For more than three decades, the South Dakota State University College of Nursing has played a vital role in educating nurses in western South Dakota. But in the past two years, the program’s presence in Rapid City has transformed. Housed at Black Hills State University-Rapid City, SDSU’s expanded classrooms and cutting-edge simulation spaces offer a full path to a bachelor’s degree in nursing without leaving the Black Hills. “We’ve developed a strong partnership with Black Hills State University and Monument Health,” said SDSU College of Nursing Dean Mary Anne Krogh. “It’s been a great opportunity for students, and our class sizes have continually grown.” The Rapid City site has expanded from about 150 to 270 students.
The growth coincides with innovative simulation facilities led by Director of Simulation Alyssa Zweifel. “We really specialize in following all the healthcare simulation standards and best practices,” she said. “It shows that we’re performing to those standards every time we’re doing simulations.” The center incorporates manikin-based training, virtual and augmented reality, immersive environments and human simulated patients.
This momentum reached a new milestone when SDSU was awarded the Nurse Education Practice Quality and Retention- Workforce Expansion Program grant. This four-year, $4 million initiative will expand clinical hours, enhance simulation access, support rural students and provide select applicants with stipends. To find out more on how to apply for the GUIDE-RNS program, email sdsu.conhealthcaresimulation@sdstate.edu.
“Our focus is increasing the number of nursing students in the Rapid City area and retaining them,” assistant professor Danielle Schievelbein said. “Our goal is to enroll 136 students in the next four years in this extended clinical experience.”
For all three leaders, the motivation is simple. “It’s the students,” Dr. Krogh said. “They’re phenomenal — and the care they’ll provide in the future is what excites us every day.”
Pictured, left to right: Mackenna Wight, Megan Watson,
Allyson Stromer, Mandy Mehlhaff and Kirsten Veit
4300 Cheyenne Boulevard
Box Elder, SD 57719
sdstate.edu/nursing
