[slow orchestral music] - The number of minority nurses are low, and so one of the aspects of this program is to increase that representation because you do want to be cared for with someone who looks like you, who's been through things you've been through, and who can empathize with you.

- They understand where I'm coming from, I understand where they're coming from.

I can engage with them on a different level.

- The broader health impact will be we will see a decrease in those disparities, we will see an increase in patient education.

We will see a decline in some of these diabetes, some of the disparities, we'll see patients taking hold of their health.

Here on the campus of North Carolina Central, we have 14 human patient simulators that we have the capability to educate our students from the start of the nursing program all the way to the end, and we're able to see our students bring together the information that they've learned in their classrooms, their skills labs.

We're able to see them come alive in that Sim Lab, connect those dots, and critically think to provide safe, effective care to that patient, and we create it in a safe environment, to where the students are not penalized or feel like, "Oh my goodness, I can't make a mistake."

- And that's what the simulators do.

They give you that real world experience before you get to the hospital, and I appreciate that so much.

- [Simulator] I'm having contractions.

- When you are training to become a nurse, everything that you do is critical.

Everything that you do is vital, and everything that you do needs to be intentional, and the one thing you want to do is save a life and not end one.

So with the simulation, they teach you different lung sounds, different heart sounds.

They make you go through seizures.

They do all these simulations to have you prepared.

- [Taesha] Hi, Johnny, how are you today?

My name is Taesha Smith, I'll be your student nurse [indistinct] North Carolina Central.

First I'm just gonna check your arm band.

- [Simulator] I want my mom!

- [Taesha] You want your mom?

- [Simulator] Yes.

- [Taesha] All right, Johnny, do you know your name and date of birth?

- They definitely groom you to be a professional in nursing.

They groom you to know what signs and symptoms you need to be concerned with and what interventions you need to do from the start of your nursing career, so you're able to put all of those things together by the time you reach your senior year.

- Ever since the day that I walked in through the doors and just asked for information, I always felt like I was home.

From the advisors to the professors, everyone makes you feel like you're a part of the family.

- They really want to see the students succeed, not only in their nursing career, but after they leave NCCU.

- We are increasing the number of minorities that will travel, who will be the great leaders, who will be the providers, who will be the educators, and we need more representation.

And this is not just regionally, we need them globally.