Gadsden, Ala.–Gadsden State Community College’s growing Health Sciences Program will get additional space next year with the construction of a second floor above Helderman Hall Auditorium on the Wallace Drive Campus. Associate degree registered nursing and therapeutic massage courses are taught at Helderman where increased space has been a critical need for several years. Bids for construction of the second floor will open August 6. Architects for the project are McElrath & Oliver of Gadsden.
Dr. Jim Prucnal, dean of financial and administrative services, explained that the first floor of the building was designed so that a second floor could be easily added. The addition will be the same size as the first floor-4200 square feet.
The second floor will consist of two simulation laboratories with two beds in each. Instructors will be able to observe activities in the labs while nursing students perform various procedures. Connie Meloun, assistant dean for health sciences, said that the college hopes to obtain additional “patient simulators,” which will provide highly realistic patient simulation training experiences for the practice of clinical skills, teamwork and communication using various patient scenarios. The patient simulators can be used by faculty for students in various health care disciplines. There are multiple types of patient simulators including a newborn baby, an infant, young child, adult and even a “birthing” simulator. Each simulator is computerized and interactive and has the ability to synchronize student interventions with video which can provide immediate, detailed feedback on performance to students. The patient simulator provides a way to challenge and test students’ clinical and decision-making skills during realistic patient care scenarios involving one or more students.
The second floor will also have ten separate areas similar to hospital rooms equipped to help students get accustomed to the hospital environment.
Prucnal said he hopes the work will be finished and the addition ready for use by April 2010. Revenues from a 2007 bond issue by the Public School and College Authority and the Etowah County sales tax are funding the construction.