Hospital pledges $10,000 toward health complex

Friday, April 3, 2009

Community Hospital administration and Board of Directors have announced their support of the new North Platte Community College Health Complex by pledging $10,000 to the project. In return, the hospital will have the honor of naming one of the ten nursing offices.

The proposed two-level health complex is estimated to cost $9 million and will provide the physical resources needed to continue to educate healthcare workers in central Nebraska. The complex is designed to house classrooms and learning labs to educate registered and licensed practical nursing students, as well as dental assistants, medical lab technicians, nursing assistants, and emergency medical services personnel, including paramedics. Other vocations include education in health occupations, science and mathematics areas, bioscience, forensic science, homeland security and more.

"With shortages in the healthcare workforce, Community Hospital recognizes the importance of providing state-of-the-art educational facilities close to home to enhance students' experiences and continue to attract our best and brightest to work in Nebraska," said Jim Ulrich, Community Hospital President and CEO.

"We have been collaborating with the Mid-Plains Community College system for many years by allowing nursing students to complete some of their clinical practice at Community Hospital," he continued. "We recognize the need to 'grow our own' healthcare professionals and encourage them to stay in our local communities close to where they were educated."

The complex is needed because the college's medical training rooms are overcrowded, officials say. There are about 80 nursing students at the college every year, educated in three classrooms. The same rooms are also used to teach emergency medical services and paramedic classes.

Some 30 registered nurses currently graduate from the college each year. Most of them go to work in Nebraska.

The health complex is also designed to support distance learning techniques to meet the needs of the entire Mid-Plains Community College 18-county area. Extended campus sites are in Broken Bow, Valentine, Ogallala and Imperial, as well as a number of other locations throughout the MPCC service area.

"What a tremendous statement of support it would be to see all the other critical access hospitals in the Mid-Plains Community College area match our $10,000 pledge and name the remaining nursing offices in the Health Complex," Ulrich said. "Future healthcare graduates will be the life blood of our hospitals in the years to come. Helping to support their ability to receive a healthcare education is an investment that will provide our organizations with countless benefits."

The health complex would total about 32,100 square feet and be located on the North Platte Community College - South Campus. The proposed building site is directly east of the McDonald Belton Main Building and would include construction of about 180 additional parking spaces.

$100,000 Pledge for MCC Events Center

Earlier, Community Hospital announced a $100,000 pledge and support of the McCook Community College Events Center in McCook, allowing Community Hospital the honor of naming one of the rooms the Community Hospital Cardiovascular Room.

"We are pleased that in supporting the Events Center project, we are making a statement about the importance of promoting health and wellness through athletic activities and the opportunity for curriculum development in the areas of athletic training and sports medicine for MCC.

"It is with pleasure that those of us associated with Community Hospital support McCook Community College and North Platte Community College through these projects," Ulrich said. "We recognize the tremendous value to education that the Mid-Plains Community College brings to our area."

The 52,993 square feet McCook Community College Events Center is estimated to cost $10 million and includes a $500,000 endowment. It will include a competition gymnasium with retractable seating for 1,500 to 2,000 spectators, an auxiliary practice gym for MCC's six intercollegiate sports programs, four lower level locker rooms including restrooms, showers, laundry, and storage, main floor cardiovascular, aerobics and weight training areas for students and faculty, concession, seven offices and one conference room.

Constructing the Events Center creates a multi-functional space that will support community sports activities and programs, including local and regional tournaments, business and industry conferences and training, concerts and cultural symposiums. The expanded space will also allow curriculum development opportunities for athletic training, sports medicine and special events planning.

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