Stephen F. Austin State University
DeWitt School of Nursing
Challenge As the demand for nurses has escalated across the country, Stephen F. Austin State University (SFASU) sought to expand its School of Nursing by creating a state of the art teaching facility that would become a national model for a comprehensive school of nursing.
A gift of a 17-acre parcel of land with a former warehouse launched the university into realizing its goal. In question was whether the warehouse could be converted into a state of the art educational facility.
Approach Through analysis of two cost models, it was determined that constructing a new facility would be more efficient than renovating the existing building. A one-story, wood frame building proved to be the most cost-effective structure, enabling the university to allocate maximum investment resources to the building’s program.
The 42,000 square foot school is laid out as separate buildings forming its own campus setting. The first two phases include administration and classroom/lab buildings, and a future third addition is planned to accommodate an auditorium and additional teaching space.
A 9,000 square foot simulation laboratory is the school’s focal point. Four different spaces replicate the clinical environment with 14 patient rooms and a total capacity of 21 patient simulators. Areas include a 10-exam table assessment lab, a skills/ER/debriefing lab, a 10-room critical care medical/surgical lab and 5 room obstetrics/labor and delivery/NICU and pediatrics lab. Patient mannequins simulate a variety of patient conditions, and are maneuvered remotely by instructors stationed in adjacent control rooms. Video cameras located at each bed record and play back procedures, which can be streamed into classrooms for simulcasting or recording for later review.
Nurses stations allow simulated patient monitoring through the use of an active nurse call system tied to each mock patient room. Each room is equipped with typical patient room furniture and an active headwall with air, vacuum and physiological monitors. Glass walls across the front of rooms enable students to observe procedures.
The emergency room lab was designed for multiple uses, including emergency simulation with ambulance bay, debriefing space for student feedback, and continuing education for community health professionals. The lab has collapsible stretchers instead of beds for easy storage and flexibility of space.
The building also contains three classrooms, a computer classroom, conference room, a computer lab and separate student and faculty lounges. The computer classroom is equipped with special ergonomic tables that allow the computer monitors to be stored under the desk allowing for conversion of the classroom for general use.
The administration building is a of rectangular design, with the main lobby and offices lining the perimeter of an exterior courtyard allowing for a maximum number of faculty office with windows. The main classroom building lobby features a series of commissioned painted wall panels depicting the history of nurse-patient interaction.
Results With the addition of its new and advanced school of nursing, the university is now able to accommodate an increased number of nursing students, and the nursing program has become the university’s second largest major. Its 2009 graduation and initial licensure rate was 98 percent, the highest of any Bachelor of Science in Nursing program in the state.
The Dewitt School of Nursing has recently received a state grant from the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board for exceptional performance in generating initial licensure registered nurses. Awarded to only three of nearly 100 statewide nursing programs, this recognition is evidence of the value of an advanced center for learning.
