FORT LAUDERDALE/DAVIE, Fla. – HCA Healthcare announced it will give $500,000 to Nova Southeastern University (NSU) to help establish a clinical simulation lab in support of its new nurse anesthesiology program. This gift is part of HCA Healthcare’s $10 million pledge over three years to Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and Hispanic serving institutions.
“It’s been a long-standing point of pride that our nursing programs – and NSU overall – have such a dedicated and diverse student population,” said Stefanie LaManna, dean of NSU’s Ron and Kathy Assaf College of Nursing. “This investment from HCA addresses an important need to provide cutting-edge technologies for our nursing students in the ever-changing health care environment. These advances will ensure the effectiveness of these future professionals who will be better able to provide the very best care to their patients and who are so essential in meeting the need for excellent nurses here in Florida and across the country.”
According to the American Association of Nurse Anesthesiology, the anesthesiology workforce may experience a shortage of about 12,500 providers by 2033. To help combat this, NSU is developing a nurse anesthesiology program. This gift from HCA Healthcare will support the faculty and equipment, including clinical simulation labs required to set up nurse anesthesiology training at NSU’s Palm Beach and Fort Myers campus locations.
“As one of the nation’s leading healthcare providers, we understand the importance of building up the next generation of caregivers,” said Sherri Neal, chief diversity officer of HCA Healthcare. “It is our honor to work with Nova Southeastern University as we make strides to address nationwide caregiver shortages.”
Classified as a research university with “high research activity” by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, NSU – a Hispanic serving institution – is one of only 50 universities nationwide to also be awarded Carnegie’s “community engagement” classification.
“We are excited that HCA Healthcare is partnering with NSU for the worthy goal of providing our nursing students with a state-of-the-art learning space that will help prepare them for all the challenges they will face in the field,” said NSU President and CEO George L. Hanbury II.
HCA Healthcare and its East Florida Division have a longstanding relationship with NSU. In 2022, East Florida Division made a $250,000 gift, matched by HCA Healthcare, to the university to support scholarships. This combined $500,000 was then matched by Florida’s Linking Industry to Nursing Education (LINE) Fund, a competitive grant program that provided matching funds to nursing education programs and health care providers. The program was created in 2022 to help address the state’s nursing shortage.
“Investing in education and advanced training is essential for the future of healthcare,” said Charles Gressle, HCA Healthcare’s East Florida Division President. “This important initiative represents a significant step forward in our mission to foster excellence in medical training and to support the next generation of healthcare leaders.”
HCA Healthcare has a history of partnering with higher education institutions across the country to help strengthen the diversity of the organization’s talent pipeline.
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