Anonymous Donor Gives $25 Million for Nursing Education, Training and Research Programs at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles

LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Children’s Hospital Los Angeles (CHLA) announced today one of the largest charitable investments ever made in a pediatric hospital nursing program—a landmark $25 million gift by an anonymous donor that will greatly enhance the education, professional development and research endeavors of CHLA’s nursing workforce.

“Nurses are the indispensable foundation of our hospital—a key component of the compassionate, family-centered care for which Children’s Hospital Los Angeles is known,” says Paul S. Viviano, CHLA President and CEO. “Here and across the nation, COVID-19 has placed significant stress on nurses and the clinical workforce. This gift is an unqualified testament to the priority that this generous donor, CHLA and the philanthropic community as a whole have made to supporting our nurses, especially during the challenges of the ongoing pandemic.”

The anonymous gift will support important investments in programs targeting nursing certification, mentorship, training and research funding, including:

• Expansion of CHLA’s New Graduate RN Residency and Transition Fellowship nurse training programs, which help prepare early and mid-career nurses for pediatric specialty care
• Increased research funding for CHLA’s Postdoctoral Nursing Fellowship program
• Support and sponsorship for nurse certification education (examples include Trauma, Neonatal and Nephrology certifications)
• Experienced Nurse (“Wisdom Worker”) support
• Additional early career support of new nurses through mentorship enhancements and other professional development opportunities
• Expanded funding for nurses’ research projects

“This transformative gift allows us to invest in the education and advancement of nurses at every phase of their careers, whether they are new nursing graduates, mid-career RNs looking to transition to pediatric care, or experienced clinical workers who bring an incomparable wealth of knowledge and mentorship to the table,” says Nancy Lee, RN, MSN, CHLA’s Chief Clinical Officer and Chief Nursing Officer. “These investments are being made based on feedback we have received from nurses themselves, who have asked for more opportunities to learn and grow.”

CHLA has announced several initiatives to support the growth, health and resilience of clinical team members. In addition to the anonymous gift, CHLA recently was awarded a workplace resiliency training grant from the federal Health Resources and Services Administration, totaling $2.1 million over three years, that will help CHLA enhance its ongoing commitment to the wellness and mental health of our team members.

“CHLA owes a remarkable debt of gratitude to the anonymous donor for this act of selfless philanthropy and visionary leadership,” says Viviano. “With this $25 million gift, CHLA will be able to make a considerable and meaningful difference in the lives of our nurses and, in turn, the hundreds of thousands of precious children entrusted to our care every year.”

It is CHLA’s goal to foster an environment that is supportive of a diverse and highly skilled clinical workforce, one that helps them achieve their professional goals and feeds their passion for the lifesaving work they provide our patients and their families. The American Nurses Credentialing Center recently re-designated Children’s Hospital Los Angeles as a Magnet® hospital, one of the highest recognitions given to world-class nursing and patient care, and an honor reserved for the top 10% of U.S. hospitals.

About Children's Hospital Los Angeles

Founded in 1901, Children's Hospital Los Angeles is the highest-ranked hospital in California and fifth in the nation on the prestigious U.S. News & World Report Honor Roll of Best Children’s Hospitals. U.S. News ranks Children’s Hospital Los Angeles in all 10 specialty categories. Clinical care at the hospital is led by physicians who are faculty members of the Keck School of Medicine of USC through an affiliation dating from 1932. The hospital also operates the largest pediatric residency training program at a freestanding children’s hospital in the Western United States. The Saban Research Institute of Children’s Hospital Los Angeles is home to all basic, translational, clinical and community research conducted at the hospital, allowing proven discoveries to quickly reach patients. Our mission: to create hope and build healthier futures. To learn more, follow us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube and Twitter, and visit our blog at CHLA.org/blog.