PUHI — The Sim Baby captured the hearts of guests, just as real babies somehow melt hearts of people everywhere. The Sim Baby, however, is part of the Simulations Skills laboratory that was dedicated by the Kaua‘i Community College and
PUHI — The Sim Baby captured the hearts of guests, just as real babies somehow melt hearts of people everywhere.
The Sim Baby, however, is part of the Simulations Skills laboratory that was dedicated by the Kaua‘i Community College and its Nursing Department Friday afternoon by Rev. Wayne Vidinha of Ke Akua Mana Church.
“The doors have been locked, so I haven’t seen the inside, just like the rest of us,” said Helen Cox, KCC chancellor. “But classes are starting for the nursing students, so this is very timely.”
Working with two new portable classrooms, the KCC Nursing Department emerged with two additional classrooms, a seven-bed skills laboratory, and a computerized simulation laboratory that is capable of producing life-threatening and crisis situations to patients in a safe environment, Cox said.
“Training more than 50 students in one six-bed skill lab was too crowded,” Char Ono, KCC nursing director, said. “Space became a challenge. We borrowed classroom space from Business Education and Electronics.”
She said the department not only recognized the need for additional space, but the need for computer-based skills lab and enrollment expansion to meet the nation-wide shortage of nurses.
“Starting under the auspices of Rick Carmichael, expansion of the nursing program became the college’s top priority for the Fiscal Biennium 2005-2007,” Ono said. “The legislature appropriated, in Fiscal Biennium 2005-2007, funds for nursing portables for each of the islands. We are the first to obtain our buildings.”
Cox said that process involved many hands including the Office of the Vice President for Community Colleges, Vice President John Morton and Associate Vice President Michael Unebasami, overseeing the Capital Improvement Project from inception to completion.
Brian Kashiwaeda, director, and Rodney Yim, Registered Engineer from the Physical Facilities, Planning and Construction for the University of Hawai‘i Community Colleges as well as members of the building design, planning and construction community that came forward to lend their professional expertise through the delicate process of creating a building that will help deliver quality education to KCC students also played key roles leading to the dedication, Cox said.
Others contributing to the two building include Ushijima Architects with Shaun Ushijima and Sonny Agbalog, Pacific Blue Construction with owner Darryl Maeda and Nate Konishi as the project manager, the state’s Dept. of Accounting and General Services with Stanley Doi, District Engineer, Edwin Santa Maria, and Larry Yasuda, Building Construction Inspector, and the KCC Fund Board for supporting the work being done at the college.
“We are one of the best, if not the best, nursing programs in the state,” Ono said in acknowledging two of the college’s former directors who were in attendance — Carmichael and Josephine Duvachelle, who continues to support the Nursing program through a scholarship program on behalf of her mother who was a nurse brought to Hawai‘i to help Filipino immigrant workers. “But we do not settle for status quo. More growth is seen in the future to meet the community needs.
“We are moving toward an integrated statewide baccalaureate program. It will still be a career ladder program where students are able to step out at several different levels including Licensed Practical Nurse, Associate degree Nurse, and Bachelors’ degree following one year.
“They can continue for a Master’s degree, and even a PhD.”
Ono said the new buildings with the additional skill lab and classrooms will help the students have a more interactive educational experience.
“The computerized simulation lab is state-of-the-art equipment enabling students to experience life-threatening, crisis situations in a controlled, safe environment,” Ono said. “This would not be possible without the help of Tom Kajihara and the computer services staff, Pat Watase, and Calvin Shirai and the maintenance and grounds crew.”
Ono said the buildings will each have names, one being “Ha‘upu,” that symbolizes recollection of the program’s history, and what the department has accomplished.
The other building is named “Kilohana,” or superior, or best, symbolic of the program’s pledge that KCC Nursing students will continue to strive for excellence.
