News Details

Doctors Provide Nursing Scholarships

February 21, 2005

In the early summer of 2003, the Medical Staff at Middlesex Hospital decided they wanted to do something extra to help support nursing education at the Hospital. Dues had always been collected on an annual basis from physicians to go toward further education of their M.D. colleagues, but they now decided that some of these same funds should also be earmarked to help those on the Hospital’s nursing staff to pursue their professional education.

At first, the fund was intended for those employees at Middlesex Hospital seeking an R.N. degree, but has now been expanded to include advanced degrees for bachelor’s and master’s in nursing. The scholarship money is available to either full- or part-time employees.

The Medical Staff wished to keep the application process as simple as possible, so applicants simply need to fill out a one-page form and submit an essay of 1,000 words or less, explaining why they want to further their education in nursing. During this, the first year the scholarships have been offered, a total of 19 applications were received. A total of 18 out of the 19 employees who applied received scholarships; one was deemed ineligible for the award. A total of $25,000 in scholarship money was distributed among the qualified applicants.

“I am extremely proud and appreciative of our Medical Staff’s generosity in supporting the professional development of our dedicated nurses,” said Colleen Smith, Middlesex Hospital’s vice president for nursing administration. “Their gift is indicative of the collegial relationships that have long existed here at Middlesex Hospital between our physicians and nurses. This ongoing collaborative spirit, and the personal commitment of our nursing staff to ongoing education, are just a few of the reasons we were the first hospital in Connecticut to receive the prestigious Magnet award for nursing excellence,” she added.

Deborah Whitehead, M.D., president of the Middlesex Hospital medical staff, agrees with Smith. “Our physicians recognize that the competence and skill of the nursing staff is a vital component to excellent patient care. Establishing this scholarship fund allows us to invest in nursing as a valuable resource. In addition, it allows us to express our appreciation for the quality of nursing at Middlesex Hospital.