The Jeanne Donlevy Arnold Center for Nursing Innovation
Nursing Transformation—Maine's Newest Nursing SIM Labs
How the Center will enhance the training of our nursing students
About the Center
Saint Joseph’s College received a $1.5 million challenge grant from the Harold Alfond Foundation to support the creation of a new Center for Nursing Innovation – a $5 million program on the Standish campus. In addition, SJC alumna and member of the Board of Trustees, Dr. Jeanne Donlevy Arnold and her husband, Ed Arnold pledged $2 million in response to the Alfond Challenge.
The Jeanne Donlevy Arnold Center for Nursing Innovation will encompass on-campus and online nursing education offering:
- Top-notch science and SIM technology
- An increase to Maine’s nursing workforce through scholarships
- Nursing educational advancement through new or enhanced health care partnerships
The Alfond Foundation challenge grant provides the keystone element of SJC’s planned Center—21st century nursing facilities for SIM and the nursing sciences.
Nursing Crisis and Challenges Nationally and in Maine
The national nursing crisis has been widely analyzed and published. Critical needs are:
- Lack of adequate numbers of nurses—including new BSN graduates
- Lack of adequate numbers of nurse PhD’s for faculty positions
- Lack of flexible, site-specific educational programs for nurses
How Saint Joseph's College will Address the Nursing Crisis
- The new Center for Nursing Innovation will include five SIM Laboratories (hospital and home care).
- An entire floor dedicated to students’ needs—includes advising offices for student and faculty meetings, a conference room, and a student collaborative learning space.
- Enhancement of Anatomy & Physiology and Microbiology labs used by nursing majors.
- Establishment of a new scholarship fund to benefit first-generation nursing students from Maine.