The Hospitals of Providence Gifts $1.1 Million to UTEP to Strengthen Nursing Workforce
The University of Texas at El Paso’s College of Nursing will bolster its efforts to alleviate the region’s ongoing nursing shortage thanks to a $1.1 million gift from The Hospitals of Providence and Tenet Healthcare Foundation.
The funds will be used to enhance nursing simulation laboratories with advanced, artificial intelligence-enhanced simulation manikins, allowing the college to drastically increase the size of its undergraduate class by providing students with more opportunities for advanced, hands-on clinical education and training.
“This gift will take our Nursing Center for Simulation to the next level with very realistic mannikins,” said UTEP President Heather Wilson. “We really appreciate the support of The Hospitals of Providence to increase the number of highly qualified nurses in our region.”
“This generous gift from The Hospitals of Providence represents a transformative step forward for nursing education in our community,” said Leslie Robbins, Ph.D., dean of the College of Nursing. “These manikins can move, blink, talk and more. By equipping our students with the most advanced simulation tools available, we are ensuring they graduate with the confidence, competence, and clinical judgment needed to succeed in today’s complex health care environment.”
The new manikins will help students practice real-world patient care scenarios in a controlled environment, expanding UTEP’s simulation-based learning capacity. The manikins will be part of the College of Nursing’s Center for Simulation, a 16,000 sq.-ft. facility where students currently practice various health care scenarios.
“This partnership with UTEP reflects our commitment to strengthening the health care infrastructure of the El Paso community – as our community grows, we have grown with it and it’s essential that we have the nursing talent available to provide that needed care,” said Nicholas Tejeda, Western Group President for Tenet Healthcare. “As the largest health care network and largest private employer, our goal is to help train the next generation of health care providers and to retain that talent here locally. By working together with our partners at UTEP, we can help ensure that our hospitals have the talented professionals they need to provide high-quality care to patients and loved ones in our region.”
The gift from The Hospitals of Providence will be matched with funding from a pre-existing grant from the Paso del Norte Health Foundation, further amplifying the impact of the investment.
The investment from The Hospitals of Providence builds on UTEP’s long-standing efforts to expand access to nursing education and prepare graduates who reflect the communities they serve.
This is more than an investment in technology,” adds Robbins. “It’s an investment in people, in opportunity and in the health of our community.
About The Hospitals of Providence
The Hospitals of Providence covers the El Paso Region to include West Texas and Southern New Mexico. The system includes acute-care hospital locations: Memorial Campus, Providence Children’s Hospital, Sierra Campus, East Campus, Transmountain Campus, Specialty Campus, Mission Ridge Campus, Horizon City Campus and the Northeast Campus; Diagnostic Imaging Centers; the Emergency Room Montwood and Emergency Room Edgemere; Paso del Norte and El Paso Day Surgery Centers and the El Paso Center for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy; The Center for Wound Healing; Inpatient Rehabilitation Program; Outpatient Therapy Centers; Weight Loss Center East and West. The Hospitals of Providence is dedicated to continuing the over 100-year commitment to the El Paso community. For more information, please visit TheHospitalsOfProvidence.com.
About UTEP Health
UTEP Health is a comprehensive initiative of The University of Texas at El Paso aimed at elevating the standard of healthcare in the Paso del Norte region. It encompasses more than 4,400 students in the College of Health Sciences, the College of Nursing, the School of Pharmacy and other health professions, programs and research. The active research portfolio of nearly $67 million focuses on the unique issues of the border region.