Philanthropy-funded programs support nurses at Baylor

When Vivian Sullivan, a unit secretary and patient care technician at Baylor T. Boone Pickens Cancer Hospital, applied for an Eddie Bernice Johnson Advancing Nurse Excellence scholarship program, she had to go through an interview process.

"What will you do if you don’t get this scholarship?" she was asked. "I’m going to keep going because it’s in my heart to become a nurse," she answered. "There will be challenges, but I’m going to get there."

Vivian, a mother of five, received the scholarship, and is well on her way to earning a bachelor’s of nursing degree from The University of Texas at Arlington.

The scholarship program and a newly established Center for Nursing Leadership are two initiatives at Baylor Scott & White Health aimed at ensuring the 10,000 registered nurses at BSWH are well-equipped for the vital roles they serve. The success of both programs relies on the generosity of our donors.

Baylor encourages its nurses to obtain higher-level nursing degrees for several reasons. Research shows that increasing the number of nurses with bachelor’s degrees can improve patient outcomes and decrease the mortality rate. Additionally, when nurse leaders are positioned to influence system practice and policies, it leads to improvements like reduced hospital-acquired infections, improved patient outcomes and decreased mortality.

Eddie Bernice Johnson Advancing Nurse Excellence scholarship program

The Eddie Bernice Johnson Advancing Nurse Excellence scholarship program helps ease the burden of full-time Baylor employees who are pursing nursing degrees. With philanthropic support, selected scholars can work part-time while earning full-time benefits as they complete their studies. Since the program’s inception in 2009, 65 employees have been selected. Forty-four have completed their degrees. Eleven new scholars, including Vivian, were selected for 2017.

"Vivian has never lost focus of what she wants her life to be," said nurse manager Kelly Crayton, MSN, R.N., NE-BC. "Sometimes as an adult learner, that’s tough."

"My children and I would all sit around the table doing our homework - only I would be there until the wee hours of the night because I had so much work to do," Vivian said. "With this scholarship, it gave me so much time back."

"This scholarship let me know that someone else cared," said Vivian, who plans to continue working at Baylor after she completes her BSN. "They are going to have to pry my fingers away from Baylor because they have been a tremendous help to me - a blessing not only to me, but also to my family."

Center for Nursing Leadership

The Center for Nursing Leadership is part of the Baylor Scott & White Institute for Nursing Innovation. This center focuses on all levels of nursing leadership, with programs uniquely designed for each level: nurse executives, nursing managers and supervisors, and bedside nurse leaders.

Thanks to a $1 million gift from Anne and Harris Clark, the Center for Nursing Leadership will pilot a one-year leadership program for all nurse managers and supervisors at Baylor University Medical Center at Dallas and Baylor Scott & White All Saints Medical Center – Fort Worth. Ultimately, managers and supervisors at all Baylor Scott & White Health hospitals will complete this training.

Harris said, "Over the years, I have invested in real estate and stocks. Recently, I have come to the realization that investing in nursing will bring much greater returns. It is easy to imagine a caregiver helping thousands of patients throughout his or her career, making lives better along the way. It makes us feel good and helps our community. You cannot put a dollar sign on that."

For more information about how you can support an scholar, contact Cynthia Krause at 214.820.7928 or Cynthia.Krause@BSWHealth.org.