Senator Rosen Tours WNC Nursing Expansion Project in Fallon

U.S. Sen. Jacky Rosen visited Western Nevada College's Fallon campus Thursday to view progress on a nursing education expansion project aimed at increasing access to training for future nurses in rural Nevada.

The project is supported by $2.3 million in federal funding secured by Rosen and will create a permanent home for WNC's rural nursing cohort. The expansion will allow students to complete more of their nursing coursework in Fallon rather than traveling to Carson City.

The Rural Nursing Expansion and Renovation Project will include clinical training areas, simulation labs, study spaces, and testing rooms designed to support nursing students throughout their education.

“Nevada is facing a dire shortage of nurses, especially in rural communities, which limits access to care for Nevadans,” Rosen said during the visit. “One way to address this problem is by training more nurses in Nevada, and it was great to see the progress being made on Western Nevada College's Fallon Rural Nursing Expansion so local students can get their education closer to home.”

Rosen said she will continue working in the Senate to address shortages among nurses and other medical professionals.

The Fallon project is part of a broader effort by Rosen to expand health care training opportunities across Nevada. In addition to funding for the Fallon expansion, she helped secure $4.3 million for a nursing lab expansion at WNC's Douglas campus.

Rosen has also introduced several bipartisan measures focused on strengthening Nevada's health care workforce, including legislation to increase nursing faculty, expand pathways for licensed practical nurses to become registered nurses, increase medical residency opportunities in underserved areas, and help doctors and dentists defer student loan payments during residency and internship programs.

Western Nevada College officials said the Fallon expansion will help address barriers facing rural students by allowing them to complete required coursework closer to home while receiving hands-on training in modern facilities.

The expansion will allow Fallon-area students to complete more of their nursing education locally while increasing training opportunities for future rural health care professionals.