A new health education facility will be built at BHSU Rapid City campus

RAPID CITY, S.D. (KOTA) - Monument Health, a community-based health care system, will invest $2 million in nursing education. Construction of the West River Area Health Education Center will start in fall 2023 at the Black Hills State University campus in Rapid City.

This center is a partnership between Black Hills State University, South Dakota State University College of Nursing, and the West River Area Health Education Center. According to a Monument Health release, the new facility will create nursing labs, a simulation center and nursing faculty offices. It could also double the region’s capacity to educate and train new nurses.

“Western South Dakota needs more registered nurses, and the need will increase in the future,” said Paulette Davidson, president and CEO of Monument Health.