New State-of-the Art Advanced Nursing Education Suite Officially Open at USU

Utah State University formally opened its Emma Eccles Jones Advanced Nursing Education Suite on Monday, June 10, with a ribbon-cutting ceremony that included guided tours and light refreshments.

“Today marks a significant milestone in our journey to advance healthcare education and training,” said Al Smith, endowed dean of the Emma Eccles Jones College of Education and Human Services. “This state-of-the-art facility, equipped with cutting-edge technology, represents our unwavering commitment to excellence in nursing education.”

Numerous donors supported the creation of the suite, including Intermountain Health, Harriet and Wallie Rasmussen, The Marriner S. Eccles Foundation, Glen and Evelyn Olsen, Mark and LeAnn Stoddard, George Butler and Georgeanne Doty, Shelton and Sharon Wakefield, and the Val A. and Edith D. Green Foundation.

The Very Reverend Frederick Q. Lawson, an ordained priest in the Anglican Communion and grand nephew of Emma Eccles Jones (namesake of the college), spoke briefly about his aunt’s inspirational caregiver who nursed his “Aunt Em” in her later years.

“Em was very keen that nursing education be made a priority, hence my involvement in her foundation,” Lawson said. “Now, the crowning jewel is here at USU with this wonderful new nursing facility and the simulation labs.”

Emma’s nurse gave exemplary service and fueled Lawson’s dedication to nursing education by providing scholarships for nearly every nursing student at Utah State.

The suite’s high-tech design provides students with invaluable practice in a risk-free environment. In each simulation room, a medical manikin that closely simulates human physiology and anatomy (including heartbeat and pulse) can breathe, respond to students’ interventions by changing vital signs, and even speak, moan or scream. Students give injections, adjust oxygen rates, place feeding tubes and start IVs. They interact with the manikins as if they are live patients, learning from mistakes and repeatedly practicing their clinical skills.

The new nursing education space allows the Bachelor of Nursing (BSN) program in Logan to double its current size, both in space and in student capacity.Now, a total of 60 students may be admitted into the BSN program each year, 30 per semester. A total of 120 students will be enrolled in the BSN program at any given time.

Recognizing the contributions of the donors, Carma Miller, head of the Department of nursing, said: “We are deeply grateful to all our donors who supported the expansion of the BSN nursing program on our USU Logan campus. Prior to this new addition, the nursing program was only able to accept one in every three qualified applicants. We are delighted that for the first time in our program history, a second cohort of nursing students was admitted in January 2024.”