Posted on December 15, 2023
NAUGATUCK – Rep. Seth Bronko, R-Naugatuck, joined his colleagues recently for the grand opening and dedication of the Griffin Hospital School of Allied Health Careers Naugatuck Campus, which is focused on addressing a shortage of health care workers in the state.
According to data from CT Health Horizons Connecticut, the state is experiencing a critical nursing deficit of 33%, with 1,000 positions going unfilled each year. Due to a lack of faculty and clinical placements, the state’s nursing programs can currently accept only 25% of qualified students, according to CT Health.
The opening of the 6,000 square-foot campus on New Haven Road in Naugatuck will help train the healthcare workers of tomorrow. The facility was built in a former Planet Fitness and includes a robotic patient simulator that can blink, “breathe” and talk, while replicating a person’s vital signs.
Rep. Bronko also had a chance to meet a new student of the Griffin’s new campus, Anna (shown on right), who enrolled in a specialized program for former students of Stone Academy who were forced to end their coursework when Stone suddenly closed.
The expansion of the New Haven Road property is expected to greatly expand the ability for students to earn certifications, including in its Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN), Medical Assistant and Patient Care Technician programs, to meet the state’s growing health care needs.