RCC Breaks Ground on $3 Million Nursing Simulation Lab

RCC has officially marked the start of construction on its new $3 million Nursing Simulation Lab during a ceremony held Feb. 24. The state-of-the-art facility will significantly expand hands-on training opportunities and help prepare the next generation of nurses for in-demand healthcare careers

College leadership, county officials and community partners gathered in the Technology Building for the groundbreaking, included Dr. William Mullaney, president of RCC; L’Tanya Watkins, Esq., chair of the RCC Board of Trustees; Dr. Dana Stilley, vice chair of the RCC Board of Trustees; Sara Annunziato, dean of the School of Nursing, Health and Wellness; and Donna Chiapperino, district director for the Office of Congressman Michael Lawler.

When completed, the new lab will be five times the size of the previous space, spanning nearly 5,000 square feet. The renovation converts former lab and classroom areas on the second floor of RCC’s Technology Building into a dedicated simulation wing designed to mirror real clinical settings. Students are expected to begin using the new facility in the Fall 2026 semester.

“Our nation is experiencing a critical nursing shortage with nearly 200,000 projected openings for registered nurses every year over the next decade. The need is profound and our responsibility to meet this need is clear. This new lab will allow our students to practice critical decision making, refine their clinical judgment and gain confidence before they ever step foot in a hospital or clinical setting. 

The skills they gain in this building will ripple out for decades, strengthening hospitals, long-term facilities and community health centers across the region. Together, we’re not only breaking ground, we’re building the future of health care in Rockland County,” said Dr. William Mullaney, president of RCC.

“As nurse educators, our responsibility is to ensure that every graduate meets the highest standards of clinical competence, patient safety and professional practice. This expanded simulation lab allows our faculty to design complex, evidence-based scenarios that strengthen clinical judgment, communication and critical decision making. By integrating advanced simulation throughout the curriculum, we are preparing students to pass licensure exams and enter the workforce as practice‑ready nurses who can deliver safe, high‑quality care from their very first shift,” said Sara Annunziato, dean of Nursing, Health and Wellness.

Hospital-Lifelike Training on Campus
The new lab will feature high-fidelity simulators capable of replicating complex patient conditions and physiological responses, including childbirth, seizures and medical emergencies. One featured simulator, “MamaAnne,” supports labor and delivery scenarios, including complications nurses must learn to recognize and manage.
With more than 515 students currently enrolled in RCC’s nursing program, the expanded simulation capacity will allow the College to run multiple scenarios back-to-back, giving more students repeated, skill-building practice in a safe learning environment.

A Highly Regarded Program
RCC’s Nursing Program is widely recognized for its outcomes and quality. In 2025, it was named the No. 1 associate degree nursing program in New York out of 153 programs approved by the New York State Board of Nursing, according to NursingProcess.org. RCC also maintains a five-year average NCLEX pass rate of 94 percent, well above both state and national averages.