Fairleigh Dickinson University announced Tuesday it received a $753,000 state appropriation to support the development and advancement of its Acute Care Simulation Clinic to address healthcare workforce shortages and improve patient outcomes.
This funding will also support the efforts of FDU HealthPath Forward, an interdisciplinary initiative launched to tackle the growing crisis of healthcare workforce shortages through training programs, strategic industry and community partnerships, and the integration of cutting-edge technology into healthcare education.
“We are honored by this important appropriation that will make a significant difference for the next generation of healthcare professionals,” said FDU President Michael Avaltroni. “Fairleigh Dickinson University is taking a primary role in shaping the future of healthcare education, and this grant recognizes our commitment to that goal and will help further our progress in this critical realm. We greatly appreciate the support by the state to expand our efforts.”
Senator Gordon Johnson (D-37), who sponsored the budget resolution, said the new Acute Care Simulation Clinic, located at the Metropolitan Campus in Teaneck, will advance FDU’s efforts to bolster the healthcare workforce.
“Providing students with the opportunity to gain realistic, hands-on training in a safe environment will give them the expertise and confidence needed to succeed in today’s healthcare landscape,” Johnson said. “Our hospitals, patients and communities will all benefit from the highly skilled professionals this lab will help develop.”
The clinic will be housed in Dickinson Hall and will be managed by the Henry P. Becton College of Nursing and Allied Health — one of three FDU colleges united in the division of FDU Health.
Dean Annie Rohan said the state funding has accelerated the timeline for the clinic to a summer 2026 opening.
“It comes at an exciting time when our nursing programs are seeing highest-ever levels of student success; our radiography, medical imaging, clinical laboratory science and other allied health programs are in great demand; and we are preparing to launch the first program in northern New Jersey to prepare respiratory therapists at the bachelor-degree level,” Rohan said. “This simulation laboratory is expected to run morning to night, to support the education and collaboration of these many diverse, capable and motivated interprofessional students.”
The Acute Care Simulation Clinic will feature state-of-the-art technology in a space that replicates a real-world urgent care patient bay, providing interprofessional students with a safe environment to practice teamwork and develop skills in assessing patients with chronic medical conditions, including those with superimposed acute illness.
Students will practice handling oxygen-delivery systems, central venous catheters, pacemakers, implantable drug-delivery pumps, and other medical devices now commonly used in the home to better develop clinical acumen in discerning acute health issues that need immediate attention from common underlying chronic conditions, such as diabetes, kidney disease, heart failure and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
The immersive training offered in this lab addresses the shift in the healthcare needs of New Jersey’s population, whereby many more people with complex conditions, including the frail elderly, are now residing at home with a variety of pharmacotherapeutics and medical technologies. New curriculum associated with the clinic will especially focus on facilitating transitions of care, medication reconciliation, and the delivery of compassionate, person-centered, evidence-informed care.
About Fairleigh Dickinson University
Fairleigh Dickinson University is a globally recognized private institution of higher education committed to academic excellence, innovation and professional preparation. With campuses in New Jersey and beyond, FDU offers a wide array of programs that prepare students to excel in their fields while making meaningful contributions to society. In 2023, the University created FDU Health to combine and expand its health science and health-related programs and to nurture new initiatives in the classroom, throughout the campuses and in the community to support health and wellness. This year, FDU HealthPath Forward was unveiled to foster partnerships, innovation and collaboration to improve healthcare delivery and to build models of health and well-being on campus and beyond.
