FCH opens new education building

Faith Community Hospital has recently opened an education building to help nursing students further their education.

Director of Education Joy Henry said the plans for the building, which is located behind the hospital, have been in the works for about a year. For a number of reasons moving into the building has been going on for about a week, Henry noted.

“We’re slowly moving in and getting settled,” Henry said. “I’m as excited as I can be to have this done.”

The building has offices for Human Resources and Henry. There’s still moving in stuff to be accomplished but that’s getting done. Henry has stuff hanging in her office but there’s still some decorating to be accomplished.

Everything is state of the art in what is described as a “triple wide” building. A 20-person classroom is the centerpiece of the facility.

Henry said agreements with five colleges including Weatherford College, North Central Texas College and Midwestern State to educate their students along with two online colleges.

There have been no regular classes in the facility yet but that is to be seen in the coming weeks, Henry said. Online work can be accomplished in a second room which features three laptops that can be used for people getting their degree online.

FCH has agreements with Texas Woman’s University and Texas Christian University and the school’s family nurse practitioner programs as well so the classroom will get plenty of use.

The hospital also works with UT Southwestern and their med students. Henry said hospital officials are working to get residents beginning in 2024 but nothing has been finalized.

There is still some work to be done, including getting a parking area installed.

Henry said the classroom can also be used for the community with classes being moved from around the community potentially into the classroom as well.

Henry said the community will be invited to classes such as Flu/ Covid, diabetes, vaping and the like along with heart related issues. Classes are hoping to be started at the end of October, Henry said.

“We’re just really into trying to share info with this new building,” Henry said.