West Chester University nursing school celebrating 50 years as it works to address health care worker shortage

As the nation continues to face a health care workforce shortage, West Chester University is stepping up to prepare the next generation of nurses.

Inside the university's Duey Immersive Learning Center, students are training in a state-of-the-art, hospital-like lab designed to mirror real medical settings.

The lab is equipped with high-tech patient manikins that can simulate medical emergencies like cardiac arrest, labor and delivery, and end-of-life care, giving students hands-on experience before they ever step foot in a hospital.

"The manikins allow students to have real-life opportunities. They can take care of someone having cardiac arrest or someone actively dying at the end stages of life," Dr. Nancy Barker, chair of West Chester University's Nursing Department, said. "It allows