Gogebic Community College receives donation for obstetrical training equipment

Gogebic Community College has received a donation from Lawrence Kurtz of Hurley, Wisconsin to help prepare students in its Nursing and Emergency Medical Services programs to provide care for obstetrics patients amid decreasing access to obstetrics care in the area. The donation will be used to purchase critical training equipment and help provide hands-on training experiences to students.

According to an article on Gogebic Community College’s website, Nicole Rowe, who serves as the college’s Director of Allied Health, was quoted as saying of the donation and the importance of obstetrics training, “With changes in local obstetrics services, it is more important than ever that our future nurses and EMS professionals are confident, skilled, and ready to respond in emergency and out-of-hospital birth situations. The new equipment will allow students to practice realistic birthing scenarios, emergency situations, and patient care techniques in a controlled learning environment.”

Locally, access to obstetrics care has been declining. The Keweenaw and Ironwood Aspirus facilities have shuttered their obstetrics departments, leaving residents of those areas with fewer local locations for labor and delivery. This has also left students in the area with fewer places to receive hands-on training in obstetrics.

Kurtz’s donation will purchase obstetrical training equipment to ensure that the college’s nursing and emergency medical services students will still have access to training opportunities so they are prepared for these types of patient care scenarios they will inevitably encounter in the workplace.

Chris Patritto, the college’s president, said, “We are extremely grateful for this support. Investments like this ensure our students are not only educated, but truly workforce-ready to meet the evolving healthcare needs in our communities.”

For more information about Gogebic Community College, visit the school’s website.