FREDERICKSBURG FREE LANCE-STAR

Rep. Abigail Spanberger toured Germanna Community College’s Virtual Hospital at its Locust Grove Campus recently.

In December she secured $251,000 to purchase equipment for the Robert C. O’Neill Wellness Clinic. The clinic will be part of a new Frank and Nancy Turnage Health Sciences Building at the Locust Grove Campus.

It will provide free health care to uninsured or underinsured members of the community, many of whom live in rural areas without easy access to such services. Screenings, referrals, dental care, physical therapy, wellness evaluations and healthy living classes will be provided by students from Germanna’s nursing and health technologies program, enabling them to receive clinical hours necessary for graduation.

Spanberger reacted with surprise and delight when she saw the high-tech birthing simulator demonstrated.

Dean of Nursing Patti Lisk and technician Cindy Sanchez gave the congresswoman a peek under the hood as the baby was loaded. A natural birth was then simulated.