Egan School of
Nursing &
Health
Studies,
Connecticut
A state-of-the-art new building connects to the existing School of Nursing facility allowing for a seamless expansion of active, immersive and simulated environments for nursing training.
The new leading-edge School of Nursing and Health Studies facility at Fairfield University has transformed the way students learn, collaborate and socialize. Significant expansion in enrollment and the need for simulation and clinical learning space drove the renovation of 25,000 SF and an addition of 50,000 SF. RDG's design for the renovation and expansion responds to the evolving needs of the nursing program while also integrating the building within a challenging and beautiful site at the heart of the campus. Leveraging the surrounding forested site, the School of Nursing and Health Studies facility now acts as an asset to the learning environments, providing learners with advanced education amid abundant views of nature.
In addition to the Center of Excellence for Palliative Care, RDG's design encompasses four classrooms for up to 60 students and lecture/small group learning for 100 to support active learning as well as didactic and pre-briefing experiences for the simulation center. The student collaboration and community spaces, which are adjacent to the learning spaces, leverage floor-to-ceiling glass to offer sightlines to the center of campus.
The combined simulation and clinical learning environment provide a state-of-the-art educational space for nursing students. The facility includes a 10-bed health assessment lab, two 10-exam table assessment labs, task training, two OR simulation spaces, four standardized patient exam rooms and four simulation suites. Ambulatory and acute care settings allow for comprehensive skill and training practice. These spaces are all arranged on one contiguous floor allowing for flexibility of curriculum and scheduling while maximizing operations.
Relevant Facility Program:
• Nursing Skills Lab
• Health Assessment lab
• Standardized Patient Suite
• Task Training Lab
• Simulated Operating Room
• High Fidelity Simulation Suite
• Procedural Skills
• Prebrief and Debrief
• Active Learning Classrooms
• Lecture/Small Group Learning
• Faculty Offices
• Collaboration/Community Space
• Center of Excellence for Palliative Care