Press Releases: Georgia
March 12, 2002
Kaiser Permanente of Georgia provides $500,000 in scholarships for nursing students
ATLANTA, Ga. – To help address the severe shortage of nurses in the state, Kaiser Permanente of Georgia has announced $500,000 in nursing scholarships to increase the number of nursing graduates at area colleges.
Over the next five years, Kaiser Permanente will award $100,000 annually in scholarship funds. Clayton College and State University in Morrow, Georgia Perimeter College in Clarkston, Georgia State University in Atlanta and Kennesaw State University in Kennesaw will each receive $25,000 per year in scholarship support. Scholarship recipients are not required to work at Kaiser Permanente after they graduate.
"The nursing shortage is one of the most pressing issues in health care today and will continue to become even more severe unless we take proactive steps to address this critical problem," said Carolyn Kenny, President of Kaiser Permanente of Georgia. "Our $500,000 commitment represents Kaiser Permanente's response to the growing shortage of nurses in Georgia. By helping nursing students prepare for their roles in the 21st century, we are building healthier communities."
The average cost of a student completing a nursing degree at these institutions is:
- Clayton College and State University = $12,142 (four year program)
- Georgia Perimeter College = $ 5,000 (two year program)
- Georgia State University = $14,192 (four year program)
- Kennesaw State University = $ 9,712 (four year program)
"We are very fortunate to be the recipient of this significant level of scholarship support from Kaiser Permanente. The funding of scholarships for nursing students is an important strategy for addressing the critical shortage of registered nurses in metropolitan Atlanta," said Susan Kelly, PhD, FAAN, dean and professor of Georgia State University's College of Health and Human Sciences. "Kaiser Permanente is to be commended for taking this important measure."
A recent report released by the Georgia Hospital Association indicated that in metro Atlanta, the shortage of all nurses—registered, licensed professional and nursing assistants—grew 38 percent from 1999 to 2001 in Georgia. Additionally, the Department of Labor estimates that Georgia will need 27,000 new RNs between 1996 and 2006 to fill new and existing positions. Georgia ranks 44th out of 51 states (including the District of Columbia) in the number of RNs per 100,000 population.
"While there has certainly been much discussion about the impending nursing shortage and the critical differences from shortages in the past, the fact that Kaiser Permanente has shown leadership in putting financial resources towards solutions is impressive," said Debbie Hackman, CEO of the Georgia Nurses Association.
Kaiser Permanente has a long history of involvement with nursing education. During the past eight years, the health plan has donated $100,000 toward annual scholarships for advanced practice nurses attending Georgia State University.
Kaiser Permanente is the state of Georgia's largest nonprofit health plan, serving the health care needs of Atlanta metro area residents for 22 years. Kaiser Foundation Health Plan of Georgia, Inc. currently provides comprehensive health care services to approximately 275,000 members through 15 medical facilities in a 28-county service, and a network of affiliated hospitals and physicians. The Health Plan provided more than $5 million in community benefit programs and services.
