DAVENPORT, Iowa (AP) — Eastern Iowa Community Colleges is revamping its nursing program after a wave of resignations from staffers alleging the college overworked faculty, didn’t invest in new equipment and ignored teachers trying to make improvements. The nursing program is the college’s largest career program with more than 300 students, offered at all three campuses in Clinton, Muscatine and Scott, the Quad-City Times reported . Former staffers said their resignations are a sign the nursing program is in jeopardy, pointing to a recent internal review highlighting their complaints. Nicole Tucker resigned Aug. 1, the day EICC announced to students it had hired a new nursing program director.

Instructors often worked seven days a week, pleaded for new or even functioning equipment, saying students were learning on broken or outdated devices, Tucker said. But she said the requests denied or treated as low-priority “resulting in stonewalling of any hope of program improvement or forward movement.” “Health care is ever-evolving. It is constantly changing, so our ability to educate must continue to evolve,” Tucker said. “We have a strong duty to help develop their critical thinking and enhance their practical learning experience, prepare them to care for patients after graduation, but we can’t do it with imaginative role play.”

But the college said the staff turnover is normal and that the program is in good health. The program is fully accredited, fully enrolled and fully staffed, producing 63 registered nurses and 30 licenses practical nursing graduates this past year, according to the college. College officials said they completed a review of the nursing program, prompting some of the changes. College officials said they plan to spend $28,000 on new equipment, such as simulation software. They also said they’re shifting its curriculum to better match expectations from partners and employers.

“There is no question that change is happening at the Eastern Iowa Community Colleges,” said Joan Kindle, vice chancellor for education and training. “And these changes, all focused on the needs of our communities and the success of our students, are bringing a great deal of excitement and enthusiasm to our programs.”