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News release: California - SouthernApril 22 , 2005 Kaiser Permanente Awards $580,000 to L.A. Nursing Schools Accelerated Degree Programs Offer Hope for Nursing Shortages PASADENA , Calif. , April 22, 2005 – Kaiser Permanente announced today that it has awarded $580,000 to Mount St. Mary’s College and Azusa Pacific University (APU) to help students defray the cost of nursing school and ease nursing shortages at Kaiser Permanente hospitals. The total $580,000 forgivable loans award includes $440,000 for 17 accelerated Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing students at Mount St. Mary’s College; as well as $120,000 for Azusa Pacific University’s accelerated Master’s in Nursing students, and $20,000 for the university’s Second Careers and Nursing (SCAN) students. In addition, students selected for the forgivable loan program will get a chance to perform clinical rotations and receive mentoring from Kaiser Permanente nursing staff during the duration of their college careers. Upon graduation, students may work at any of the 11 Southern California Kaiser Permanente hospitals for forgiveness of the loan, which can pay for up to two-thirds of their tuition. “The second degree candidates have demonstrated that they are committed to the nursing profession,” said Judy Husted, RN, MS, Kaiser Foundation Hospital ’s Executive Director of Patient Care Services, Operations, Southern California . “We are proud of the unique partnership we have established with Mount Saint Mary’s College and Azusa Pacific University .” “It is one of the many innovative initiatives we have implemented to address the California nursing shortage, which is in a huge crisis,” she added. According to the California Healthcare Association, California ranks 49th in the nation in terms of the number of RN’s per capita – with 585 RN’s per 100,000 population, compared to the national average of 798 RN’s per 100,000 population. Only Nevada has fewer RNs per capita than California . “ Kaiser Foundation Hospital ’s generous financial assistance to our students will enable Mount St. Mary’s to prepare more nurses in a time of great need in our community,” said Mount St. Mary’s President Jacqueline Powers Doud, PhD. In addition, said Mary Wickman, RN, PhD, chair of the college’s Department of Nursing, “For the new graduate, this program offers a winning combination of having their education paid for while gaining a first work experience in a quality healthcare organization.” Felicitas dela Cruz, RN, DNSc, FAANP, APU nursing professor and SCAN director, agreed that the funds offer a significant boost for the university’s master’s in nursing students. “The funds will enable the Second Careers and Nursing (SCAN) students to primarily focus on their studies, so they become ready to join the Southern California nursing workforce within an accelerated period of time,” she said. Kaiser Permanente seeks to be the organization of choice for nurses. To create the optimum environment for both its nurses and its members, the organization is improving nursing retention and recruitment. Kaiser Permanente has upgraded its preceptor program, created re-entry programs for returning nurses, and awarded numerous grants to nursing schools to expand their curriculum. Founded in 1925, Mount St. Mary’s College is a Catholic, liberal arts college dedicated primarily to the education of women through innovative, values-based educational programs at two historic campuses. The Accelerated Baccalaureate Nursing Program (AccBSN) offers the BSN degree to students already holding a Bachelor’s Degree. The vigorous program is within a one year time frame. The AccBSN program is approved by the California Board of Registered Nursing. For more information about Mount St. Mary’s College, visit the Web site at www.msmc.la.edu . Featured in TIME Magazine and ranked as one of the nation’s best by U.S. News & World Report and The Princeton Review, Azusa Pacific is a comprehensive, Christian, evangelical university, committed to God First and known for excellence in higher education. APU offers a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN), and four other undergraduate nursing options. In addition, APU offers a Master of Science in Nursing, an Accelerated RN to BSN, BSN to MSN, post-master certificates, Second Career and Nursing (SCAN) leading to a MSN, and a Ph.D. in Nursing. For more information, call (800) 825-5278 or visit www.apu.edu . Kaiser Permanente is a prepaid, group practice health maintenance organization (HMO) founded in 1945. The Kaiser Permanente Southern California Region has more than 3.1 million members. It includes 3,600 physicians in the Southern California Permanente Medical Group (SCPMG) and 45,000 Kaiser Foundation Health Plan and Hospitals employees. The Region is served by 11 major medical centers.
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