Wilkes University seeks $500,000 state LSA grant to equip nursing simulation lab

Wilkes University representatives asked the Wilkes‑Barre City Council, during a Nov. 18 work session, to designate city officials to execute documents supporting a proposed $500,000 Commonwealth Financing Authority local share assessment (LSA) grant to purchase equipment for the university’s Phase 2 nursing simulation lab.

The request would fund equipment, fixtures and furnishings “to purchase equipment, fixtures, and furnishings for its new nursing simulation lab,” according to the presentation to council. A council member pressed for scale and operational details: “How many nursing students do you have?” the member asked; the presenter responded that the university has “over 200 in the traditional undergraduate programs, and we have about 1,800 nationwide.”

Councilors also discussed staffing and the planned use of grant funds. On equipment costs, a presenter told the council that “each of these simulation mannequins is around 75,000 to a $100,000” given the technical capabilities required.

Council members noted that the city previously applied for county LSA funds for the same project and said this application is intended to give the Commonwealth Financing Authority flexibility by presenting both county and state LSA petitions. No formal vote was taken during the work session; the matter is listed on the council agenda for Thursday.

The council’s consideration during the work session focused on project scale, likely equipment budgets and coordination between county and state LSA applications. The next procedural step is the formal council agenda item on Thursday when the item may be moved forward or placed on a future meeting docket.