York College Awarded $50,000 Memorial Health Fund Grant to Enhance Nursing Simulation Education

As the demand for skilled nurses continues to grow across the region, York College of Pennsylvania is investing in the future of healthcare with the help of a $50,000 grant to expand hands-on, simulation-based nursing education.

The grant, awarded by the Memorial Health Fund, a supporting organization of the York County Community Foundation (YCCF), will support the purchase and upgrade of a high-fidelity patient simulator in the Dr. Donald E. and Lois J. Myers School of Nursing and Health Professions, allowing students to practice complex, real-world clinical scenarios in a safe, controlled environment.

“As our community’s healthcare needs evolve with changing demographics, technology advancements, and other factors, a strong nursing workforce is essential to enhance patient care and improve health outcomes,” said Michele Mummert of the York County Community Foundation.

The project strongly aligns with the Memorial Health Fund’s mission to improve the physical, mental, and social well-being of York County residents, according to Mummert. 

“This project equips our next generation of nurses to gain confidence and be prepared to care for patients throughout their career,” she said, adding that simulation-based learning helps build a pipeline of nurses who are ready for clinical practice.

This grant will allow York College to keep up with the rapid advancements in healthcare technology.  

“My reaction was one of excitement and gratitude,” YCP nursing instructor Heather Eaton said. “I felt a strong sense of validation that the work we are doing to advance simulation-based nursing education is being recognized and supported by our local community foundation.”

The patient simulator is a high-fidelity mannequin capable of mimicking real physiological responses, including vital signs, heart and lung sounds, ECG rhythms, and reactions to decisions the nursing students make. The added and upgraded equipment allows students to respond to medical events in real time, practice hands-on skills, and develop clinical judgment under realistic conditions.

“In short, it allows us to bring ‘real-life’ complexity into the controlled simulation space so students can practice, make mistakes safely, reflect, and improve,” Eaton said.

Students will use the simulator across a wide range of courses, including adult medical-surgical nursing, maternal and child health, pediatrics, and emergency or critical care. Eaton hopes the simulator becomes a “transformative learning tool” that bridges the gap between classroom instruction and real-world patient care. 

“Over time, I expect to see measurable improvements in student outcomes such as clinical judgment, confidence, and clinical readiness, ultimately leading to safer patient care as graduates enter the workforce,” she said.

The simulator is expected to be purchased within the next few months and will support both undergraduate programs and York College’s newly approved Acute Care Nurse Practitioner graduate program.

York County Community Foundation provides grants to nonprofit organizations. In 2025, YCCF invested $11.8 million in community impact initiatives that strengthen York County today while building endowment for future generations.