LAKE COUNTY >> Known as the mother of modern nursing, Florence Nightingale is quoted with saying, “Nursing is an art: and if it is to be made an art, it requires an exclusive devotion as hard a preparation, as any painter”s or sculptor”s work; for what is the having to do with dead canvas or dead marble, compared with having to do with the living body, the temple of God”s spirit? It is one of the fine arts: I had almost said, the finest of fine arts.”
This admiration for the art of nursing is something that Frank R. Howard Memorial Hospital (HMH), Sutter Lakeside Hospital (SLH) and Ukiah Valley Medical Center (UVMC) genuinely believe in, according to Nick Bejarano, regional communications manager.
In 2014 alone all three hospitals united to provide $80,000 to the nursing program at Mendocino Community College (MCC).
According to executive director of the Mendocino College Foundation, Katie Fairbairn, “The contributions from our local hospitals enable the nursing program to provide top caliber, highly sought after programing for our region.”
Currently there is enough interest in the nursing program that prospective students have to enter a lottery for placement into the program, Bejarano stated.
Arturo Reyes, superintendent and president at MCC, said, “We are very pleased to count on the visionary leadership and generosity of the hospitals. Their annual funding provides an important resource to sustain our remarkable nursing program. The monies directly impact student instruction, increase student access and facilitate students” continued academic success. Our partnership with the hospitals and their monetary assistance strengthen our nursing program and ensure we can continue to prepare and graduate exceptional professionals to work in our communities. Without the continued financial support of the hospitals our program would be severely impacted and we would, without a doubt, serve fewer students.”
Hospital officials support the nursing program and understand that the contribution to the program returns to the hospitals and the community in several different ways, Bejarano stated.
Chief administrative officer of SLH, Siri Nelson said, “We hope that our contribution gives students the opportunity to not only train for success in a highly valued career path, but that it also encourages them to stay and work in Northern California. Every single day we hear compliments about the quality of our nursing staff — a large number of them trained at MCC. What better way to be a good community steward than reinvesting in our future workforce?”
To date HMH, SLH, and UVMC have contributed a total of $502,000 in support of “the finest of fine arts” at MCC.
