Elkins, W.Va. — West Virginia Junior College’s new Hybrid Online Nursing Program aims to solve rural healthcare disparities and worker shortages by bringing education opportunities to 19 rural counties in an innovative way.

The Mobile Nursing lab – a 38-foot RV retrofitted with two simulated hospital rooms with high-fidelity simulation technology – is a key component of the program and will be available for community tours on Monday, November 8 from 1:00 – 5:00 p.m. at the Davis Medical Center Education Building located at 213 Main St in Elkins.

“This new program and our Mobile Nursing Lab will help give individuals across the state access to educational opportunities they’ve not had before,” said Chad Callen, chairman of the board at West Virginia Junior College.

Students in the program will be able to take classes online and attend lab and clinical experiences in their regions during evenings and weekends. The Mobile Nursing Lab will help supplement education offered in the program curriculum, giving students a place to hone the skills necessary for success in the nursing field.

The nursing program targets four rural regions identified by West Virginia Junior College. Randolph, Barbour, Tucker, Taylor, Upshur, and Lewis counties are part of designated “Region 1”. WVJC’s ultimate goal is to connect students in these counties with healthcare providers – program affiliates – to teach and expand the next generation of the rural nursing workforce.

Region 1 is currently served by affiliate partners Davis Medical System and Stonewall Jackson Memorial Hospital. WVJC is working to build additional partnerships.

“This program will help build career opportunities for those in our rural communities for generations and aid in bringing vital healthcare services to the areas of our state that are most in need,” Callen explained. “We remain committed to education and workforce development and are looking forward to this new program’s success.”