ST. LEO – Saint Leo University celebrated the grand opening of its new nursing space Feb. 6 on the second floor of Benedictine Hall.
The grand opening featured a ribbon-cutting, prayer, blessing, opening remarks and tours.
“Our repurposed, state-of-the-art simulation and learning space on the second floor of Benedictine Hall continues the caring legacy of the Benedictine Sisters [of Florida] who once resided here [Holy Name Priory, 1960-2014],” said Dr. Kathleen Van Eerden, dean of the College of Health Professions. “The new high-tech nursing classrooms and simulated clinical settings provide immersive learning environments that prepare graduates for safe practice.”
The second floor is devoted to the university’s Bachelor of Science in Nursing Program with 2,158 square feet renovated out of 4,256 square feet, allowing for more spaces to be created and dedicated to health care in the future.
The second floor includes two conference rooms, two classrooms, five offices, three simulation rooms, one assessment room and one simulation control room.
The simulation rooms are complete with human patient simulators including a child, a pregnant mother and newborn, and an adult model that Saint Leo nursing students use to practice their skills. The life-size simulators mimic human appearance. They are mechanical and computer-controlled to show symptoms and the way diseases affect a body.
“The simulators have blinking eyes; heart, lung and bowel sounds; pulses; blood pressure; and more,” Van Eerden said. “Faculty can adjust the simulator to mimic various diagnoses and conditions.”
The mom simulator can go into labor, experience difficulties and give birth to the newborn simulator.
Bella Romeo, a junior nursing student, describes the new nursing floor as “home.”
“I feel welcomed and at home here,” Romeo said. “We all come together here, we share ideas and we work as one. This is a no-judgement zone. We know we can make mistakes and learn from them.”
Romeo is interested in becoming a geriatric nurse with the hopes of one day owning a small facility for those with Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.
State funding as well as private donations helped build the nursing program and pay for renovation costs as well as equipment, hiring of faculty and staff, and other needs.
The university recognized the need for nurses and launched the bachelor’s degree program in 2021. It also created the College of Health Professions, which includes the bachelor’s and master’s programs in social work.
The Florida Legislature designated $740,000 for the nursing program and building in its 2023-24 budget.
Data from the Florida Hospital Association shows Florida is experiencing a shortage of nurses and projects a deficit of about 59,000 by 2035 while the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts the country will need more than 200,000 registered nurses from now through 2031.
By the end of its first five years of operation, Saint Leo’s nursing program is expected to add nearly 200 nurses to the workforce.
“Thank you for helping us strengthen the future of health care, one nurse at a time,” University President Ed Dadez said to those gathered for the grand opening.
Saint Leo has introduced measures to help nursing students succeed.
The university provided free housing to more than 70 students during the fall 2024 semester through its Nursing Housing Award. An annual financial aid award of $7,680 covers on-campus housing costs. Saint Leo is accepting applications for the Nursing Housing Award for fall 2025. Students must meet eligibility criteria to qualify.
In spring 2024, Saint Leo University’s nursing program formed a partnership with AdventHealth Zephyrhills, creating a Dedicated Education Unit to train future nurses. Students were paired with a nurse preceptor or mentor from AdventHealth. The students worked side-by-side for 12-hour shifts with their mentors and university nursing instructor Paige Porter.
The DEU program has expanded this year, and Saint Leo nursing students now are assigned to AdventHealth Dade City in addition to AdventHealth Zephyrhills.
“AdventHealth has such a culture of care, for the employees as well as the patient,” Porter said. “This pairs with the core values of Saint Leo.”
With the opening of the new dedicated nursing space, “Saint Leo is positioned to prepare a new generation of nurses for our region, state and nation,” Van Eerden, the dean said. “With our new contemporary learning space and our program focus on the core values and caring, we know that our Saint Leo nursing graduates will make a difference.”
Project Vendors
Vendors who assisted with the project were S3 Design Inc. & Consultants, Cooperative Building Solutions, Sound Interiors Inc., GreenTeam Building Services (Plumbing), A&G Electrical Technologies, Total Building Solutions Inc., Skywatch Signs, Cintas, Prodigy Flooring Inc., Miller Electric Co., and AVI-SPL.
