Grant Funding to Replace Clinical Hours with Simulation Training

Hospitals and schools of healthcare professions: you may be eligible for immediate funding assistance for healthcare simulations under new and existing grant programs.
The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act was passed by the United States Congress in March 2020. Nearly $7.5 billion of funding for healthcare is being awarded, along with $30 billion to educational institutions. These funds can be used to support:

  • Distance learning for medical students, faculty and staff training
  • Transition to virtual instructional delivery
  • Healthcare workforce education and training equipment
  • Hospital employee training to reduce COVID-19 exposure
  • Adoption of telemedicine
  • Reimbursement of COVID-19 related expenses including educational technology

If you are exploring delivering clinical simulation training to your healthcare staff or students of health professions, especially while distance learning is in place, this grant funding presents a great opportunity to pursue virtual education.

Why Choose Simulations?

In the healthcare field, there are many advantages to using simulation technology for healthcare professionals and students of health professions and allied sciences. And with social distancing guidelines in place, they allow for proficiency without physical contact.

  • Allows for practice within a standardized learning experience
  • Designed to teach material effectively, and can even be evidence-based
  • Provides immediate and individualized feedback for learners
  • No risk to patients and builds learner confidence before interacting with real patients
  • Online access allows for learner flexibility

Replace Clinical Hours with Simulation TrainingTaking steps to replace clinical hours with simulation training is not necessarily new in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2017, a study by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) on replacing clinical hours with simulation in prelicensure nursing education concluded that simulations for nursing education could be used in up to half of traditional clinical hours.

Now with clinical experiences on hold, the NCSBN has updated its guide on state boards of nursing and their changes in education requirements for nursing programs, which you can access here.

Funding to Replace Clinical Hours with Simulation Training

To help you navigate funding opportunities made available by the CARES Act, we’ve compiled a list of open grant opportunities that may apply to you, including application criteria, deadlines, and links to more information. And a friendly reminder that most grants require that you’re already registered with grants.gov or sam.gov before applying.

If you are looking for a solution to replace clinical hours with simulation training, Kognito’s healthcare simulations may be a fit for your program. Kognito’s simulation-based education solutions have been deployed by schools of health professions, as well as leading healthcare organizations and state and local agencies. They use evidence-based approaches, are backed by peer-reviewed studies, and many can fulfill clinical requirements. Plus, they can be deployed quickly with little staff time needed for roll-out.

“The way the Kognito simulation is done is the closest you can come to actually having a conversation like this, but still be doing it in an actual simulation … it’s the most realistic simulation that I have worked with.”
– Dr. Cathy Koetting D.N.P., APRN, CPNP, NP-C, Assistant Professor, Saint Louis University School of Nursing


CARES Act: GEER Fund

Funds directed by state governors to educational institutions impacted by COVID-19

Amount

$2.9 billion

Who is it for?

Primary, secondary, and higher education institutions

What is it?

The Governor’s Emergency Education Relief (GEER) Fund is being distributed to governors of each state. Amounts vary by state and is based on each state’s younger population. Governors can disperse funds as they deem necessary to educational institutions impacted by COVID-19.

How can I apply?
Funds are dispersed by state governors, so there’s likely no application. Check with your state officials and voice your need if you’d like to be considered.

Deadline

Check with your state officials. Governors have one year after receiving funds to disperse.


CARES Act: HEER Fund

Funds for higher education institutions to help provide student aid, expand remote learning, and bolster IT capabilities

Amount

$12.6 billion

 Who is it for?

Higher education institutions

What is it?

The CARES Act Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund provides funding to institutions affected by COVID-19, with an emphasis on distributing emergency financial aid grants to students whose lives have been disrupted by the pandemic, expanding remote learning programs, and investing in IT. Additional funds are allocated specifically to Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), and other Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs) as well as other institutions eligible for the Strengthening Institutions Program (SIP).

How can I apply?

Find out which specific HEER Fund opportunities you qualify for at ed.gov, and apply at grants.gov.

Deadline

September 30, 2020


Distance Learning and Telemedicine Grants

Funds to help rural-serving healthcare educators and institutions with technology needs

Amount

$2 million

Who is it for?

Entities that provide education or healthcare through telecommunications, including educational institutions, government agencies, and healthcare institutions.

What is it?

This grant program helps rural communities acquire the technology and training necessary to connect educational and medical professionals with the teachers and medical providers who serve rural residents at the local level.

How can I apply?

Reference the application guide at usda.gov, and apply at grants.gov. 

Deadline

July 13, 2020


Get in Touch with Us

We are available to help you with any questions around your efforts to replace clinical hours with simulation training and grant development. Contact our team here and we will reach out to you with information. We also offer complimentary interactive demos here.


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