April 30, 2025
A history of trailblazing nurses
Nursing pioneers lay the foundation for the future of Kaiser Permanente and the profession.
Phyllis Moroney piloted a program for high-performing nurses in the late 1960s, leading her to become Kaiser Permanente’s first pediatric nurse practitioner.
Our nurses have transformed how we care for patients since 1945. They keep making bold improvements in nursing care to this day.
Some nurses contributed significantly to Kaiser Permanente’s early development. These nurses shine as examples of our organization’s focus on keeping people healthy and preventing illness.
Our legacy lives and thrives in Kaiser Permanente’s 76,000-strong nursing workforce.
Our early pioneer nurses
Elizabeth “Betty” Runyen, RN
Elizabeth “Betty” Runyen was the first nurse at Kaiser Permanente. She took care of workers at a hospital for the Colorado River Aqueduct project in the 1930s with Sidney R. Garfield, MD, one of the co-founders of Kaiser Permanente. She prepared patients for surgery and started IVs. She educated workers on a safe and hygienic worksite to prevent injuries or hospitalization.
Dorothea Daniels, RN
Dorothea Daniels was the first director of the Kaiser Foundation School of Nursing. She helped design new nursing education standards and clinical practices. Nursing students learned key skills and how to practice nursing at a higher level. Nurse graduates of the Kaiser Foundation School of Nursing performed higher on nursing state board licensing exams compared to other nurse graduates in California.
Jessie Cunningham, RN
Jessie Cunningham became one of the first 3 Black nurse graduates from the Kaiser Foundation School of Nursing. In 1954, she pursued a nursing career in obstetrics and gynecology. She also became the first Black nurse supervisor at our Oakland Medical Center. Through the Bay Area Black Nurses Association, she mentored other Black women to become nurses.
Nurse practitioners
During a doctor shortage in the 1960s, nurse practitioners filled a care gap and became integral to health care across the nation. Kaiser Permanente helped advance the role of nurse practitioners in the late ‘60s. Since then, they’ve led the way in setting standards and building partnerships between doctors and nurses.
Advancing the practice of nursing
At Kaiser Permanente, we’re committed to the professional development of nurses by promoting ongoing education through ventures like the Kaiser Foundation School of Nursing.
During our early years, we supported nurse education through the Kaiser Foundation School of Nursing, which opened in 1947. Student nurses learned Kaiser Permanente’s unique integrated health care delivery approach, which focuses on keeping people healthy and preventing illness.
The school welcomed students from all races and backgrounds. It closed in 1976, but its legacy continues today through the Kaiser Permanente Scholars Academy. Since launching in 2015, the academy has provided over 1,000 nurses opportunities to advance their education. The academy advances professional nursing by integrating clinical care based on research and best practices for leaders. Nurses can earn professional certifications and innovate nursing practice through research. They can also publish articles and lead professional organizations nationwide.
