MADERA, Calif. – A partnership between Valley Children’s Healthcare and Fresno State is taking aim at the region’s nursing workforce challenges, as the first cohort of nurses graduates from an innovative program designed to expand access to advanced nursing education without pulling workers out of the field.
The Associate of Science in Nursing (ASN) to Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) Pathway Program allows working nurses to earn their bachelor’s degrees while continuing to care for patients – with tuition fully covered and dedicated time set aside for study.
“This is a monumental moment in Central Valley healthcare history,” said Todd Suntrapak, President and CEO of Valley Children’s Healthcare. “We’re developing and retaining exceptional nursing talent right here in the Central Valley, ensuring that children and families have access to highly skilled care, close to home. At the end of the day, this is about delivering the best possible care for kids.”
Leaders from both organizations say the collaboration responds to a critical need in healthcare: creating practical, scalable ways to develop and retain skilled workers.
“It’s phenomenal to see what can be accomplished when two iconic institutions like Valley Children’s and Fresno State come together, and how that collaboration builds and elevates an entire community,” said Dr. Saúl Jiménez-Sandoval, president of Fresno State.
The 18-month program is structured around three core components: fully funded tuition, paid time for coursework and mentorship with ongoing support. Participants remain employed while completing their degrees, addressing a common barrier for working nurses who cannot afford to leave their jobs to continue their education.
Vicky Tilton, chief nursing officer at Valley Children’s, says the program grew out of a need to support associate-prepared nurses who wanted to advance but depended on steady income.
“We don’t want to lose them from our workforce, but we also want them to have this advanced degree. That’s when we came up with the ASN to BSN Pathway Program with our partners at Fresno State,” she said.
The program reflects a broader effort to strengthen the healthcare workforce in California’s Central Valley, where access to advanced training opportunities has historically been limited.
“It’s incredible to have a partner like Valley Children’s, because in doing so, we can really create an ecosystem of success for our students,” Dr. Jiménez-Sandoval said. “We want to be a region in California and in our nation in which healthcare is the premier service of the region.”
For participants, the initiative represents both professional and personal advancement. Keri Gavaletz, a charge nurse in the emergency department at Valley Children’s, said her path to nursing was not straightforward but ultimately led her to the program.
“I became a pediatric nurse extern here at Valley Children’s in the emergency department, and I just absolutely fell in love with the hospital and the department,” Gavaletz said. “It’s wonderful working here for a place that cares so much about kids and about their employees. I’ve always felt really supported here.”
Gavaletz said the program stands out among workforce development initiatives.
“I haven’t heard of anywhere else that’s paying their employees for their time and paying for the program to be in school, like it’s pretty unheard of,” she said.
Research has shown that BSN-prepared nurses are better equipped to manage complex patient needs, which can lead to improved outcomes and reduced hospital stays.
“It’s advancement of their career. It’s keeping that talent right here in the Valley. It is additive to their skillset and it’s additive to their knowledge base. And ultimately, kids benefit,” Suntrapak said. “The better trained our staff are, the better care they can provide.”
The first graduating cohort of 14 nurses was celebrated during a ceremony this month at Valley Children’s, where they received congratulations and certificates from leaders of both organizations.
The success of the first cohort offers a glimpse into what leaders hope will become a long-term pipeline for highly trained nurses in the region.
“We’re seeing the first cohort graduating, and in doing so, we sort of have a glimmer of the future that awaits us,” Dr. Jiménez-Sandoval said. “It’ll be phenomenal to think about where this program will be decades from now and what that impact is going to be long term for the region itself.”
Suntrapak praised the inaugural class for balancing the demands of work and school.
“I’m so proud of the work that they’ve done at Valley Children’s prior to this program, I am especially proud of the extra effort that it’s taken for them to continue to take care of kids in their day job and advance their education so that they can better serve kids in the future right here at Valley Children’s,” he said. “I just couldn’t be prouder of them.”
As the program prepares for its next group, leaders say it represents a sustainable model for investing in both workforce development and patient care – keeping talent local while strengthening the region’s healthcare system for decades to come.
