Support from the Regina Charitable Fund of the Philadelphia Foundation will help to purchase state-of-the-art simulation equipment.

When La Salle’s School of Nursing and Health Sciences launches its standalone post BSN to DNP Nurse Anesthesia program in January 2024, students will have access to a state-of-the-art simulation lab as part of their program.  

The plans to purchase the new simulation equipment, which will include anesthesia workstations, simulation mannequins, and other high-end tools and instruments, is thanks in part to a $500,000 grant from the Regina Charitable Fund of the Philadelphia Foundation that was received in mid-September. 

“We are extremely grateful to the Regina Charitable Fund of the Philadelphia Foundation for their continued support of nursing education at La Salle,” Kathleen Czekanski, Ph.D., R.N., CNE, School of Nursing and Health Sciences Dean, said. “This funding and the ongoing support from the University will go a long way in preparing our student nurse anesthetists for providing safe and essential clinical services.” 

In 2022, the undergraduate nursing program was the recipient of a $300,000 from Regina Charitable Fund of the Philadelphia Foundation to support undergraduate scholarships. That gift led to the creation of a Dean’s Scholarship for Nursing and helped establish the University’s Regina Charitable Fund Endowed Scholarship for Nursing LINK 

The new post BSN to DNP Nurse Anesthesia program is a 41-month program that will lead to students earning their Doctor of Nursing Practice degree. The first cohort will graduate in spring 2027. After a successful on-site visit, the program is awaiting its initial accreditation decision by the Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs (COA). 

The program is being started at the right time. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics, the expected employment growth for the field is projected to increase 40% from 2021 to 2031. About 30,200 openings for nurse anesthetists, nurse midwives, and nurse practitioners are projected each year, on average, over the decade. 

“If the pandemic has taught us anything, it’s the critical need for highly knowledgeable and skilled nurse anesthesia graduates,” Czekanski said. “Having our students learn in a safe space to hone their proficiency in specialized anesthesia skills will prepare them to meet the needs of patients and the healthcare teams.” 

The grant and expansion of the simulation center is being made in honor of La Salle alumnus Joseph Stimmler, ’68. 

—Brian Kirschner