AltaMed Unveils East LA School of Nursing to Tackle Nurse Shortage

AltaMed Health Services, in a partnership with Los Angeles Jewish Health (LAJH) and the Annenberg School of Nursing, recently hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony to announce the creation of the AltaMed Health Services School of Nursing. The school is located at AltaMed's East Los Angeles Campus. The program is designed to help meet the ongoing staffing needs for Licensed Vocational Nurses (LVNs) and Certified Nursing Assistants (CNAs).

"From the very beginning, our vision has been to build a nursing workforce from within, one that reflects the communities we serve and carries forward the AltaMed mission," said AltaMed President and CEO Cástulo de la Rocha. "Over the years, we have worked towards this vision. We aim to address the shortage of bilingual, culturally responsive nurses, and today with our partners from Los Angeles Jewish Health and the Annenberg School of Nursing, that dream has become a reality."

"We are delighted to be bringing our state-of-the art nursing school to the team at AltaMed and look forward to expanding the program offerings as their needs evolve," said Dale Surowitz, President and CEO of Los Angeles Jewish Health. "Perhaps most important, this program helps to create a culture where nurses in training learn to better understand the backgrounds, language, and lived experiences of their patients and the critical role that should play in the care experience."

"For more than five decades, AltaMed has remained steadfast in its mission to provide access to high quality health services, regardless of the ability to pay," said de la Rocha. "Our new school of nursing underscores AltaMed's commitment to improve health outcomes in the communities we serve."