The Johnson & Johnson Campaign for Nursing's Future held its "Promise of Nursing for Southern California" Gala this week, in which hundreds of nurses and healthcare professionals from regional hospitals and institutions raised more than $450,000 to help alleviate the region's nursing shortage.
The money raised will go toward nursing school grants, faculty fellowships and student scholarships.
"Well-qualified and sufficiently staffed nurse educators and progressive nursing programs are crucial to providing the tools that nursing students need in order to become skilled nurses and ensure a thriving nursing workforce for our country's future," said Donna Smith, chief nursing officer at Desert Valley Hospital in Victorville, Calif.
According to the Health Resources and Services Administration, an arm of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, California healthcare providers are expected to suffer a nursing shortfall of almost 45 percent, more than 116,600 nurses, by 2020.
"The nursing shortage we are experiencing throughout southern California is severe," said Laxman Reddy, president and CEO of Prime Healthcare Services. "This nursing shortage is driving up the cost of healthcare in general, and this increase is only going to get worse. This event will make a significant impact on the lives of numerous future nurses and their future patients."
The nursing shortage in southern California mirrors a national shortfall, and in its effort to reduce the gap in local communities across the country, Johnson & Johnson has hosted similar fund-raising galas over the past five years, generating more than $14 million.
"We are deeply committed to the nurses in this region and will continue to support efforts that help to ease the southern California nursing shortage," said Andrea Higham, director of The Johnson & Johnson Campaign for Nursing's Future. "This event demonstrates how working together, we can enhance the image of the nursing profession and attract nurses and nurse educators to help resolve this crisis."
Since 2004, Promise of Nursing for Southern California events have raised more than $1.5 million.