Assemblymember Salas secures $6 million for CSUB’s nursing program

President Zelezny: Support a ‘lifeline for our community’

By California State University, Bakersfield

July 13^th, 2021

The 2021-22 California budget, signed into law by Gov. Gavin Newsom on Monday, allocates $6 million to California State University, Bakersfield for nursing and health programs to address the critical shortage of primary care in the Central Valley. The funding was championed by Assemblymember Rudy Salas of Bakersfield.

“This funding is a lifeline for our community,” said CSUB President Dr. Lynnette Zelezny. “CSUB is on the front lines of primary health care in our region, with our nationally renowned nursing program and our new bachelor of science degree in public health. Our families, friends and neighbors need greater access to care, and CSUB will use this support to give them that access. I would like to thank Assemblymember Salas for his leadership on securing this support as well as Gov. Newsom and the Legislature for remembering families in the Central Valley.”

“I am thrilled to have secured $6 million for CSUB’s nursing and healthcare programs in this year’s state budget,” said Assemblymember Salas. “With this investment, we can provide additional medical professionals who will help families throughout the Valley. I look forward to seeing the amazing things these students accomplish for California.”

Dr. Debbie Wilson, chairwoman of CSUB’s nursing department, expressed gratitude for Assemblymember Salas’ advocacy.

“The healthcare shortage in the Central Valley is well-documented; this allocation will lead the way to improving those outcomes by supporting program expansion, supporting technology needs, and recruiting faculty. Nurses are an essential part of the healthcare team. CSUB graduates provide evidence-based care that focuses on the needs of diverse populations in a variety of settings.”

The support will be used in a variety of ways, including:

Improvements to high-impact labs, where nursing students get their first experience as caregivers
Elevating the current family nurse practitioner program to a doctor of nursing practice program
Attracting expert faculty and staff to support the expansion of the CSUB nursing program and supervise clinical placements in the region
Improvements to technology and resources to support cutting-edge research.

“Many thanks to State Assemblymember Rudy Salas for his advocacy,” said Dr. Todd McBride, interim dean of the School of Natural Sciences, Mathematics and Engineering. “The current COVID-19 pandemic has served as a stark reminder of the inequalities in healthcare availability for a significant portion of our local population. The additional state funding will have a significant impact in assisting CSUB to provide highly skilled healthcare workers in nursing and public health.”

The increasingly complex demands of the modern healthcare environment require the highest level of scientific knowledge, education and practice expertise to assure quality patient outcomes. To meet this challenge, and the emerging national nurse practitioner educational standards, CSUB has developed a plan to transition its existing master of science in nursing / family nurse practitioner program to a doctor of nursing practice program in the next two years.

“This increased state funding is a huge boost to the feasibility and the sustainability of this program development, and could not come at a better time,” said Dr. Heidi He, program director for CSUB’s family nurse practitioner program. “It will allow CSUB to become an early adopter, and a leader, in the emerging national education standard for NP’s and further support our commitment to prepare ever better qualified health care providers to meet the local health care workforce demand.

“We are grateful to Assemblymember Rudy Salas for his advocacy and commitment towards improving education and health care in the Central Valley.”

There are more than 220 students studying for their bachelor’s degree in nursing at CSUB and each year, the family nurse practitioner program admits 20 students. The overwhelming majority of graduates of both programs stay in the region to administer care to local families.