Stony Brook University Selected as a Regional Nursing Simulation Center
Governor Hochul announced $62M investment to strengthen New York’s healthcare workforce
Nursing simulation centers will be established at Stony Brook University and two other State University of New York (SUNY) campuses as part of Governor Kathy Hochul’s signature legislation to expand simulation-based education in SUNY nursing programs.
The $62 million investment includes $35 million in direct SUNY capital awards, with the remaining funds contributed by campus matches. The three nursing simulation centers will be located at Stony Brook University, the University at Buffalo and SUNY Canton.
“By investing in nurses of the future, we’re investing in the talent of aspiring professionals across our state and in the health care workforce we all rely on,” Governor Hochul said in her May 2 announcement. “The SUNY nursing simulation centers will make extraordinary strides toward preparing students and strengthening the pipeline of excellence in our SUNY system and beyond.”
Stony Brook and SUNY Canton have been named SUNY Regional Nursing Simulation Centers, and will serve as critical resources for the Long Island and North Country regions. Buffalo has been designated a SUNY System-Wide Nursing Simulation Center of Excellence, envisioned as a cutting-edge hub for simulation-based education and innovation across the system.
“SUNY is committed to strengthening New York’s healthcare workforce, and today’s groundbreaking investment in nursing simulation is a testament to this commitment, and a reminder of the key role public higher education plays in health outcomes and workforce development,” said SUNY Chancellor John B. King Jr. “Following enactment of Governor Hochul’s 2023 law championed by Senators Stavisky and Fahy and Assemblymember Lupardo to establish nursing simulation, SUNY is at the forefront of simulation-based nursing education — transforming how we prepare our students to address the healthcare workforce shortage and evolving healthcare needs of New Yorkers.”
The selected campuses will provide high-quality, hands-on training for some of the most needed clinical practice areas in health care, such as labor and delivery, high acuity cases and community health. With their investments, each campus has committed to significant prelicensure nursing program enrollment growth, leveraging the legislation Governor Hochul signed in May of 2023 permitting nursing students to complete up to one-third of their clinical training through high-quality simulation experiences.
At Stony Brook University, the new regional nursing simulation center will support a 19 percent increase in prelicensure nursing enrollment in the first-year post-project completion, with a projected 27 percent increase over the next five years. Stony Brook will significantly expand its simulation space footprint to enhance in-person nursing education while also leveraging advanced simulcast software technology to provide remote learning opportunities across Long Island.
“We are grateful to Governor Hochul, SUNY, and Stony Brook University for this opportunity to expand and enhance nursing education through simulation-based learning. The Stony Brook School of Nursing NEXUS Innovation Center epitomizes our commitment to advancing nursing education through innovation and collaboration,” said Stony Brook University School of Nursing Dean Patricia Bruckenthal. “By integrating cutting-edge simulation technologies, we are not only enhancing the clinical competencies of our students and nursing students across our region but also fostering an environment where interdisciplinary teams can engage in transformative learning experiences. This center stands as a testament to our dedication to preparing nurse leaders who will shape the future of healthcare delivery.”
“As Suffolk County’s only academic medical center, Stony Brook University is proud to be at the forefront of healthcare education and workforce development. This designation as a SUNY Regional Nursing Simulation Center reflects our long-standing commitment to preparing the next generation of nurses,” said Executive Vice President for Stony Brook Medicine William A. Wertheim, MD. “Through this important partnership with SUNY, we will significantly expand access to high-quality, hands-on clinical training — helping to address the critical nursing shortage, grow the healthcare workforce and ensure our communities have the skilled professionals they need to thrive.”
SUNY’s goal to fully leverage nursing simulation aligns with recommendations from the SUNY Future of Health Care Workforce Task Force, a group convened to guide SUNY in addressing the critical healthcare workforce shortage. In its findings, the task force identified fully leveraging nursing simulation as one of its four priority areas for short-term action and investment. The $62 million investment will directly support prelicensure nursing program enrollment increases. Collectively, the three designated simulation centers are projected to add hundreds of new prelicensure nursing students annually, while also expanding training capacity at partner SUNY campuses across the state.