“When we see a critical shortage as we have today in nursing and many of these other positions, that's what we have to fill so that we can give you the care that is needed."

– Dr. J. Douglas Yeakel, MD
Emergency Medicine Physician, Sports Medicine Physician and member of the CMC Foundation Board

Support the Breckenridge Skills Lab!

CMC Breckenridge Nursing Simulation and Outdoor Skills Lab

CMC is responding to the growing need for trained health care providers in our mountain community by constructing a new high-fidelity nursing simulation lab that will double the number of nursing students we can enroll annually. Plans also include the addition of an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) / Outdoor Education Technician (OUT) / Wilderness Emergency Medical Services (WEMS) skills lab, including a two-story rappelling wall, to facilitate training of qualified graduates that can respond during emergency care situations.

Campaign Goal

The CMC Foundation (CMCF) seeks to raise $2 million dollars to construct a new high-fidelity nursing simulation lab and state-of-the-art Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) / Outdoor Education Technician (OUT) / Wilderness Emergency Medical Services (WEMS) skills lab that at full capacity can support 70 nursing students and 425 EMT/OUT/WEMS students each year.

Financial need can be a significant impediment to capable students seeking to become nurses. In addition to supporting the construction of the new simulation labs, the Campaign for Rural Nursing Success will fund new nursing scholarships, as well as innovative financial aid opportunities for our nursing students. Our goal is to be able to offer scholarships or financial aid to all students who apply.

Lab Details

Square footage: 7,761 SF
Nursing Skills Lab:

  • Four high-fidelity simulation rooms outfitted with simulation mannequins, hospital beds and full telemetry equipment to interface with the control room to run Sim modules and record student performance. Rooms can also be converted to labor and delivery, ER, med/surgical room, etc.
  • Two practice simulation rooms outfitted with simulation mannequin, bed and limited software, enabling students to practice skills independently, before/after simulation exercises.
  • Two control rooms providing visual monitoring (through one-way mirror or via camera), as well as electronic interface between “patient”, student, faculty and/or other observers.
  • Two observation/debriefing/learning spaces providing additional spaces where students and instructors may observe simulations and/or debrief following simulations.
  • One nursing classroom equipped with 6-8 practice beds

EMT/OUT/WEMS Skills Lab:

  • Two-story repelling wall with traversing capabilities
  • Ambulance bay for drive up access to practice patient loading / transfers
  • Garage door entry intended for accessibility loading/unloading/storing rafts and other large equipment used for EMT/OUT/WEMS classroom training

Invest in the future of healthcare in your rural community!

For more information on how to contribute to the Rural Nursing Success Fund, please contact:
Kristin Heath Colon, Vice President for Advancement & Foundation CEO
970-947-8380 
khcolon@coloradomtn.edu