Midway University has received a $335,660 grant to support a state-of-the-art nursing simulation lab for the purpose of strengthening Kentucky’s health-care workforce.
The Kentucky Association of Health Plans (KAHP) multi-year grant will fund additional equipment and technology for Midway’s nursing skills and simulation labs, as well as supporting the university’s continued investment in immersive, hands-on training that reflects the latest practices in patient care. KAHP is the trade association representing Medicaid managed care organizations and commercial insurers in Kentucky.
Midway said it is planning additions to include high-fidelity patient simulators, advanced monitoring systems, IV training modules, and other learning tools that help bridge classroom instruction with clinical readiness. These resources will allow nursing students to refine their skills in realistic, supportive environments that complement their hospital and community-based clinical experiences.
Midway said in a press release that its nursing program, celebrating its 60th anniversary, has experienced ten consecutive years of enrollment growth. Further, it says 90 percent of its nursing students are Kentucky residents, and most graduates remain in the commonwealth to serve in hospitals, clinics and community care settings.
Midway University President John P. Marsden said the investment builds on the university’s longstanding commitment to innovative nursing education.
“We are grateful for KAHP’s support of our efforts to provide students with the most engaging and effective learning environment possible,” Marsden said in the release. “This partnership allows us to expand the tools and technology available to our nursing faculty and students, ensuring that Midway continues to lead in preparing highly capable, compassionate caregivers.”
Tom Stephens, president and CEO of KAHP, said the partnership supports the people “who form the backbone” of the state’s health care system.
“By supporting Midway University’s nursing simulation labs, we are helping prepare more skilled professionals who can improve patient care, expand access in communities, and advance better health for all Kentuckians,” Stephens said in the release.
Sen. Amanda Mays Bledsoe, R-Lexington, who attended the Oct. 24 announcement on Midway University’s campus, praised the collaboration as a model for aligning education and health policy.
“When we invest in Kentucky’s nursing programs, we are investing directly in our communities,” Bledsoe said in the release. “Efforts like this help strengthen our health care pipeline and improve access to care for families across the commonwealth.”