Press Release of Senator Cantwell

WSU Breaks Ground on New Spokane Nursing Center; Cantwell Secured $1.5 Million for Cutting-Edge Facility

Friday, October 20,2006

WASHINGTON, DC – Friday, the Washington State University Intercollegiate College of Nursing broke ground on a new nursing facility made possible in part by $1.5 million secured by U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA). Scheduled for completion in 2008, the new headquarters facility for the ICN—the Pacific Northwest’s largest college nursing program—will help address eastern Washington’s nursing shortage by providing the best training to more students.

“Providing good medical training in Spokane while at the same time addressing the nursing shortage across eastern Washington is one of my top priorities in the Senate,” said Cantwell. “I fought to secure $1.5 million dollars for this facility because a strong, skilled workforce makes a strong economy, and because better nurse training makes for healthier families. This state-of-the-art building, providing innovative technology to educate more bachelor and doctorate level nurses in eastern Washington, is great news for the entire Inland Northwest.”

The Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education approved the $1.5 million requested by Cantwell in July. The funds, part of a total $34 million needed, will support construction and equipment at the new 87,000-square-foot WSU medical school nursing facility in Spokane. By taking advantage of the best technology to provide training to more than 500 onsite students as well as distance learning to many more, ICN will be able to increase the number of students it serves as well as the advanced training opportunities available to them.

“Former Dean Dorothy Dettlor was instrumental is making this facility a reality and bringing the school to this point,” Cantwell added. “She’s been great to work with and I enjoyed meeting with her on my trips to Spokane to discuss health care in eastern Washington.

Cantwell also secured $300,000 for more efficient disease detection in eastern Washington and $150,000 for after school programs in Spokane in the appropriations legislation that contains the $1.5 million for the nursing facility. The $150,000 for Educational Service District 101 (ESD101) in Spokane will support programs to keep students in school and bolster graduation rates, helping more students realize their full potential.

The $300,000 secured by Cantwell for Inland Northwest Health Services (INHS) will improve regional disease surveillance and allow for more efficient early detection. More than 860,000 people live in the area encompassing the eight counties in eastern Washington and seven counties in northern Idaho served by the INHS integrated hospital information system. This system can exchange data with external organizations, including laboratories, and physician offices.

A conference committee called to work out differences between House and Senate versions of the appropriations legislation must still approve the funds. The legislation will then go to both the House and Senate for final approval.