WVU Parkersburg to open learning centers at six regional health-care facilities.
NEWS RELEASE
April 6, 2010
CONTACT: Dr. Rhonda Richards, senior vice president for academic affairs, 304-424-8242; Suzanne Perry, Expanded Access program coordinator, 304-424-8385.FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
West Virginia University at Parkersburg is opening a Learning Center at Camden-Clark Memorial Hospital this week, the first of six to be established at area health-care facilities to provide nursing education opportunities via technology.
The college is the recipient of a $469,164 federal Department of Labor grant to bring nursing education to rural areas by utilizing live lecture broadcasts.
The project, “Expanded Access Program: Utilizing Technology to Train Nurses in Our Rural Communities,” is a collaboration of WVU Parkersburg, the Mid-Ohio Valley Rural Health Alliance and the Workforce Investment Board of the Mid-Ohio Valley.
An additional $310,946 from WVU Parkersburg and its project partners will be invested in the three-year project, bringing the total commitment to $780,110 for the technology-based nurse education training project.
Camden-Clark's center will be available from 4:30-8:30 p.m. on Mondays and Wednesdays for CCMH employees as well as area residents.
The health-care learning centers are being established in Jackson, Ritchie, Roane, Tyler, Wirt and Wood counties. The centers will allow students to access health-care curricula and support services while pursuing multi-level, career-ladder opportunities in the nursing industry.
"Our goal is to address the pressing needs of the health care industry," noted Dr. Rhonda Richards, WVU Parkersburg senior vice president for academic affairs.
In addition to Camden-Clark, learning centers will be established at Roane General Hospital in Spencer, Sistersville General Hospital, Coplin Clinic in Elizabeth, Rivervalley Health and Wellness in Ravenswood, and Ritchie Valley Primary Care in Harrisville.
"The project will create a nursing career ladder structure for health care practitioners from entry level to professional nursing, accessible in their communities," explained Suzanne Perry, Expanded Access program coordinator.
Designed to expand access to nurse education, the DOL project will include the delivery of live lecture broadcasts of a career ladder curriculum. It will also include a
variety of support, including mentoring and tutoring services; financial assistance resources; computer literacy courses, and assistance with on-line nursing general education coursework.WVU Parkersburg is partnering with the Rural Health Alliance to expand its resident, point-to-point, broadcast network by establishing the learning centers to connect rural hospitals through distance education and increase opportunities to pursue health care careers.
