Johnson & Johnson Expands Global Commitment to Strengthen Nursing Workforce and Improve Healthcare Access
Johnson & Johnson today announced the expansion of its efforts to champion the nursing workforce and enhance access to quality care for communities worldwide. This initiative is part of J&J CareCommunity, a new social impact platform that channels the resources and expertise of Johnson & Johnson and the Johnson & Johnson Foundation to support nurses throughout their careers and reinforce health systems globally.
The expansion seeks to help address the projected global shortage of nurses, which is expected to reach approximately 4.5 million by 2030. Factors such as burnout and low morale are driving this shortfall, threatening care quality and worsening patient outcomes.
“For healthcare to work, it takes nurses. They are leaders, innovators, and changemakers within our health systems,” said Vanessa Broadhurst, Executive Vice President, Global Corporate Affairs at Johnson & Johnson. “J&J CareCommunity enables us to double down on our efforts to support nurses at this pivotal point. Together with our partners, we aim to equip nurses with the skills and support they need to drive meaningful change for patients around the world.”
Accelerating Nurse Education and Innovation Through Global Flagship Programs
J&J CareCommunity’s flagship programs advance solutions to empower, elevate, and equip nurses through collaborations with leading academic institutions, health organizations, and local authorities. Highlights include:
- J&J Nurse Innovation Fellows
Together with the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing and Wharton Executive Education, Johnson & Johnson announced the 2025 class of J&J Nurse Innovation Fellows, a groundbreaking one-year, team-based fellowship for nurse leaders focused on nurse-led innovation and leadership. “Nurses are innovators on the front lines of care,” said Marion Leary, PhD, MPH, RN, Director of Innovation at the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing. “By investing in their creativity and leadership, we strengthen the profession and tap into critical expertise. Our collaboration with Johnson & Johnson helps scale nurse-led solutions that drive meaningful change for patients and communities.” - East Africa Nursing Education Expansion
Building on 25 years of impact, the J&J Foundation and the Aga Khan University School of Nursing & Midwifery East Africa continue to expand nursing education and leadership opportunities, having already helped train over 3,500 nurses in the region. - Operation Smile Nurse Leadership and Development Initiative
Through its long-standing partnership with Operation Smile, Johnson & Johnson is expanding access to safe surgical care by providing advanced clinical training and mentorship to nurses in Latin America, Sub-Saharan Africa, and Asia. To date, the initiative has trained 2,880 nurses across 24 countries, reaching over 18,800 patients. “Nurses are the heart and strength of our healthcare system — vigilant guardians, compassionate advocates, and skilled navigators through each patient’s healthcare journey,” said Saber Mostafa, Clinical Nurse Educator at Operation Smile. - World Continuing Education Alliance (WCEA)
Partnering with WCEA, the J&J Foundation has helped nearly one million nurses in over 60 low- and middle-income countries access more than 70 million hours of training through low-bandwidth, offline-optimized digital platforms. - J&J CareCommunity Employee Family Nurse Scholarship
This new scholarship program honors J&J employees and their family members pursuing nursing careers, reflecting the company’s longstanding commitment to academic partnerships and scholarships. - NurseHack4Health Innovation Program
In collaboration with Microsoft and SONSIEL, and with J&J Foundation support, NurseHack4Health convenes nurse-led teams to develop solutions addressing care delivery challenges. To date, over 5,500 nurses have participated, with the inaugural Hackathon with the International Council of Nurses set for June 2025 in Helsinki, Finland. - CofenPlay in Brazil
Together with Brazil’s Federal Nursing Council (COFEN), the J&J Foundation is supporting the launch of CofenPlay, a digital platform integrating over 100,000 resources for more than one million registered nurses, enhancing resilience and long-term professional development. - Impact Ventures in Kenya
J&J Foundation’s Impact Ventures fund supports scalable solutions engaging nurses in Kenya to deliver quality, affordable care through organizations such as Jacaranda Maternity, Penda Health, and South Lake Medical Center.
Building on a Legacy of Impact
Johnson & Johnson has championed the nursing profession since 1897. In 2002, the company launched the Campaign for Nursing’s Future, a multi-year, $50 million initiative to elevate the nursing profession, recruit talent, and support nurse educators in the U.S. This campaign helped over one million nurses join the workforce — nearly one-fourth of the U.S. nursing workforce — and played a critical role in advancing the recognition and development of the profession.
2025 Class of J&J Nurse Innovation Fellows:
University of Alabama at Birmingham Hospital (AL), Cleveland Clinic (OH), CommonSpirit Saint Anthony Hospital (CO), St. Elizabeth Healthcare (KY), University of Maryland Baltimore Washington Medical Center (MD), Advocate Health (IL), Mercy Hospital South (MO), Naval Medical Center Camp Lejeune (NC), Arrowhead Regional Medical Center (CA), NYC Health + Hospitals/Queens (NY), Yale New Haven Health Bridgeport Hospital (CT), Atrium Health Pineville (NC), Ascension Seton Williamson (TX), Lahey Hospital and Medical Center (MA), Penn Medicine (PA).
Johnson & Johnson’s Ongoing Commitment to the Global Health Workforce
As healthcare continues to advance, Johnson & Johnson is committed to supporting those who shape it: healthcare professionals. J&J CareCommunity is a global social impact platform designed to improve access to quality care by championing nurses and community health workers. By working alongside those closest to the challenge, Johnson & Johnson aims to connect more people to care.
To learn more, visit J&J CareCommunity.
About Johnson & Johnson
At Johnson & Johnson, we believe health is everything. Our strength in healthcare innovation empowers us to build a world where complex diseases are prevented, treated, and cured, where treatments are smarter and less invasive, and solutions are personal. Through our expertise in Innovative Medicine and MedTech, we are uniquely positioned to innovate across the full spectrum of healthcare solutions today to deliver the breakthroughs of tomorrow, and profoundly impact health for humanity.
