Richmond, Va.-based Galen College of Nursing is opening a second campus in Roanoke in 2023, a move aimed at helping to grow Virginia's nursing workforce.
Galen College of Nursing, an affiliate of the HCA Virginia Health System, says its second campus will boost educational opportunities for nursing students — the first step in helping to "expand the pipeline of practice-ready nurses in the Roanoke area," said Galen CEO Mark Vogt in a Jan. 3 news release.
With a focus on practice-based learning, Galen's Roanoke campus will offer nursing students a hands-on experience in its new patient simulation lab.
The second Galen campus, added Vogt, "will help us continue to attract the next generation of nurses and help support the delivery of quality care in the state."
Regional hospitals are expecting the new nursing campus to bring much-needed nursing talent to the area. Salem, Va.-based LewisGale Medical Center, similar to healthcare facilities throughout the U.S., is struggling to find quality nursing candidates to fill open positions.
LewisGale's chief nursing officer Amy Woods, DNP, said in the release that expansion of the nursing workforce in Southwest Virginia is necessary, and she looks forward to working with Galen College to "enhance new graduate preparedness by bridging nursing education and practice."