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Nursing has just gotten a whole lot bigger at UT with the opening of the new nursing building. The building is located off of Volunteer Boulevard, with Peyton Manning Pass to its side. Neyland Stadium is just beyond the building, offering a front view of the home of the Vols, with the Tennessee River just past that.
The building features new simulation labs and additions for clinicals. These laboratories have been praised by students who have been a part of the major before and after this project was finished.
Hayley Pike, a senior majoring in nursing, is very happy with the new building and all of its amenities.
“The simulation labs are amazing for practicing real-world scenarios, and there are so many places to study or hang out with classmates,” Pike said. “It just makes the whole experience feel more supportive and fun.”
On top of the new labs and hands-on learning experiences, there are also new classrooms in the building, as well as office space and a dining option. The building is four stories tall, and also has an outdoor plaza near the dining area.
One junior nursing student named Cassidy Cronin, has been very thankful to the university for everything that has been done.
“I am grateful for the opportunity to learn in an environment with interactive simulation models that will make me feel more prepared to work with real patients,” Cronin said. “The new building shows that the university values our education and is investing in our success as future nurses.”
All of these elements transform this new establishment into a hub for learning, studying, socializing and passing time. It is within a central location on campus, with HSS lawn just across Volunteer Boulevard, making it useful for people who are in between classes and looking for somewhere to hang out.
Freshmen have been enjoying the new space as well, even while not being able to do clinicals yet. They find it to be a convenient place to study and appreciate the views offered by the building.
Students are not the only ones appreciating the recent developments. Faculty have also gained the same amenities and new learning opportunities. The plaza can be used for outdoor teaching, the simulation and wet labs are state-of-the-art, and dining and office spaces within the building make working much more efficient.
Joel Anderson, a professor in nursing, spoke on what this new building means for the nursing program here at UT.
“With this new building, our college is together in one place, which creates an optimal learning environment and improves collaboration from a research standpoint,” Anderson said. “I am excited to see how students, staff, and faculty make use of this new space.”
Everything being all in one location is a huge improvement for the program. Senior nursing major Grace Li also talked about what this means to her.
“Before the building was open, all of the courses were spread throughout campus,” Li said. “In the morning, I would be on the AG campus, and then in the afternoon, I would be on the Hill in the old NEB building. The new building has made life and time management so much easier, since I don’t have to drive or take the bus to and from class.”
It is clear that the new nursing building is full of positives for everyone in nursing. The next era for the College of Nursing at the University of Tennessee has arrived, and with it comes innovation and efficiency.