Educating Tomorrow’s Healthcare Professionals

FLORIDA GULF COAST UNIVERSITY TOOK A MAJOR STEP FORWARD IN EFFORTS TO PREPARE FUTURE HEALTH CARE WORKERS. FGCU BROKE GROUND ON 117 MILLION DOLLAR HEALTH SCIENCE BUILDING THE BUILDING WILL HOUSE SIMULATED INTENSIVE CARE UNIT, LABOR AND DELIVERY SUITES AND OPERATING ROOMS. IT'S ALL DESIGNED TO TRAIN THE NEXT GENERATION OF NURSES, PHYSICAL THERAPISTS AND OTHER HEALTH CARE WORKERS, CEO OF LEE HEALTH AND FGCU BOARD MEMBER DR LARRY ANTONUCCI SAYS THE TRUE IMPACT OF THE BUILDING LIES IN ITS PURPOSE. >> SOUTHWEST FLORIDA CONTINUES TO GROW RAPIDLY, PARTICULARLY AMONG AGING POPULATIONS. AND WITH THAT GROWTH COMES AN INCREASING DEMAND FOR HIGHLY TRAINED HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS. ACADEMIC BUILDING TENT IS A PROACTIVE STRATEGIC RESPONSE TO THAT NEED EXPANDING THE PROGRAMS OF AMERICAN COLLEGE OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES AND ENSURING IT FTC REMAINS AT THE WAR FRONT OF HEALTH CARE, EDUCATION. >> WITHIN THE SIMULATION LABS, MANNEQUINS WILL HAVE LIFE LIKE ABILITIES LIKE A PULSE AND EVEN THE ABILITY TO MOVE THEIR EYES, ALL ALLOWING STUDENTS TO PRACTICE VARIOUS PROCEDURES. GABRIEL DE CARDENAS, FIRST SEMESTER, NURSING STUDENT SAYS HE LOOKS FORWARD TO ALL THE TECHNOLOGY THAT WILL BE AVAILABLE TO MAKE HIS TRAINING AS COMPLETE AS POSSIBLE. >> ONE BIG THING THAT THEY'RE TESTING NOW AND I THINK THEY'RE GOING TO IMPLEMENT A NEW BUILDING IS A WEARABLE BIRTHS SIMULATOR. SO WE GET TO BE THE ACTING OF A PATIENT AND THEN ALSO THE REAL TECHNICAL MESS OF CHILDBIRTH. AND I THINK IT'S JUST SO INCREDIBLE TO MAKE IT JUST I MEAN, ALMOST AS REALISTIC AS POSSIBLE. IT'S SO MUCH FUN AND I CAN'T WAIT TO GET INTO THOSE KIND OF GOALS AND WORK WITH THAT PIECE OF TECHNOLOGY. IT'S JUST SO EXCITING. >> DE CARDENAS HOPES TO WORK IN A LEVEL ONE TRAUMA UNIT AFTER GRADUATION CONSTRUCTION ON THE BUILDING IS EXPECTED TO BE COMPLETED IN SPRING OF 2029.