Modern treatments and advanced technologies rely on having people in place who know how and when to use them.

This philosophy motivated Brenda Baldwin to create a bequest to support nursing education at Providence Saint Joseph Medical Center.

“Doctors do the prescribing, but nurses are the eyes and ears of doctors. By monitoring patient symptoms 24/7, they can greatly aid doctors in making their decisions,” Brenda says.

Brenda’s planned gift builds on a generous gift her father left in his will many years ago. Her parents were longtime Burbank residents who were very active in the community. While being cared for at Saint Joseph’s, her parents encountered countless compassionate caregivers, particularly nurses, who helped ease their way during their most difficult moments. “My dad used to joke that good nurses get you out of the hospital faster,” Brenda recalls.

Recognizing that well-informed nurses improve patient outcomes, her father established an endowed fund to support continuing professional education for nurses. Each year, the Kay and Mary Lou Baldwin Nursing Endowment grants need-based scholarships to Saint Joseph’s nurses. “The pandemic has shown we need intellectually capable nurses with emotional resilience. They deserve all the support we can give them. I see the rightness of my dad’s decision to support nursing education,” Brenda says.

She believes good nurses are one of the elements behind Providence Saint Joseph’s consistent recognition from U.S. News and World Report for medical excellence. She is also pleased the funding can help advance the hospital’s Magnet® credentials that rely on continuing education for nurses.

The American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Magnet Recognition Program supports nursing excellence through education. “You can’t put plaques on nurses like you can with equipment,” says Brenda. “I’m very happy to support nursing excellence as part of my estate plans. I hope others see they can do it too.”

Planning is an important part of giving that may be right for you. Consult your tax advisor or our gift planning team to explore the impact you can make through a gift of real estate or from your IRA.

For more information, please contact Michael Andrulis, director of estate and gift planning, at Michael.Andrulis@providence.org or call 310-569-0351.