(Credit: Gwynedd Mercy University)
Gwynedd Mercy University is launching a bold new initiative aimed at addressing the persistent shortage of nurses and other health care professionals across Pennsylvania, according to a report from WHYY.
The effort, called the Compassionate Care Collaborative, focuses on workforce training, innovation, and affordability, with a mission to create a direct pipeline into high-demand health care fields, according to the article.
Set to be headquartered in the university’s soon-to-be-completed Frances M. Maguire Healthcare Innovation Center, the program will combine education with hands-on experience and cutting-edge technology.
The 63,000-square-foot facility, funded in part by a $10 million gift from the Maguire Foundation, is expected to open in August and will be the largest academic building on campus.
“This is a new initiative for Gwynedd Mercy and it really builds on our historic strength in healthcare education that we’ve been doing for almost 70 years,” said Deanne D’Emilio, the university’s president, in the interview.
The Compassionate Care Collaborative will expand on Gwynedd Mercy’s existing healthcare programs by offering new, flexible pathways to enter and advance in the medical field. The university will partner directly with local health care systems to design degrees and certificate programs based on real-time workforce needs. For instance, current health care employees seeking advancement can pursue certificates in leadership or project management.
Modern technology will be at the forefront of this initiative. The Healthcare Innovation Center will be outfitted with advanced medical equipment, such as high-tech manikins for clinical simulations, a 3D virtual dissection platform known as the Anatomage table, a simulated radiation therapy system, and a lung simulator capable of replicating a range of pulmonary conditions. The facility will also include nine skills labs and 15 simulation rooms designed to mimic real clinical environments.
Gwynedd Mercy is also expanding its Nursing Scholars Program. The initiative offers up to $40,000 in loan forgiveness for students who commit to working for at least three years at participating health systems. Initially partnered with Geisinger Health, the program has recently expanded to include Lehigh Valley Health Network, Temple Health, Penn Hyland Health, and WellSpan Health.
