HAMLET — Richmond Community College Board of Trustee approved a lease agreement between the college and FirstHealth of the Carolinas for the clinical simulators that will be housed in a section of the former hospital in Hamlet.
The lease agreement gives the college access to 4,106-square feet of the building that is located adjacent to RichmondCC’s main campus in Hamlet.
FirstHealth has waived a rental fee as long as the College maintains to use it for educational purposes. The College will be responsible for necessary repairs and renovations of the space.
“We’re excited about this simulation hospital, and we can’t wait to show it off,” said Dale McInnis, college president. “This will be a tremendous recruiting tool for our nursing program, and it will be a great way to introduce our younger students in elementary and middle school to the power of technology.”
The simulation hospital will be fully equipped with a wide variety of low and high-fidelity programmable Laerdal manikins, video and computer equipment, furniture, office equipment and fixtures, creating a setting in which realistic healthcare experiences can be simulated to meet the clinical training needs of healthcare students and practicing professionals.
“Once we have the simulation hospital in operation, we think people will begin to fully appreciate its value for educational training and professional development,” McInnis said. “With the shortage of nurses in this region, we are all facing the same problems and looking for clinical space and clinical rotations.
“This simulation facility is a good complement, but not a replacement for working with patients and people,” McInnis added.
Once FirstHealth’s board has also approved the lease agreement, the College will move forward with hiring a coordinator to manage the equipment and scheduling its use.
RichmondCC and FirstHealth began discussing the feasibility of a simulation facility in the former Hamlet hospital back in December 2016. McInnis thanked Richmond Memorial Hospital President John Jackson and his team at FirstHealth for their cooperation and collaboration on making this project a reality.
In other business, the board of trustees was informed that the city of Rockingham would be going out for bid on the construction of the Kenneth and Claudia Robinette Building in May.
This collaboration among the city, Richmond County, the Cole Foundation, the Community Foundation and RichmondCC will house the Leon Levine School of Business and Information Technology at the intersection of Franklin and Lee streets, which includes the property commonly known as the RW Goodman Building in downtown Rockingham.
According to the timeline for the project, the city will let bids on Aug. 15.
Construction is projected to take a year to complete, opening to students Fall Semester 2019. The facility will house college curriculum programs for business and technology, as well as programs and services for the Small Business Center and Workforce and Economic Development division.
In other business, Hal Shuler, associate vice president for development, reminded board members about the Anniversary Gala on April 14, with live entertainment by the Fantastic Shakers.
RichmondCC Foundation’s Distinguished Citizen of the Year, J.C. Lamm, will also be honored at the Gala.
The gala is the Foundation’s annual fundraiser for the Working Scholarship program, which provides scholarships to working college students who do not qualify for financial aid. The Gala will be held from 6:30 to 10 p.m. at the Cole Auditorium.
Shuler also informed the board about the inaugural Bass Fishing Classic that will be held April 28, from 7 to 11:30 a.m. at the lake on the college’s main campus. Organized by RichmondCC’s President’s Club, the fishing tournament is open to the general public. It is limited to 25 boats. Cash prizes will be awarded for biggest bass (most pounds) and best grouping (five fish or less).
The college is also hosting the Rocket League Gaming Tournament beginning May 1 with teams of three to five gamers competing in this popular video game. Teams will compete online through the month of May; however, the semi-finals and finals will be a face-to-face tournament on June 2 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Cole Auditorium. This tournament is open to anyone in sixth grade (age 12) and older.
The Rocket League tournament is a fundraiser for the Summer STEM camps held at RichmondCC.