California State University, Fullerton Department of Nursing Awarded $2 Million Grant From UnitedHealth Group
Fullerton, Calif. (Sept. 29, 2009) — A $2 million grant from
UnitedHealth Group (NYSE: UNH) will help fund California State
University, Fullerton (CSUF) Department of Nursing’s “Expanding
Healthcare Access through Nursing” project.
The grant will help fund the five-year, $3.5 million project aimed at
boosting the number of yearly graduates from the CSUF nursing program
and providing more highly educated nurses for underserved and
low-income communities. In addition, the CSUF nursing program has
officially named its state-of-the-art, high-tech nursing training
facility the UnitedHealthcare Nursing Skills Lab.
As large numbers of baby boomers are aging and requiring more care, the
need for well-educated nurses will continue to increase. The projected
shortage of qualified nurses will have staggering consequences,
threatening overall patient care.
Despite this shortage, funding challenges preclude admission of
qualified candidates to existing nursing programs. In 2007, U.S.
nursing schools turned away more than 40,000 qualified applicants, and
in California more than 55 percent of qualified applications to
pre-licensure programs were denied. At CSUF, 1,300 students applied
last year to its new pre-nursing program in hopes of being admitted to
one of the only 46 available spaces in the entry-level Bachelor of
Science in nursing degree program.
Over the next five years, CSUF’s “Expanding Healthcare Access through
Nursing” project is designed to increase CSUF’s nursing program
capacity. Currently funded by the state to enroll a total of 80
students in the new entry-level pathway to the Bachelor of Science in
Nursing (BSN) and Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) programs, the
expansion project will increase capacity by 150 percent, to 200
students.
Historically, more than 80 percent of CSUF graduates settle within a
50-mile radius of the university, so this investment in the CSUF
nursing program is expected to have a positive impact on the region.
CSUF graduates are also expected to join health care providers serving
low-income and underserved communities, leading to more accessible and
higher quality of care for at-risk populations.
“This generous grant from UnitedHealth Group will increase the number
of baccalaureate nurses Cal State Fullerton is able to enroll, train,
graduate and place in the community over the next five years,” said
Milton A. Gordon, president of California State University, Fullerton.
“Because nursing education is both labor- and resource-intensive, there
is always a gap between the normal state reimbursement rate and the
actual costs incurred by the university in operating the nursing
program.
“Donations like the one we are celebrating today are essential to our
program’s ongoing operation and expansion,” Gordon added. “We are most
grateful to UnitedHealth Group for its support of our nursing program,
and pledge our continuing efforts to educate nurse professionals.”
“This important project will help increase the number of highly skilled
nurses in California,” said Steve Nelson, CEO, Western Region of
UnitedHealthcare. “Quality nursing care makes a tremendous difference
in the health care received by patients. Our sponsorship of this
project is part of our commitment to the nursing profession and our
long-term partnership with CSUF’s Department of Nursing.”
About California State University, Fullerton (CSUF)
A comprehensive, regional university with a global outlook, Cal State
Fullerton enrolls more than 36,000 students and offers 105 degree
programs in eight colleges. Accredited by the Western Association of
Schools and Colleges, Cal State Fullerton is sixth in the nation for
the number of bachelor’s degrees awarded to minority students and
second in California for the number of bachelor’s degrees awarded to
Hispanics.
About The CSUF Department of Nursing
The Department of Nursing is committed to providing quality
undergraduate and graduate nursing programs, which are accessible to a
diverse student population. In doing so, it strives to be a center of
excellence in nursing education. It endeavors to be proactive in
meeting societal health imperatives. It is committed to promoting the
health of individuals, populations and communities through innovative
educational partnerships, faculty, scholarship, and service; and to the
preparation of graduates who share these values and who demonstrate
their commitment throughout their nursing careers. The purpose of the
Department of Nursing is to provide students with the knowledge,
skills, and attitudes necessary for performance of their professional
nursing role (at basic or advanced levels of expertise) and with the
characteristics of a broadly educated and socially responsive person.
The Department of Nursing programs prepare graduates who can provide
care within a framework of scientific and professional accountability
for a diverse population of clients, and, who can function
independently and interdependently in a variety of settings. These
programs provide students with the necessary foundation for further
education and specialization, promoting and fostering commitment to
lifelong learning for personal and professional growth.
About UnitedHealth Group
UnitedHealth Group (www.unitedhealthgroup.com)
is a diversified health and well-being company dedicated to making
health care work better. Headquartered in Minneapolis, Minn.,
UnitedHealth Group offers a broad spectrum of products and services
through six operating businesses: UnitedHealthcare, Ovations,
AmeriChoice, OptumHealth, Ingenix, and Prescription Solutions. Through
its family of businesses, UnitedHealth Group serves more than 70
million individuals nationwide.
