CSUSB Unveils Dr. Prem Reddy Nursing Laboratory

In a tribute to the generosity of physician and philanthropist Dr. Prem Reddy of Victorville, Cal State San Bernardino named the university’s nursing simulation lab in his honor during a ceremony Monday, Feb. 3, and declared it Dr. Prem Reddy Day on campus. “It is a distinct honor for Cal State San Bernardino, and for me personally, to dedicate this laboratory in recognition of Dr. Prem Reddy’s immeasurable contributions to the medical profession, higher education, area communities, and the health of patients from throughout the Inland Empire and beyond,” said university President Tomás D. Morales. The Dr. Prem Reddy Nursing Laboratory was unveiled amidst a fanfare of music, drumrolls and the release of environmentally friendly balloons. The dedication was to celebrate Dr. Reddy’s gift of $500,000 to the university and its department of nursing. The gift will allow the nursing lab to keep its equipment – 30 computer stations and a 10-bed lab as well as advanced simulation technology and mannequins – up to date, ensuring that students will be working with state-of-the-art equipment, said Kirsten Fleming, dean of the CSUSB College of Natural Sciences, which houses the nursing department. Morales added that Dr. Reddy has been a longtime supporter of CSUSB and its students. In 2006, he established the Dr. Prem Reddy Academic Excellence Scholarship for eligible full-time pre-med, nursing and/or health education students who qualified for the scholarship and maintained a minimum 3.5 grade point average at the university. Morales gave Dr. Reddy a framed resolution from the university in recognition of his contributions to CSUSB and the California State University, and declared Feb. 3, 2014, as Dr. Prem Reddy Day at the Cal State San Bernardino. Dr. Reddy’s “efforts, sustained for more than three decades, have had an enormous impact on the region and on countless lives. It is a remarkable record of service, rooted in a deep commitment to give back and to help others,” said Morales. “We are all humbled, Dr. Reddy, by the fine example you’ve set – one that we should all emulate, to improve not only ourselves, but also the communities in which we serve.” A smiling Dr. Reddy praised nurses and the nursing profession for their vital role in health care. “Without qualified nurses, health care delivery would be dysfunctional. Without dedicated and committed nurses, hospitals and clinics would all be totally useless,” Dr. Reddy said. “So I have a special appreciation for nursing programs and nursing schools.” He also urged the nursing students to give back to their communities. “I hope you try to serve the communities you grew up in. Maybe the pay is a little less than in Los Angeles or San Diego, but still it’s your community,” Dr. Reddy said. “I would urge you to work in your communities as you pursue your health care career and dreams.” Born in India, Dr. Reddy immigrated to the United States in 1976 with his wife, Venkamma, who is also a physician. He is double board-certified in internal medicine and cardiology. He was awarded the honor of Fellow of the American College of Cardiology and a Fellow of the American College of Chest Physicians. During his 25 years of practice in the High Desert, he has committed himself to the service of his patients. Dr. Reddy founded Prime Healthcare Services in 2001, starting with Desert Valley Hospital in Victorville. Since then, Prime Healthcare has expanded to own and operate 25 hospitals across the nation. The health system has been recognized as one of the “15 Top Health Systems” in the nation three times in the last five years, including in 2013, and its hospitals have earned the “100 Top Hospitals” recognition 21 times. Involved in philanthropic work for years, Dr. Reddy established Dr. Prem Reddy Family Foundation (DBA Desert Valley Charitable Foundation) in 1989. His support of healthcare students in the High Desert is well known, and was reinforced when Victor Valley College named its health sciences school after him in 2003. In addition, the Prime Healthcare Foundation was founded and entirely funded by Dr. Reddy and his family with current assets of over $700 million. It owns six nonprofit acute care hospitals in California and Texas. The foundation also funds various charities that support health education, education scholarships, public healthcare education and free community clinics. Dr. Reddy has been recognized with numerous awards for his philanthropy. Fleming, the College of Natural Sciences dean, said CSUSB is poised to become a leader in nursing education. The nursing program has recently been reaccredited at both the state and national levels. “Using the technology, a rigorous curriculum and hands on learning, our faculty prepares students well to meet the health needs of the inland region,” said Fleming. The demand for the nursing program is great. The nursing program receives more than 1,600 student applications for the 130 slots at the main campus and the Palm Desert Campus, Fleming said. “The students who get into this program are really high achievers and really motivated students,” Fleming said. “They’re a great group.” The program’s reputation has also attracted potential employers. “Students who graduate from the nursing program with a bachelor of science in nursing are sought after because of the quality of our program, which includes a state-of-the-art skills lab,” Fleming said. “The simulation lab allows students to get realistic practical training and importantly build their confidence without the fear of harming real patients.” Dwight Sweeney, the chair of the Nursing Department said the nursing skills lab also provides students with much needed clinical time to practice their nursing skills. “One of the things that has been difficult in nursing education is the number of nursing schools competing for space at hospital facilities for clinical time,” Sweeney said. “The Board of Registered Nursing allows us to do up to 25 percent of our clinical time in the skills lab, which really helps out.” Sweeney said that earlier in the day, one of the hospital sites that the nursing program uses for its students became unavailable, but the students were able to use the skills lab so they wouldn’t lose their clinical time. Nursing student Stephen Barrett praised the nursing skills lab as a great place to practice the nursing skills the students have learned in clinical placements. “If we make mistakes in the skills lab, our instructors are there to critique us and we have the other students to help us learn so when we get out to the hospitals, we’re not making mistakes on the real patients,” Barrett said. The generic BSN program is offered at the San Bernardino campus as well as at CSUSB’s Palm Desert Campus.