Aiken Tech's School of Nursing to receive $1 million in federal funding

Mar. 28—Aiken Technical College will receive $1 million in federal funding to support new equipment for its School of Nursing, thanks to support from U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham.

The funding is a part of the second Fiscal Year 2024 spending package announced on March 23 by the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee, of which Graham is a member.

"We are appreciative of Sen. Graham and his office for their advocacy on behalf of our college and School of Nursing," said Aiken Tech President Dr. Forest E. Mahan. "With technology ever-changing, funding the latest equipment can be costly. We want to ensure that our students have the necessary knowledge and skills to succeed in their healthcare fields, including being adept at using equipment that aligns with what they will encounter at various healthcare facilities."

Among the equipment to be funded are simulation models used in the nursing skills lab to provide students with realistic healthcare mock scenarios, said School of Nursing Dr. Dean Hannah Williams, DNP.

"Such equipment allows students to learn, make mistakes, identify solutions and make corrections before caring for actual human beings," said Williams. "This way, they are highly prepared and confident when delivering skilled, competent care to the community. Lastly, it also serves as an alternate clinical method that can help meet the needs of the clinical space shortages faced by many schools of nursing."

The funding is timely as the college prepares to construct a new, state-of-the-art Nursing Education Center. This $14.5 million project will provide technologically advanced skills and lab spaces, auditorium seating classrooms, and additional faculty office space.

Once constructed, the facility space will provide the college with the capabilities to grow, said Mahan.

"We understand the workforce shortage that our healthcare partners are facing, both here in our local region and throughout the state of South Carolina," he said. "A new facility will provide us with the space to increase the number of nursing students we educate and prepare to meet this critical workforce need."

Construction of the facility is expected to begin later this year.