Written by: Celeste Lee
Southern Adventist University is planning to renovate Miller Hall to provide more facilities for the School of Nursing in January, pending fundraising results, according to Marty Hamilton, associate vice president for Financial Administration.
Holly Gadd, dean of the School of Nursing, is hopeful the project will be completed soon. However, according to Hamilton, the project still needs administration’s final approval.
Hamilton said until fundraising is complete, the university can’t start renovating.
Gadd would like Miller Hall to become a new simulation lab, which would provide more space and time slots for simulations so undergraduate and graduate students can practice in a safe and less stressful environment. The lab would help build their confidence because they can make mistakes without causing harm, according to Gadd.
“Students gain confidence and competence by doing things [and] by being able to be involved with making the decisions and carrying out the skills,” she said.
Currently, the School of Nursing has three simulation areas in AdventhHealth Hall: two rooms and a small corner of the skills lab designated for simulations. Gadd said the simulation areas are busy throughout the week. The lack of simulation space and times keeps the nursing department from working with mental health, community help and graduate programs.
Gadd said one professor gets her class involved by using simulations as she teaches so that her students can learn by seeing and doing rather than sitting through another lecture. To get the required mannequin in the classroom, she has to move it down the hall, risking damage due to moving the technology too much. A new simulation classroom would help solve this problem.
“There’s going to be a medicine room, and students can get involved. [There’s going to be a] screen that if they are not involved themselves they can sit and watch because of the cameras. … Your wheels are turning, and you’re engaged whether you’re up there … or you’re sitting wondering: ‘What would I do if I was up there?’” Gadd said.
According to Gadd, one plan for the new simulation lab is to renovate the chapel on the top floor of Miller Hall.
Last year, Hamilton worked on plans for the top floor simulation classroom. However, according to him, those initial plans were replaced with a plan to renovate the entire building.
According to Gadd, nursing faculty are asking for multiple lab rooms on the first floor for things like mental health, emergency rooms or critical care environments, as well as conference rooms that will allow for multiple simulations going at once. They also plan to add a lounge/study area that will honor one of the nursing professors who passed away.
Gadd said the renovated building would be a place for intense teaching and clinical space.
The School of Nursing wants the lab because the program is growing and needs more space.
“I know we made a commitment to nursing that we will get this done, so the only thing that’s got me concerned is the fundraising,” Hamilton said. “ … I want to help nursing, but if we don’t have all the money, then how are we funding it?”
According to Hamilton, the renovation will cost about $750,000 just for the construction portion, and they are still waiting on fundraising for nursing equipment.
So far, Hamilton is still discussing the plans and is making blueprints, but because of other campus priorities and fundraising, actual renovations are on hold.