Bolstering Vital Healthcare Sector, WCA Works to Get More Nurses on the Front Lines

The newsletter of the Westchester County Association (WCA) recently quoted Debra Simons, PhD, RN, dean of the School of Nursing and Health Sciences at Manhattanville.

From the WCA newsletter:

“New York’s nursing shortage is worsening. The state is projected to face a shortage of almost 40,000 nurses by 2030, leaving current nurses overworked and patients potentially impacted by inadequate staffing. Nursing programs working toward educating the next generation face a major challenge: a lack of clinical sites for students to complete required training hours. But that may soon change. A new bill would allow nursing students to substitute up to 30% of required clinical training with ‘high-quality simulation education.’ The WCA has been a fierce advocate in support of the bill, now passed in the State Senate and Assembly, awaiting Gov. Hochul’s signature.

‘This is great news,’ said Debra Simons, PhD, RN, Dean of Nursing and Health Sciences at Manhattanville College. ‘Simulation labs provide students with opportunities to build confidence in dealing with high-pressure situations, learn from mistakes in a safe, supportive environment, and gain experiences with a variety of conditions—boosting their confidence for when they officially enter the nursing workforce. We appreciate the support and collaboration of the WCA, which advocated for this bill and brought together area hospitals and educational institutions to help solve the nursing shortage.’”