By Valerie Noack

In January 2020, I began the accelerated BSN program at Research College of Nursing with equal parts excitement and nerves. Before nursing school, I had earned both a BA and an MA in English, so stepping into healthcare felt like the start of an entirely new chapter. I imagined spending the next year in hospitals, learning at the bedside, gaining confidence through hands-on clinical experiences, and gradually finding my place in the culture of nursing.

Instead, halfway through my first semester, the world shut down.

Like so many students during the COVID-19 pandemic, I left campus for spring break and never really returned in the same way. Hospitals, understandably, restricted student access as they focused on caring for patients during an unprecedented crisis. Almost overnight, many of the traditional clinical experiences we relied on disappeared.

So where did we learn?

Simulation.

At first, that meant virtual simulations from home (think video game–style patient scenarios, but with nursing judgment and critical thinking at the center). Later, we returned to campus in masks, socially distanced, armed with enough purple disinfecting wipes to clean just about anything. When hospitals couldn’t safely accommodate students, simulation became the bridge between classroom learning and patient care.

At the time, I had no idea how much those experiences would shape my future.

As someone without prior hospital experience, simulation became my first real exposure to bedside nursing. It was where I developed psychomotor skills, learned how to communicate with patients, collaborated with teammates, and practiced clinical decision-making. When I graduated and began working as a floor nurse, many of the skills I relied on were first built in the simulation lab.

I still remember inserting my first Foley catheter on a real patient and thinking, I’ve done this on a mannequin before. I can do this on a human.

That confidence mattered.

Simulation gave me a safe space to practice before the stakes became real. It allowed me to make mistakes, ask questions, and grow without the fear of harming a patient. And honestly, that’s still what I love most about simulation. It’s one of the only places in nursing education where students can learn through trial and error—because while the “patients” aren’t real, the learning absolutely is.

After graduating in December 2020 (via Zoom, from my parents’ kitchen table), I worked as a bedside nurse and later as a case management through career growth opportunities within HCA Healthcare. Each role taught me something valuable, but it wasn’t until I saw an opening for simulation director back at Research College of Nursing that everything clicked.

Coming back to the college where I trained has been both healing and inspiring. I missed out on many traditional college experiences during the pandemic, so being able to watch today’s students participate in clinicals, white coat ceremonies, campus events, and in-person graduations feels especially meaningful.

What continues to set Research College of Nursing apart is its people. As a student, I felt deeply supported by faculty and staff who were determined to help us succeed despite impossible circumstances. Now, as simulation director, I strive to give students that same sense of support. We challenge them, yes, but we also remind them that learning is a process.

Nursing is hard. It’s meaningful, rewarding, and sometimes overwhelming. But one of the greatest lessons I’ve learned is that every experience becomes a tool you carry forward with you. You never know where your nursing path may lead, and you never know when those old tools may come in handy.

For me, Research College of Nursing became more than a school—it became home. And now, I have the privilege of helping the next generation of nurses discover what they’re capable of, too.

April 3, 2023

Research College of Nursing faculty continue to make outstanding contributions across the region through their leadership, scholarship, and service. It is an honor and a privilege to have many of Kansas City’s leading nurse educators as part of our college community.

Each year, The Research Foundation provides scholarships and awards to nurse educators for their impact within their college, community, and the nursing profession. Congratulations to the 2023 Nursing Faculty Development Award recipients!

• Teaching Excellence Award: Karin Roberts, PhD, RN, CNE
• Outstanding Community Service Award: Rosalia Molina, PhD, RN
• Scholarly Achievement Award: Christine Thurlow, PhD, RN
• Dr. Nancy O. DeBasio Faculty Leadership Award: Cassie Pearson, MSN, RN, CNE
• Doctoral Funding:
  • Pamelia Bertrand, MSN, RN
  • Nicole Kreimer, MSN, RN, APHN-BC
  • Julia Payne, MSN, RN, RNC-OB, CNE
  • Cassie Pearson, MSN, RN, CNE
  • Sarah Schlanker, MSN, RN, CNOR

To view the full list of 2023 award recipients and learn more about their achievements, please visit The Research Foundation’s website.

March 6, 2023

Overland Park, KS – HCA Midwest Health, Kansas City’s largest healthcare provider, today announced a comprehensive $34.5 million investment in Research College of Nursing — the region’s largest and longest-running, single-purpose nursing institution, from HCA Healthcare. This initiative will support the college’s expansion plans, including the development and construction of an innovative Center for Clinical Advancement on the Research Medical Center campus. A new 78,000-square-foot building, estimated to be completed in 2025 — the college’s 120-year anniversary — will better serve the community’s current and future healthcare needs, while establishing the college as a long-term regional source of nursing talent for generations to come.

“HCA Midwest Health is proud of Research College of Nursing’s 118-year history as one of the region’s most highly regarded nursing colleges,” said HCA Midwest Health President Keith Zimmerman. “This investment is especially meaningful as not only will we help address the national nursing shortage, but we are also providing new access to education for those who dream of making a positive impact on people’s lives during their most vulnerable times.”

“HCA Midwest Health has shown the community that we are committed to the care and improvement of human life by responding to their needs, while also contributing to building strong, thriving communities. This investment in our future aligns with our mission and fulfills a significant need in our region.”

Research College of Nursing attracts a diverse student body and is committed to expanding access to education through loan-forgiveness programs.

“As an alum of Research College of Nursing myself, and now as a leader of more than 4,000 nurses across our health system, I’m so proud of the college and our company coming together to invest in our community and the future of nursing,” said HCA Midwest Health Division Chief Nursing Executive Amber Boes. “I attribute much of my success to the education I received at Research College of Nursing and the support and dedication of its faculty. So, to now play a role in transforming the college to an even more innovative education experience is rewarding and gratifying.”

The $34.5 million project will include:

• The creation of a Center for Clinical Advancement, which pairs modern education facilities with simulation opportunities to help clinicians bridge the gap between classroom learning and bedside care.
• Expanded capacity to plan for an increase in enrollment, while growing faculty and staff at Research College of Nursing over the next five years.
• A state-of-the-art patient simulation laboratory to prepare students for the complexities of contemporary healthcare practice.
• Technologically advanced classrooms that will provide a more engaging learning environment.
  Innovative educational technology enables students to achieve nursing competencies.
• Specialized design to focus on the needs of healthcare students, including small group study spaces and areas to facilitate student and faculty collaboration.

“It is a true honor and privilege to have our long-standing commitment to excellence in nursing education be recognized by this invaluable investment in our future,” said Research College of Nursing President F. Patrick Robinson, PhD, RN, FAAN. “The development of a new state-of-the-art nursing education center is an exciting opportunity for the healthcare community of Kansas City and will be a source of pride for our entire college community — students, faculty, staff, and alumni. It also reflects our vision of becoming the regional college of choice for nurses who desire to lead in practice, service, and advocacy.”

The construction of the new and expanded facilities is expected to take 18 months.

“Research Medical Center takes great pride in our Research College of Nursing,” said Research Medical Center Interim CEO John Krajicek. “We prepare nurses for success in today’s ever-advancing healthcare environment in a collaborative and supportive manner. With a combined foundation of more than 255 years, we understand the desire of current and future nurses to grow in their careers, and we are humbled and honored to play a role in their success. To be part of this monumental growth is exciting, especially given the need for nurses across the country.”

The college ranked No. 1 in Kansas City, Missouri, in Nursing Schools Almanac’s 2022 report and was among the seven best nursing schools in Missouri. Additionally, the college, which recently received accreditation by the Higher Learning Commission, was the first in the region to offer the innovative Dedicated Education Unit program, now the region’s largest, spanning six hospitals within HCA Midwest Health.

For more information on HCA Midwest Health and its family of hospitals, visit HCAMidwest.com.

For more information on Research College of Nursing and its dedication to educating nurses, visit ResearchCollege.edu.