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The Ashtabula Foundation has awarded ������ at Ashtabula a grant totaling $142,850 to upgrade equipment for two allied health programs.

“I am grateful to the Ashtabula Foundation for their generous support of our students,” said Susan J. Stocker, Ph.D., dean and chief administrative officer. “The grant will allow us to purchase state of the art equipment that will better prepare our students for the real-world clinical experience.”

The Radiologic Technology and Respiratory Therapy programs will receive substantial equipment upgrades with the grant. Among the improvements are a floor mount digital x-ray unit, digital x-ray upgrades, drop coverage for x-ray cassettes, and a picture archiving and communication system (PACS) for Radiologic Technology and the addition of an adult/infant lung simulator for Respiratory Therapy.

“The current equipment has reached end of life and is not representative of the current practices in the field of radiologic technology,” said Julie Senita, Ph.D., senior program director for nursing and allied health.

The new equipment will support the accreditation requirement of a fully energized radiology laboratory and provide students with learning opportunities that correspond with the current clinical environment. 

“Repairs are extremely expensive and sometimes impossible due to the age of the equipment. Having outdated equipment can also result in confusion for students when they encounter updated equipment in health care facilities,” Senita added.

The lung simulator will simulate human adult and infant lung responses to mechanical ventilation and simulates a spontaneously breathing patient.

“The lung simulator will benefit the program by enhancing laboratory instruction in mechanical ventilation, a key function of the respiratory therapy program graduate,” Senita said. “These skills are necessary for a respiratory therapy professional and became particularly relevant during the COVID-19 pandemic.”

For more information about the allied health programs at Kent State Ashtabula, visit www.kent.edu/ashtabula/health-degrees.