Fletcher Jones Foundation Makes Generous Donation to CGN

The College of Graduate Nursing at Western University of Health Sciences

recently received a $200,000 grant from The Fletcher Jones Foundation.

The funds will be used to acquire a computerized Human Patient Simulator

(HPS), manufactured by Medical Education Technologies, Inc. The HPS is a

computer-driven, full-sized mannequin that blinks, breathes, speaks,

bleeds, has a heartbeat and a pulse, and even dies. It accurately

mirrors human responses to procedures such as CPR, intravenous

medication, intubation, ventilation, defibrillation, catheterization,

etc.

“”As a teaching devise, the HPS is unparalleled, but due to its expense it

is still relatively rare in nursing programs,”” said Karen Hanford, EdD

(c), MSN, FNP, dean of the College of Graduate Nursing. “”This grant

from The Fletcher Jones Foundation will enable us to acquire the

equipment much sooner than we had anticipated. With the HPS, we can

further challenge nursing students by presenting them with critical

medical situations, in a controlled learning environment, where they can

execute best practices repetitively. With this training, the correct

response to critical situations will be engrained in our graduates before

they ever face similar situation with real patients.””

Medical care today is very technological, and requires that nurses

possess a high degree of technological sophistication. That fact will

not change. In fact, it is probable that health care will become even

more technology driven in the future. Since registered nurses are the

primary health care providers in almost all medical settings, the

Fletcher Jones Foundation has enhanced the CGN nursing program by

providing a highly technological, computerized educational solution.

The Clinical Skills Laboratory is used by students in the College’s

Nursing-Entry Program (MSN-E), which provides an accelerated pathway to

nursing for students who already hold an undergraduate degree in an

unrelated major. It allows students to build on their baccalaureate

degree, rather than forcing them to return to complete an associate’s

degree in nursing or obtain a second bachelor’s degree. The program

provides students with the education required for RN licensure, a public

health certificate, and a Master of Science in Nursing. Currently, 116

students are enrolled in the program at WesternU.

The Fletcher Jones Foundation was incorporated in 1969 in the State of

California by Fletcher Roseberry Jones, cofounder of Computer Sciences

Corporation. It is located in Los Angeles, and supports private colleges

and universities in California.