College's new center mirrors healthcare workplaces to better prepare students

Virgina Western Community College's new $26 million building is designed to mirror healthcare workplaces, preparing students for the in-demand jobs in the healthcare industry. The four-year institution, located in Roanoke, Va., will house a new Center for Science and Health Professions that features more space and updated technology for courses, including nursing, one of the college's fastest growing areas of studies, The Roanake Times reported. The eight-bed nursing lab is equipped with mannequins to simulate patients. One classroom resembles a hospital room but has a two-way mirror so the instructor can watch, control the pretend patient and talk to a student via speaker system. The classroom encounter is designed to help students understand what they'll experience in the hospital or clinic, says Carole Graham, the college's dean of health professions. Article