Rockland Community College officially opened its new $3 million Nursing Simulation Lab in Suffern on Tuesday morning, unveiling a major expansion designed to give nursing students advanced, hands-on experience in realistic clinical settings.
The college marked the opening with a ribbon-cutting ceremony, followed by tours of the new facility, which is located on the second floor of RCC’s Technology Building.
The 5,234-square-foot facility is five times larger than RCC’s previous nursing simulation space and was funded through the federal 2023 Omnibus Appropriations Bill. RCC says the expanded lab will provide approximately 1,250 individual student experiences each semester.
The lab includes five medical-surgical beds, a critical care bay, a pediatric bay, a four-bed skills testing area and seven additional simulated skills practice areas. A maternity and newborn suite features “MamaAnne,” a high-fidelity maternal simulator capable of recreating high-risk obstetric emergencies, along with a SIMNewbie newborn simulator.
Students will also have access to three control rooms capable of operating as many as six simulations simultaneously, two debriefing rooms equipped with SimCapture technology, functioning headwalls and other equipment designed to closely replicate actual hospital environments.
The facility incorporates newer training technology, including AI-enhanced interactive systems, virtual-reality clinical scenarios, wearable vests capable of reproducing heart, lung and bowel sounds, and a virtual pharmacy platform. RCC also plans to add an interactive life-size virtual dissection system that will allow students to examine detailed 3D models of the human body without physical specimens.
RCC President Dr. William P. Mullaney said the new laboratory represents an investment both in the college’s students and in the future of healthcare in Rockland County, as demand for skilled nurses continues to grow.
Sara Annunziato, Dean of Nursing, Health and Wellness, said the expanded simulation environment allows students to practice responding to complex situations, strengthen their clinical judgment and communication skills, and build confidence before entering real-world patient care settings.
More than 515 nursing students are currently enrolled in RCC’s nursing program. According to the college, its nursing students have maintained a 94% first-time pass rate on the National Council Licensure Examination over the past five years, exceeding both New York State and national averages.
Tuesday morning’s ribbon-cutting program included remarks from RCC President Dr. William P. Mullaney; RCC Board of Trustees Chair L’Tanya Watkins; Rockland County Legislature Chairman Jay Hood Jr.; Rockland County Executive Ed Day; and Donna Chiapperino, District Director for Congressman Mike Lawler. Annunziato delivered the closing remarks before the ribbon cutting and tours of the new facility.
The new simulation lab opened for the Fall 2026 semester and is expected to significantly increase the amount of realistic, repeated clinical training available to RCC nursing students.
