March 15, 2022–A $500,000 gift from Mosaic Life Care and the Mosaic Life Care Foundation will allow Missouri Western State University to create a new Interprofessional Lab for its health care programs, including the new Bachelor of Science in Respiratory Therapy program. The Mosaic gift supplements a $444,152 GEER Excels grant from the State of Missouri.
“We look forward to this partnership tremendously, as it helps us train, recruit and retain high-quality caregivers, especially targeted in the respiratory therapy field,” said Tony Claycomb, President, Mosaic Life Care at St. Joseph – Medical Center. “Students can be immediately hired at Mosaic after completion of the program, and we know most students typically work where they have been trained. It’s an exciting and rewarding career to enter.”
“With a mission of building healthy, thriving communities for generations to come, Mosaic Life Care Foundation takes a leading role in pioneering initiatives that bolster the regional health care workforce for our region. We are proud of the partnership with MWSU to educate students and improve the health and quality of life for those who live in the region,” said Dr. Julie Gaddie, Mosaic Life Care Foundation.
“We are extremely grateful to Mosaic Life Care and the Mosaic Life Care Foundation for supporting this important new facility,” said Dr. Elizabeth Kennedy, Missouri Western’s president. “COVID-19 has highlighted our important role in preparing the health care workforce of the region, but it has also made it challenging for our students to get the clinical experience they need. The new lab will provide additional space for students to practice the skills they’re learning.“
The Interprofessional Lab in Murphy Hall will provide space and equipment for both the new respiratory therapy program as well as a common area for all students in all of Missouri Western’s health career programs to practice technical skills and simulation together.
“The multidisciplinary applied learning opportunities available in the Interprofessional Lab will better prepare our students for the contemporary teams-based approach to health care delivery,” said Dr. Crystal Harris, Dean of Missouri Western’s College of Science and Health.
Patient care simulation using high-fidelity manikins and isolation equipment will provide more “real life” experiences in the care of people with infectious diseases such as COVID-19. An Engagement Center will allow students of all disciplines to build relationships and develop interprofessional competencies through student-lead health and wellness programming. Interview rooms and other classroom spaces will allow students to build skills in interviewing, counseling, and telehealth. Technology and software will allow students to practice conducting simulated epidemiologic investigations for public health, such as for COVID-19 tracking and contact tracing.
The Bachelor of Science in Respiratory Therapy program was approved by the Missouri Department of Higher Education and Workforce Development in 2021 and is seeking accreditation by the Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care. It will begin this fall.
“Respiratory therapy is one of the fastest growing career choices in health care,” said David Northrop, Missouri Western’s director of respiratory therapy. “The Interprofessional Lab will help make sure our students are well prepared to work with patients suffering breathing problems or other cardiopulmonary issues.”
Missouri Western State University is a student-centered learning community preparing individuals for lives of excellence through applied learning. Missouri Western is located in St. Joseph, Mo., and is committed to the educational, economic, cultural and social development of the region it serves. Visit missouriwestern.edu.