Darton Health Professions Foundation has big impact on region health care

ALBANY — The Darton Health Professions Foundation, formerly known as the Darton State College Foundation, recently announced grants of more than $160,000 for health professions equipment and EMS scholarships at Albany State University. The equipment is vital to help students at Albany State receive hands-on, real-world experience in a classroom setting.

Officials at ASU say these tools will not only improve the university’s ability to deliver instruction but will also increase the skills and abilities of students entering the health care industry.

“The board is very generous and was very excited to help meet the needs of the Darton College of Health Professions at Albany State University,” Foundation Executive Director Randae Davis said. “Prior to the pandemic, we asked Dr. Sarah Brinson, the dean of the College of Health Professions, for a list of needs and wants which would improve instruction and benefit the faculty and students. The need was bigger than anticipated, but we were glad to help.”

Among the requests were more than $300,000 for equipment used in six of the 12 focus areas of health professions, scholarships for EMS students, and continuing education for faculty at ASU.

“The board had to carefully consider what we were able to do as an organization,” Davis said.

After the approval, the pandemic made acquiring the equipment difficult, as manufacturers experienced shortages and orders for health care providers became a priority over educational institutions.

“There was a great delay obtaining the equipment,” Brinson said, “but we are thrilled to have the foundation partner with us to help us where state appropriations can’t always fund equipment purchases. We had to prioritize the needs and consider what would best benefit our students of today and the future.”

The grants helped paramedic students receive scholarships and the radiology department replace monitoring badges and obtain certification testing software that would help students prepare for state licensure. The physical therapy department added a new computer, and the sonography department purchased a new ultrasound machine. The dental department received new ultrasonic cleaning apparatuses, and the nursing department purchased a simulator and manikin software that will be used at the Albany and Cordele campuses.

“Two of the most expensive items we were able to purchase were the simulator and a Pixes Medstation, both vital equipment for nursing students to have experience with when entering the clinical phase of their education” Brinson said.

The Medstation is an automated medication dispensing system used in hospitals and medical facilities that helps health care providers safely and efficiently dispense the right medications, for the right patients at the right time.

“Students will be expected to operate these on Day 1 of employment, and they will be ready, thanks to the donors and the foundation,” Brinson said.

The Darton Health Professions Foundation has sought to remove the financial barriers to receiving a post-secondary education since its inception in 1976. It is dedicated to investing in the community, the students, and College of Health Professions through scholarships and grants that will improve education opportunities and the health care system in southwest Georgia.

“We have about 20 endowed scholarships and administer grants and scholarships each year for students attending Albany State,” Davis said. “Our board is excited about the future and collaborations that will drive students to the university and the health care industry. It is one of our goals to promote excellence in instruction and education, and sometimes that comes in the way of providing new equipment.

“We believe in investing in the people who are and will serve southwest Georgia. That investment has had a huge return and is evident in the faculty and medical professionals in Albany and the surrounding area who were once students.”

For more information on the Darton Health Professions Foundation or to apply for a scholarship, visit www.dartonfoundation.org.

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