HCA Healthcare will give $4.8 million to Pepperdine University to support the launch of its new School of Nursing in Calabasas, an effort aimed at addressing the national nursing shortage, the university announced Friday.
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Pepperdine's School of Nursing opened this fall with 68 students enrolled in undergraduate and graduate programs, including a Bachelor of Science in Nursing and an entry-level Master of Science, Clinical Nurse Leader. Students will complete clinical rotations at HCA Healthcare's Los Robles Regional Medical Center in Thousand Oaks, according to university officials.
"We believe that investing in nursing education is vital to the future of healthcare," Sammie Mosier, senior vice president and chief nurse executive for HCA Healthcare, said in a statement. "It is a privilege to support Pepperdine University's new School of Nursing as they prepare the next generation of caregivers with the tools, confidence and compassion to care for patients and communities."
Pepperdine officials said the gift will support the school's early growth.
``We believe this movement will bear fruit in our local communities and across the nation,
said Dee Anna Smith, chair of the Pepperdine Board of Regents.
The $4.8 million contribution supports Pepperdine's new 30,000-square- foot facility in Calabasas. The building includes high-fidelity patient manikins and immersive training environments designed to give students hands-on preparation in lifelike scenarios.
Nashville-based HCA Healthcare is one of the nation's largest healthcare providers, operating 191 hospitals and roughly 2,500 ambulatory sites of care across 20 states and the United Kingdom.
The company said the gift continues its recent investments in expanding nursing education. Since acquiring Galen College of Nursing in 2020, the company has opened 20 new campuses, now serving more than 19,000 students.
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