Ivy Tech pulls back the curtain on new healthcare education center

Oct. 30, 2024 -- Healthcare students at Ivy Tech Community College - Richmond have a brand-new space to learn and train in, one that furthers the relationship between the school and Reid Health as both organizations seek to build a pipeline of future healthcare workers.

A grand-opening celebration took place Tuesday for the Debra Edelman Healthcare Education Center, including a ribbon-cutting ceremony, official dedication, and tours and demonstrations for the public.

Much of the second floor of Johnson Hall on the Ivy Tech campus at 2357 Chester Blvd. in Richmond has been remodeled into a healthcare simulation center.

Spaces stocked with the same equipment that is used at Reid Health have been set up to mimic medical-surgical, maternity, and intensive care rooms. There's also a paramedic training area with an ambulance simulator and a new pharmacy tech space.

"Ivy Tech is committed to producing high-quality nurses and healthcare workers. Expanding our program required the right resources and facilities to ensure student success," said Heather Wierzbinski-Cross, Dean of Nursing and Health Sciences for Ivy Tech Richmond.

"This new simulation space is a vital step in preparing our students for the growing demands of the healthcare workforce. By collaborating with Reid Health, we offer students a realistic, high-fidelity environment that mirrors clinical settings, helping them build confidence and develop the skills necessary to succeed in the field."

Misti Foust-Cofield, Vice President/Chief Nursing Officer for Reid Health, said Ivy Tech Richmond's new healthcare space will provide countless opportunities for partnership and integration.

"We're grateful for Ivy Tech Richmond's forward thinking and work to create a space that encourages and trains our future nurses and other clinicians," she said. "This space will be valuable for high school students who might be exploring nursing, college students who are acquiring skills alongside trained faculty, and seasoned caregivers who might be learning new skills."

Most of the space was ready for the beginning of the fall semester classes a few weeks ago, while the finishing touches of the ambulance simulator were put into place last week.

"Our healthcare and nursing programs are feeders to the pipeline of healthcare workers in our service area," said Ivy Tech Richmond Chancellor Chad Bolser. "Training the healthcare and nursing workforce of the future is one of the main priorities in our strategic initiatives. Reid is a tremendous partner in this effort, and we want to ensure each one of our graduates has a direct connection to Reid's operation.

"Our relationship with Reid runs deep. We could not provide the educational opportunities we do without our relationship with Reid."

Reid Health staff provided advice and guidance on the project as well as some equipment to match what's used at the health system's facilities.

"Nurses and providers are at the heart of what we do, so we need to have skilled people who want to work in East-Central Indiana and want to work for Reid Health. Sometimes it's hard to attract folks from outside the region," said Jason Troutwine, Reid Health Vice President/Reid Foundation President. "One of the best ways for us to attract nurses and other skilled labor is to grow our own.

"To get students prepared to work in healthcare so they can easily transition into a job at Reid Health, that's laying a lot of groundwork for us."

About Ivy Tech

Ivy Tech is a diverse open-access college that fuels Indiana's economy through excellence in teaching and proactive engagement with industry and community partners, embedded in a culture of innovation that empowers all students to learn and succeed.

About Reid Health

Reid Health is a regional health system serving East-Central Indiana and West-Central Ohio, with a main hospital campus in Richmond, Indiana, that includes a 189-bed inpatient hospital and 50 satellite locations in seven regional counties. The health system and its physician network, Reid Health Physician Associates, has more than 3,100 employees, including more than 170 providers in more than 40 specialties and sub-specialties. Reid Health has been named one of America's 250 Best Hospitals by Healthgrades, putting it in the top 5% of hospitals nationwide for overall clinical performance.

"Nurses and providers are at the heart of what we do, so we need to have skilled people who want to work in East-Central Indiana and want to work for Reid Health. Sometimes it's hard to attract folks from outside the region. One of the best ways for us to attract nurses and other skilled labor is to grow our own. To get students prepared to work in healthcare so they can easily transition into a job at Reid Health, that's laying a lot of groundwork for us." -- Jason Troutwine, Reid Health Vice President/Reid Foundation President