Dr. Connie Perkins, founding director of nursing, and Tom Buttafarro, director of government and community relations, attended Simulation Education Lobby Day in Albany on May 3 to urge backing of legislation in support of simulation-based learning.

The event was organized by the Commission on Independent Colleges and Universities in New York. Perkins and Buttafarro, along with faculty and staff from Nazareth College, were part of a group that met with members of the state Senate and Assembly, or their staffs, seeking support of Senate bill 6717 and Assembly bill 7767.

The legislation would permit up to one-third of clinical education to take place through simulation-based learning experiences for nursing programs in New York.

This legislation would allow nurse educators to remain agile while increasing enrollment as we work to prepare work-ready nurses in the midst of the nursing shortage," said Perkins.

Added Buttafarro, “By meeting and explaining what simulation-based learning consists of, a legislator is able to understand it better, support it and push for its passage. We are hoping the Senate and Assembly move this legislation out of committee and for both houses to pass it."

The CICU organized two groups of university faculty and staff representatives to lobby state legislators in person. Numerous virtual meetings were held as well.

Twenty members of the state Legislature were directly asked to support the bills.