Johnston Community College has received a $200,000 grant from the Golden LEAF Foundation to start the development of a virtual hospital on campus.

The funds will be used to buy state-of-the-art simulation equipment for the project, a collaboration of Health Care Partners of Johnston County.

The virtual hospital will allow nursing students and trained healthcare professionals the opportunity to practice procedures and respond to real-life patient scenarios using sophisticated simulation technology and life-size mannequins.

JCC President David Johnson said the project will ensure that the college’s nursing students are well-prepared for their future work environments.

“JCC is pleased to accept this grant from the Golden LEAF Foundation which will enable us to launch the exciting plan for a virtual hospital in Johnston County,” Johnson said.

“This facility will be an invaluable educational and training resource for our health sciences students as well as our healthcare professional partners in the area.

“The Golden LEAF Foundation is a longstanding supporter of new initiatives at our college and we are most grateful for its continued philanthropy,” the president added.

The Golden LEAF Foundation is a nonprofit organization established in 1999 to help transform North Carolina’s economy. The foundation receives one-half of North Carolina’s funds from the 1998 Master Settlement Agreement with cigarette manufacturers and places special emphasis on assisting tobacco-dependent, economically distressed and/or rural communities across the state. The Golden LEAF Foundation works in partnership with governmental entities, educational institutions, economic development organizations and nonprofits to achieve its mission. The foundation has

awarded 858 grants totaling more than $404 million since its inception.