The Helen Baszucki Center for Nursing Excellence
Investing in the professional development of nursing
In recognition of the critical roles nurses play in healthcare, Montage Health founded the Helen Baszucki Center for Nursing Excellence.
The center is funded through a generous gift to Montage Health Foundation from Paul Baszucki, in honor of his late wife, Helen, a dedicated nurse and clinical instructor. The center will invest in the growth of nurses and the nursing profession through initiatives including:
- Supporting education by offering high-quality courses to enhance nursing practice, and scholarships for those pursuing bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees in nursing
- Increasing training programs for specialized roles in Community Hospital’s surgical, maternal health, intensive care, and emergency departments
- Increasing enrollment in the Maurine Church Coburn School of Nursing. About 80 percent of the school’s graduates have become nurses in Monterey County
- Introducing research and innovation opportunities to advance the science of nursing and improve patient care
- Investing in leadership development for nurses
Through the center, Montage Health nurses will build a strategic plan to care for those they serve while also addressing the quadruple aim of improving health outcomes, enhancing patient experiences, reducing the cost of care, and improving nurses’ experience.
From Steven Packer, MD, President/CEO Montage Health
“Nurses are the primary face of care for so many of our patients, and the Helen Baszucki Center for Nursing Excellence is an investment in current and future generations of these indispensable healthcare professionals. We are so grateful for this generous and visionary gift from Paul Baszucki.”
About Helen Baszucki
Becoming a nurse was a lifelong dream for Helen Baszucki, fulfilled when she completed a four-year, in-residence training program at Holy Family Hospital in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, Canada. Helen brought diligence, caring, empathy, and kindness to her work, and then passed those traits on to others as a clinical nursing instructor.
Her training and experience informed much of her approach to life, and her love and respect for the profession continued until her death in September 2020.
To honor Helen’s life and work, Paul Baszucki, her husband of 59 years, provided a generous gift to Montage Health Foundation to establish the Helen Baszucki Center for Nursing Excellence.
