Tenet Healthcare Foundation Awards Major Nursing Grant to California State University, Los Angeles Funds Support Accelerated Bachelor's and Master's Nursing Programs

Tenet Healthcare Foundation, the charitable giving arm of Tenet Healthcare Corporation (NYSE: THC), and Tenet California have awarded $790,000 over the next two years to establish an entry level master’s program and entry level baccalaureate program at California State University, Los Angeles.

Initial funds from this grant enabled the University to launch the entry level master’s (ELM) program this summer (2004). The entry level baccalaureate (ELB) program, now in the planning stages, may be a collaborative effort with other local CSU campuses.

Over the course of the grant about 200 additional nurses are expected to be educated. Typically, these programs attract individuals who are interested in changing careers, or whose previous positions have been eliminated or lost due to economic constrictions in other industries.

“With a projected shortage of more than 18,000 nurses next year, California desperately needs new nurses,” said Stephen Newman, M.D., chief executive officer of Tenet California. “We have made a commitment to finding creative ways to address this problem. These new programs will attract excellent, motivated students who want to be nurses.”

“The innovative new degree programs created by this generous grant will give our University the opportunity to overcome the state’s tough budgetary restrictions and begin to offer nursing education to hundreds of new students,” said Judith Lynne Papenhausen, Ph.D., R.N., director of the School of Nursing at California State University, Los Angeles. “We are very pleased that the Tenet Healthcare Foundation is contributing in such a meaningful way to the health and well-being of all Californians.”

The Cal State L.A. entry-level programs build on previous learning experiences of students and transition individuals who already have earned undergraduate degrees in other disciplines into nursing. This is achieved through an intensive accelerated clinical nursing program lasting five to six quarters. It is expected that ELM students will enter the work force and continue graduate work part-time. ELB graduates are expected to enter the workforce and may elect to continue graduate studies.

“Tenet is working with deans of schools of nursing to create or expand accelerated BSN programs and generate a new supply of qualified nurses in communities most impacted by the nursing shortage,” said Lauren Arnold, Tenet’s vice president of nursing. “The typical second-degree nursing student is highly motivated, more mature, and has a strong academic foundation, having already earned a bachelors degree in another field. They tend to excel in class and are eager to excel in their clinical experiences. Graduates of these programs are prized by nurse employers, who value the many layers of skill and education that they bring to the workplace.”

The $790,000 grant is part of $2.78 million in grants that the Tenet Healthcare Foundation is making over three years to support accelerated nursing programs in south Florida, Houston, El Paso, Southern California and Atlanta.

“At Tenet Healthcare Foundation, we want to do our part to make sure that we have enough trained nurses to take care of every American who needs hospital care,” Barbara Luton, the foundation’s executive director. "We think nurses are the future, and we're pleased that these new programs will create hundreds of excellent new nurses.”

“We applaud Tenet’s support for baccalaureate-level nursing education and its commitment to expanding capacity in accelerated nursing programs in four states,” said Geraldine “Polly” Bednash, Ph.D., R.N., F.A.A.N., executive director of the American Association of Colleges of Nursing. “Last year, more than 11,000 qualified students were turned away from professional nursing programs nationwide because schools lacked the funding needed to recruit faculty and accommodate more students. Tenet's commitment will enable hundreds of strong candidates to enter nursing programs and begin careers as registered nurses.”

Tenet Healthcare Foundation is a charitable foundation sponsored by Tenet Healthcare Corporation. Endowed by Tenet, the Foundation, along with Tenet California, directs most of its grants to help unmet healthcare needs in the communities served by facilities owned by Tenet subsidiaries. The Foundation also provides grants to various educational, social services, civic and humanities-supporting organizations nationwide.

Contacts: Carol Selkin, CSULA, Director, Media Relations (323) 343-3044
David Langness, Tenet Healthcare, Director, Media Relations (310) 966-3155