs that are part of the college’s nurse education program at its Spring Valley, Steamboat Springs and Breckenridge campuses.

“Colorado Mountain College’s leadership in addressing the nursing shortage across Colorado communities is critical to our healthcare system,” state Rep. Julie McCluskie, who represents Colorado House District 61, said in a Colorado Mountain College news release. “I am grateful for Google’s investment in their nursing program and new simulation laboratories, which provide a realistic educational experience for our students and reduces costly travel to distant training sites.”

The college plans to apply the Google donation to the Colorado Mountain College Foundation’s Rural Nursing Success Fund Capital Campaign that is funding the three new high-fidelity nursing simulation labs.

Colorado Mountain College President and CEO Carrie Besnette Hauser said the life-like simulation labs serve to bridge the gap between skills labs and theory coursework and are proven to foster the critical thinking, self-confidence and quick reflexes necessary to prepare students for the clinical environment. 

“The experience that Colorado Mountain College’s nursing students are receiving as a result of Google’s generosity is an important part of establishing countless health care careers,” Hauser said. “CMC is so grateful for Google’s support in bringing these state-of-the-art training labs and true to life mannequins to our students and to our rural mountain resort communities.” 

Nursing students can complete up to 50% of their clinical hours in the simulation lab, reducing the need for travel to distant training sites. In addition, the labs allow ESL/GED students to receive training in medical interpretation. 

In the same grant cycle, Google also awarded St. Vrain Valley School District in Longmont $125,000 to support the district’s Pathways in Technology Early College High School program.

This story is from PostIndependent.com.