FORT LAUDERDALE, Florida. – HCA Healthcare announced that it will donate $500,000 to Nova Southeastern University (NSU) to help build a clinical simulation lab to support its new anesthesia nursing program. This donation is part of HCA Healthcare’s $10 million donation over three years to Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and Hispanic-serving institutions.
According to the American Association of Nurse Anesthesiology, there could be a shortage of approximately 12,500 nurse anesthetists by 2033. To address this problem, NSU is currently developing a nurse anesthetist program. This donation from HCA Healthcare will fund the faculty and equipment, including a clinical simulation lab, needed to train nurse anesthetists at the Palm Beach Gardens and Fort Myers locations.
“As one of the nation’s leading healthcare providers, we understand the importance of building the next generation of nurses,” said Sherri Neal, Chief Diversity Officer for HCA Healthcare. “We are honored to partner with Nova Southeastern University to address the nationwide nursing shortage.”
NSU – an institution aimed at Hispanics – has been classified as a research university with “high research activity” by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. It is one of only 50 universities nationwide to also be recognized with the Carnegie “Community Engagement” classification.
“We are pleased that HCA Healthcare is partnering with NSU to achieve the worthy goal of providing our nursing students with a state-of-the-art learning space that will prepare them for all the challenges they will face in this career field,” said George L. Hanbury II, President and CEO of NSU.
HCA Healthcare and its East Florida Division have a long-standing relationship with NSU. In 2022, the East Florida Division donated $250,000 to the university, matched by HCA Healthcare, to support scholarships. That total of $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 healthcare providers. The program was launched in 2022 to address the state’s nursing shortage.
“Investing in education and training is critical to the future of healthcare,” said Charles Gressle, president of HCA Healthcare’s East Florida Division. “This important initiative represents a significant step forward in our mission to promote excellence in medical education and support the next generation of healthcare leaders.”
HCA Healthcare has long maintained partnerships with universities across the country to increase diversity in the company’s talent pool.
