Nancy Eaton, simulation coordinator for the Nursing program, stands with one of the new Advanced ... Nancy Eaton, simulation coordinator for the Nursing program, stands with one of the new Advanced Patient Simulators the program was able to purchase with funding from the JET program.
Temple College has received a $115,726 Jobs and Education for Texans (JET) grant from the Texas Workforce Commission. The grant is being used to purchase simulation equipment for the college’s Nursing program.

The JET program provides funding for equipment to develop career and technical programs or courses that help train students for high-demand occupations. Temple College was one of 41 schools across the state – including public community colleges, public technical institutes, public state colleges and independent school districts – to receive grants totaling $8,261,090 in the latest round of funding.

Tracy Cooper, executive director of nursing, said Temple College applied for the grant to help fund its ongoing Associate Degree Nursing Expansion Project – an initiative that was designed to double the number of students in the program. The college is in the final year of the project.

Cooper said the grant has enabled the college to purchase three new adult Advanced Patient Simulators that are designed specifically to train nurses, as well as three new hospital beds. They also were able to purchase accessories for the simulators that have the capabilities needed for practicing venipuncture as well as several other nursing skills.

Cooper said they also plan to purchase a newborn Advanced Patient Simulator that will be used to teach newborn and infant care.

“Our simulation coordinator, Nancy Eaton, has done an outstanding job with planning for the needs of our students as we grow our program,” Cooper said.

Cooper noted that having additional simulation equipment is particularly important right now because simulator use has increased due to limitations in clinical sites caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Associate Degree Nursing program now starts two new classes each year. For more information on the program, visit www.templejc.edu/nursing.