New Partnership Between Saint Mary’s and Beacon Health System

Saint Mary’s College and Beacon Health System have enjoyed a long-standing collaboration in nursing clinical education. This week, a new partnership between the two institutions begins, but instead of SMC nursing students traveling to a hospital or clinic for hands-on training, this time Beacon’s care team comes to Saint Mary’s campus.

On Oct. 24 and 25, Beacon’s trauma healthcare team will utilize the College’s advanced nursing simulation labs for their Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS) training. The doctors, nurse practitioners, PAs and residents from Beacon who take part in this training twice each year do so to ensure they are equipped with the latest knowledge and expertise to deliver high-quality patient care. 

Saint Mary’s opened its SIM labs in late 2021, the result of a commitment by the College to provide its prelicensure and nurse practitioner students with access to hands-on, immersive learning experiences essential for real-world clinical practice. The SIM labs are located in the Center for Integrated Healthcare Education (CIHE), which also houses ultra-realistic clinical exam rooms, high-tech medical mannequins, advanced observation rooms, and classrooms.

Nursing Science is the largest academic program at Saint Mary’s, offering bachelor of science in nursing (BSN), master of science in nursing (MSN), and doctor of nursing practice (DNP) degrees. The College’s direct-entry MSN, which began in 2022, is the first program of its kind in Indiana. 

“Given Beacon's reputation for excellence in healthcare delivery and its commitment to innovation, a deepened partnership between our institutions could benefit our community and regional healthcare,” said Dani Edson, DNP, AGACNP-BC, CCRN, Associate Clinical Professor, and director of the Acute Care Nurse Practitioner Program at Saint Mary’s. “By leveraging the Saint Mary’s SIM lab facilities, Beacon can enhance the training and skill development of its staff, ensuring that they are equipped with the latest knowledge and expertise to deliver high-quality patient care.” 

As part of this new partnership, Beacon will share in the use of the CIHE simulation labs and spaces in the Center for Integrated Healthcare Education in Regina Hall to conduct training activities.

If space allows, full-time faculty in the Department of Nursing Science are invited to participate in the training sessions, as relevant to their educational background, according to Edson. At the same time, Beacon may also choose to invite nursing students at the College with the appropriate background to participate in training events in cases where this is possible.

October 24, 2024