Appalachian Regional Commission Grant Funds High-Tech Training Mannequins for CCC&TI Healthcare Programs

Nursing students beginning classes at Caldwell Community College and Technical Institute this fall will have access to brand new, high-tech equipment to help prepare them for real world health care scenarios.

Thanks to help from a $150,000 grant from the Appalachian Regional Commission, CCC&TI has purchased four new simulation mannequins for the college’s Nursing program classrooms in Hudson and Boone. 

The simulation project included the purchase of two childbirth simulators and two adult patient simulators, as well as training to prepare instructors to maximize the new technology in the classroom. The childbirth mannequins can simulate the various stages of delivery and emergency scenarios, while the adult patient mannequins can simulate a variety of health care scenarios and issues. 

“As the demand for well-educated nurses continues to grow, CCC&TI stands ready to answer the call,” CCC&TI President Dr. Mark Poarch said. “Having the best and newest equipment is key to preparing them for the life-and-death scenarios they will face in the field.”

Area health care providers, including UNC Health Caldwell in Lenoir and UNC Health Appalachian in Boone, offered endorsements of the project as a valuable tool for training future nurses and filling local workforce needs.

“We appreciate the support of the Appalachian Regional Commission and know that the investment will pay dividends throughout Western North Carolina with more well-prepared nurses in the field ready to serve,” Poarch said.

The new equipment is already in service on both campuses and has been a valuable recruiting tool as well, with recent campus tours and activities including live demonstrations for visitors interested in a health care career. Students in CCC&TI’s Associate Degree Nursing, Practical Nursing and Practical Nursing to Associate Degree Nursing Transition programs will benefit from the technology investment for years to come.

CCC&TI is currently taking applications for future Nursing cohorts on both the Caldwell Campus in Hudson and Watauga Campus in Boone. For more information or to get started, call 828-726-2200 (Caldwell) or 828-297-3811 (Watauga), or visit www.cccti.edu.