In opening the clinical suite, SIT Council Deputy Chair, Maree Howden, (also formerly the School of Nursing Head of Faculty and Acting SIT CEO), who spoke to an audience of SIT management and staff, recalled the establishment of Nursing in Southland when Kew Hospital - built in 1918 - became the training base for Southland nurses.
“Nurses stayed in the Nurses’ home while training, and nursing was a way of life, not just a profession,” she described. “Southland nurses were known for their resilience, practical expertise, discipline and strong commitment to caring for Southlanders.”
The Carpenter report (1971) recommendation that Nursing training in New Zealand should take place outside the hospital setting, made way for polytechnic training and Southland Polytechnic (now SIT) started its first Comprehensive Nursing programme in 1978.
“It represented one unified qualification to prepare nurse graduates to work across multiple different settings; gone were the separate qualifications for psychiatric, general, and obstetric nursing,” Mrs Howden explained.
It was the introduction of SIT’s Bachelor of Nursing in1996, which instigated the transformation of the Nursing Clinical Suite to what SIT has today. “This laid an improved foundation to focus on safety and confidence with skills acquisition, prior to the experience of clinical placements,”
Mrs Howden stated the new clinical suite reflected the growth and advancement of Nursing education in Southland.
“Undergraduate and postgraduate students have access to simulation environments that mirror real-world practice, allowing them to safely make mistakes, develop clinical judgement, ask questions and grow into clinicians who are adaptable, reflective and ready for contemporary health care. It represents an important bridge between theory and practice.”
“…health care has become increasingly complex, and SIT’s School of Nursing has evolved in response and risen to the challenges of change.” Mrs Howden noted that the seven programmes SIT SoN currently offers “are a tribute to the work and foresight of the academic staff who have spearheaded development”.
SIT contributions to Nursing workforce
Academic Lead (Head), Nursing and Master of Nursing Programme Manager, Karyn Madden, said SoN undertaking the nearly half-million-dollar suite upgrade was due to their deep commitment in advancing SIT’s current clinical and simulation delivery. She believed the upgrade was appropriate for the number of nursing graduates SIT contributes to the healthcare sector annually - approximately 20 enrolled nurses, 90 - 100 registered nurses, as well as 50 postgraduate and Master of Nursing science qualifications.
“The strong volume and quality of SIT nursing graduates contributing to the nursing workforce reflects confidence in the programme,” Mrs Madden said, adding that Nursing Council final examination results proved the reliability of SIT Nursing graduates, consistently achieving high pass rates and frequently above national averages.
State-of-the-art technology featured
SIT’s significant investment in the 2026 refurbishment has extended the capacity of the clinical ward by 50% to 14 beds and doubled the capacity of the simulation spaces. The equipment upgrades include multiple cardiac monitors, defibrillator, patient controlled analgesia pumps (PCA), syringe drivers, electric vital sign monitors, bladder scanners, patient hoists and dual clean utility rooms.
The suite utilises state-of-the-art technology in high-fidelity patient mannequins, virtual reality and mixed reality, which overlay anatomy and patient data, holographic patient conditions (e.g. diabetes, cardiac, stroke, respiratory, sepsis) for comprehensive clinical judgement development, and holographic anatomy & physiology.
The technology upgrade also includes video simulation and debriefs system, interactive science platforms, electronic medication charting and skills training stations for IV, wound, CPR and airway management with sensor technology.
“The investment in our School of Nursing facilities represents a strategic commitment to advancing simulation in nursing through enhanced technology, dedicated time, and ongoing innovation—supporting the future capability of the sector,” Mrs Madden says.
SoN Head of Faculty, Julia Russell said the upgrade supports the need for practice suites and nursing simulation which play a vital role in developing critical thinking by allowing students to apply knowledge in realistic, low-risk environments.
“Simulation strengthens clinical judgement, decision-making, and confidence, while structured debriefing supports reflection and deeper learning. As a result, graduates are better prepared to respond effectively in complex healthcare settings.”
One of SIT’s flagship programmes, the School of Nursing has been training Southland nurses for nearly 50 years. Since then, more than 2700 nurses have graduated from SIT. Alongside delivering enrolled and registered nurses to the healthcare workforce, SIT SoN also offers foundation pathways into Nursing, as well as postgraduate and master’s programmes.