An upgrade to the University of Hawaii's nursing simulation laboratory received a boost of more than $1 million from four local health care companies.

The money will be used to help design and plan an upgrade to the existing training facility at Webster Hall on the UH-Manoa campus.

The upgraded nursing simulation center will serve all islands and link the existing simulation labs of the UH Statewide Nursing Consortium and hospitals throughout the state.

The gifts to the Hawaii Nursing Simulation Center Fund, totaling $1.05 million, include:

» $500,000 from the Hawaii Medical Service Association Foundation;
» $250,000 from Hawaii Pacific Health;
» $50,000 from Kaiser Permanente Hawaii;
» $250,000 from the Queen's Medical Center.

“;We are truly grateful to our health care providers for investing in this new simulation center at the UH-Manoa nursing school,”; said UH-Manoa Chancellor Virginia Hinshaw.

“;Private support provides the margin of excellence at this university—this project promotes excellence in health care education,”; she said.