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Home for the Holidays
Due to the generosity of a group of caring Galen students at our Cincinnati Campus, their fellow student, Nayeli Fernanda Acosta, will be spending Christmas with her mother back home in Mexico. Hearing that Nayeli wouldn’t be able to afford airfare home to be with her family, and would even be alone for the holidays, a group of Galen students decided they wouldn’t let that happen. With dedication and compassion, they collected $2,300 in 72 hours from students across the campus, to cover her travel expenses.
Then, what looked like an ordinary day of class, turned into tears of joy and celebration. As a study group walked to the front of the classroom for a presentation, Nayeli was confused as she felt unprepared for this surprise presentation. “What presentation?” she whispered to a classmate. Little did she know this was no ordinary presentation.
Nayeli’s classmates announced that they wanted her to spend the holiday season with the ones she loved most and presented her a check for $2,300. As many witnessed this heartfelt moment, even more donations poured in, (someone even offered frequent flyer miles!) showering Nayeli with continued love and support.
Nayeli contacted her mother through Facetime right there, surrounded by her Galen family, to share the big news! As the tears flowed, Nayeli’s mother could hardly contain her gratitude for this incredible act of kindness and for making her holiday a joyous one, knowing her daughter would be coming home.
Galen is fortunate to have some of the most generous and caring students, faculty, staff, and friends, who cherish giving and compassion throughout life’s journey. We are thankful every day that they found their way into our lives at Galen.
Galen Stories – Brittany Hodge: Should I Take the Leap?
— Audio Transcript —
Hi. My name’s Brittany Hodge. I completed the associates program here at Galen, and in about a couple weeks, I’m going to finish the online RN to BSN program.
When did you decide to be a nurse?
I started out being a pre-K teacher, and I remember one day at school, one of my students becoming really sick. I was like, “Oh, her fever’s so high. What do I do?” I remember getting ice packs for this girl, and it was that moment that I knew, “Okay, I don’t need to be a teacher. That’s not my career path. I need to go into nursing.”
How did Galen compare to other colleges?
One of the things I really loved about Galen was the fact that it’s solely nursing. You don’t really have to worry about, “When do I finish my prereqs so I can start my nursing classes? I just want to do clinicals. I just want to get to that part of nursing.” That’s the beautiful thing about Galen, is actually, you start doing your clinicals towards the beginning of the program, and it continues throughout.
One clinical instructor that is very near and dear to my heart is Mr. Chalk. I remember, he was very compassionate, very helpful. He was not only just a great instructor, but as a person, he was just so wonderful, and he felt almost like family, really.
When did you start the Online RN to BSN program?
I remember the moment I signed up for Galen’s online RN to BSN program. I actually was sitting in my last course before graduating, and I remember looking at all of the information online, and I actually went to my school’s counselor in between classes and signed up for the program. So for me, I remember graduating Galen, I took the NCLEX, and I think it was like three or four days later I actually started the online program. So for me, I never took a break. I just kept rolling and kept going on with school.
How has the program been?
The online RN to BSN is wonderful. Online can sound intimidating, but honestly, through Galen it’s really not. They provide videos that you’re able to watch. Sometimes, it’s through the actual instructor videoing themselves going over the material, able to explain it a little bit better than you would normally just reading through a textbook. They have online discussion forums, so you’re able to communicate and interact with your classmates. It felt very family-oriented, very small. Even though it was online, I still had that same feeling as I did when I did the first program here at Galen.
Any advice for future nursing students?
So, if you’re sitting there and you’re wondering, “Hmm, should I do a career change? Should I go back to school? Should I even consider nursing school? Will I be able to do it?” Absolutely, I think you should. At first, it all seemed intimidating: “Oh my goodness, I’m changing my whole life. I’m going back to school.” But for me, with Galen, it was so easy and so flawless, and I had no issues. So if you’re wondering, “Should I take the leap?” Absolutely.
12 Non-Traditional Career Choices for Nurses
When you think of registered nurses, where’s the first place you picture them working? Chances are, you see them practicing in a hospital setting to provide direct patient care. And that’s true for many RNs. According to American Nurse Today, just over 62 percent of all employed registered nurses work in hospitals. This means that more than a third of the 2.7 million working RNs in the U.S. are employed in settings other than hospitals. RNs, and especially those who have their Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree (BSN), have many options open to them outside of hospitals and clinics.
Here are 12 non-traditional careers that allow nurses to really shine! Many offer you additional control over your hours, or even the opportunity to work on your own.
Medical Device or Pharmaceutical Sales Representative
Having a background as an RN gives you a significant advantage in this lucrative industry. First of all, sales representatives (reps) who are RNs have great credibility. They also have the knowledge to understand the product and clearly explain how it can be medically beneficial to patients.
In addition to selling products, most reps are also responsible for training and educating the staff on how to use them. Nurse reps may even work with surgeons in the OR to train them on how to use a new device. These reps are also often employed by manufacturers in the product development phase, where they are responsible for testing and evaluating the products. That means you could have a hand in the actual creation of a new medical device!
Nurse Health Coach
Another option for an RN is to work as a nurse health coach, helping people adopt healthy lifestyles. Nurse health coaches often work with individuals who have complicated health conditions, such as heart disease or diabetes. They help their clients make choices designed to reduce complications and hospitalizations, and help them achieve an improved level of wellness. Many insurance companies hire nurses as health coaches in an effort to keep their customers as healthy as possible and reduce costs. The career also offers nurses the opportunity to go into business for themselves. Certification is required for nurse health coaches.
Nurse Researcher
If you like numbers and enjoy working with data, a nurse researcher could be an interesting career choice. Although nurse research scientists typically need to have master’s or even doctoral degrees, nurse researchers with BSN degrees often work in other capacities alongside these scientists. The responsibilities of nurse researchers at the BSN level may include the following:
- Compiling and organizing clinical data
- Reviewing and analyzing collected data
- Collaborating with other members of the research team, including investigators and statistical consultants
- Screening and recruiting subjects for clinical studies
The National Institute of Nursing Research reports that research nurses develop knowledge that is “designed to manage and eliminate symptoms caused by illness, enhance end-of-life and palliative care, prevent disease and disability and build the scientific foundation for clinical practice.” Pretty heady stuff!
Hospice Nurse
Being a hospice nurse offers an opportunity to provide direct patient care outside the traditional hospital or clinic setting. Hospice nurses spend much of their time caring for patients who are at the end of their lives in a home setting or long-term care facility. They help provide pain relief and promote the patient’s independence for as long as possible. They also offer much needed emotional support for the families of patients in their care.
Cruise Ship Nurse
If you love to travel, meet new people and discover new places, here’s a career option that could be a very appealing choice. Cruise ship nurses are responsible for the day-to-day health of the passengers. They report directly to the onboard physicians and nurse practitioners. They are also the first ones called in an emergency to provide first aid care until the ship doctor arrives at the scene. Of course, your lifestyle has to allow you to travel and spend a great deal of time away from home. But oh, the places you’ll go!
Nurse Educator
A variety of organizations draw on the expertise of nurse educators, including medical device manufacturers, community clinics and government offices, pharmaceutical companies, research facilities, textbook publishing companies, and of course, colleges and universities. The opportunities are growing fast, too, because of the growth of online jobs, such as teaching through online educational institutions. This career also offers possibilities for self-employment. Many nurse educators offer speaking engagements, make continuing education presentations or teach patients to manage complex health conditions.
Legal Nurse Consultant
As legal nurse consultants, nurses work within a legal team. They are the medical experts who help attorneys read medical charts and understand medical terms and lab work. They may even testify in court and have the opportunity to travel to wherever they’re needed. This career path can be a fascinating and well-paid option, but it does require additional certification through the American Association of Legal Nurse Consultants.
Public Health Nurse
Public health nursing focuses on improving community health by emphasizing prevention. The American Public Health Association recommends nurses with BSNs for this career, because BSN programs provide study in areas such as clinical prevention, healthcare policy and finance, which are essential to this job. These nurses are usually employed by state, public or government groups and focus on the health of the community. Schools, community organizations (such as those that provide disaster relief) and community health clinics are some of the places where public health nurses work.
Case Manager
RN case managers coordinate the various elements involved in caring for an individual patient. It is their responsibility to use resources and services in the best, most efficient way possible. They work with many different types of patients, such as the elderly who need in-home care, people with disabilities, and hospital patients with complicated needs.
Case management is a highly collaborative career that requires nurses to work with physicians, other nurses, social workers, nursing home and assisted living personnel, and many other medical and non-medical professionals. It also requires a deep understanding of insurance reimbursement. In short, a case manager must think and work holistically, to see that care and discharge plans meet the physical, social and emotional needs of patients. Case management certification is desirable.
Nurse Manager
If you prefer to remain in a traditional hospital setting, you may choose to move into a leadership role. One of those is nurse manager. BSN level nurses can use their skills and experience to provide leadership and guidance to other nurses. They are responsible for department administrative duties, and deal with personnel issues to help create a productive and supportive atmosphere. Another responsibility is to keep a close eye on the quality of patient care.
Medical Writer
If you love to write, you may find medical writing is a very satisfying career. These nurses write for medical research and healthcare websites as well as marketing literature for medical products and more. An academic nurse writer can author textbook chapters in their specialties or write and publish their own books. For this level, a graduate degree is usually required.
Healthcare Recruiter
When it comes to recruiting and screening applicants for healthcare jobs, nurses are often the go-to people to fill the job. Medical recruitment involves evaluating CVs and résumés, conducting interviews and verifying credentials. The main places to find a job as a healthcare recruiter are at recruitment agencies, hospital HR departments, and staffing firms.
As you can see, being an RN or a BSN nurse can open a lot of interesting and rewarding doors. The skills and experience of these nurses are keys to a lot of great career opportunities!
Learn how great nurses get their start at GalenCollege.edu.
Sources:
The Facts about Your Nursing Career; American Nurse Today; Retrieved from https://www.americannursetoday.com/facts-nursing-career/
The Truth about Nursing; Retrieved from https://www.truthaboutnursing.org/faq/rn_facts.html
10 Non-Clinical Nursing Jobs: Forget the Hospital or Clinic; Retrieved from http://differentmedicalcareers.com/10-non-clinical-nursing-jobs-forget-hospital-clinic/
The BSN and Career Mobility, Retrieved from https://www.nursinglicensure.org/articles/bsn-career-mobility.html
15 Super Great Non-Hospital Nursing Jobs for Nurses; Retrieved from https://nursejournal.org/community/15-great-non-hospital-nursing-jobs-for-nurses/
Accelerate Your Nursing Career: BSN Career Guide; Retrieved from https://www.bsnedu.org/careers/#opportunities
10 Jobs for Nurses Outside the Hospital (Can I Have #6 Please?!) by Heather Hawkins; Retrieved from https://www.nrsng.com/jobs-nurses-outside-hospital/
What Does an Independent Nurse Educator Do?; National Nurses in Business Association; Retrieved from https://nnbanow.com/nurse-educator/
Nursing Explorer – Case Management Nurse, Retrieved from https://www.nursingexplorer.com/careers/case-management-nurse
Galen Stories – Gregory Frodge: Moving Forward Looks Much Brighter
— Audio Transcript —
My name is Gregory Frodge. I am married with five children. I went through the ADN program and the BSN program here at Galen.
You’ve faced some challenges in your life…
Roughly 2009, 2010 I had lost my job. It was right in the middle of the recession that I went from living in a nice place, having a nice car, having money in savings to having no savings, no apartment, and living in my car to eventually not living in a car at all and being homeless for a short time. Certainly, I had support systems from here and back home. About seven years ago I came back home for Thanksgiving just to be with the family and that’s when my wife came into the picture.
When did things start to look up?
The turning point, I remember my wife and I were just laying in bed one night and she looks over at me and she was like, “What would you like to do in your life that you never had a chance to do?” I thought for a second and I remember saying, “I want to go to nursing school.”
On a visit to Louisville, life gave you a sign…
Coming up the 71 I looked to the left and I see Galen College of Nursing sign and I was like, “I’d never seen a college of nursing.” I’ve always seen colleges, like other colleges here in the community, that have nursing programs, but nothing dedicated to just nursing and my wife was like, “Well, while I’m at work why don’t you go down there and talk to them and see,” so I came here to Galen.
What was the Galen ADN program like?
When you come in you’re immediately immersed into the world of nursing. This college is for nurses, by nurses. I just had a really good experience here. When things would get hard my teachers, they were human. They would understand it just wasn’t about filling in the right answers to a test. A few teachers in particular would always talk to me in future tense like, “So, when you pass here what are you going to do?” I always felt like you belong here and that we’ll do whatever we can so that you are successful.
Final thoughts?
It’s so cliché, but looking at that lantern, that beacon light on that sign really pointed my way to my future, if I knew then what I knew now looking at that sign it had so much more symbolism to me. There’s a lot of times that I have looked back, even on my career, and felt how lucky I was to have chosen this place in particular. Moving forward looks much brighter than, certainly, where we thought we would end up seven years ago.
Galen College Offers Online RN to BSN: Created by RNs, for RNs
If you’re a Registered Nurse with your associate degree in nursing, you’ve probably seen the value of a BSN degree, whether for professional growth, or to meet the evolving needs of the nursing field. As a college dedicated solely to nursing education, Galen College of Nursing understands the unique needs of nurses, and we have tailored a one-of-a-kind CCNE accredited Online RN to BSN to meet them.
So, what makes the Galen Online RN to BSN different, and we believe, better? It starts with Galen’s superior support system. From day one enrollment counselors, student support liaisons, and faculty are with you every step of the way. Our people truly make the difference. You may be working online, but you’re never alone.
Next is Galen’s online coursework, custom built by Galen’s academic leaders with industry experts from around the country. We understand how to create coursework that keeps our students engaged and wanting to learn. You’ll find industry expert interviews, faculty videos and presentations, and animated interactive scenarios that bring the material to life. You can read the material, watch it, listen to it, and interact with it.
By incorporating a variety of instructional techniques and multimedia tools, our content enhances learning and ensures you truly absorb the material. What’s more, all RN to BSN courses at Galen are Quality Matters certified, demonstrating our commitment to ensuring the quality of our online program.
Galen also understands the busy life of an RN. That’s why we designed our Online RN to BSN to be flexible and convenient, allowing you to work and care for your family while pursuing your degree.
Eight-week courses allow you to complete the program in as few as 12 months, or take more time if you need it. And with our mobile-friendly content, if you’ve got 15 minutes, you can make progress. You can listen to a presentation while in the car, watch an expert video while exercising, or complete an interactive case scenario while on a work break. That’s flexible.
And when it comes to tuition, ours is competitive and more affordable than many. Plus, with flexible credit transfer policies, your tuition could be even less.
We are solely dedicated to one subject: nursing. So consider all the factors essential to your success in nursing, then choose the Galen Online RN to BSN.
An exceptional education, delivered with the flexibility you want, and the support you need. It’s unique, it’s rewarding, it’s Pure Nursing. Take your next steps in nursing now at galenstaging.mystagingwebsite.com/nursing-programs/online-rn-bsn.
Galen Stories – Gregory Frodge: Take A Chance On Yourself
— Audio Transcript —
My name is Gregory Frodge. I am married with five children. I am a Clinical Instructor here at Galen College and I went through the ADN Program and the BSN Program here at Galen.
Why get a BSN?
There’s a lot of nurses out there that I know that are completely capable that want to move on to do better things or more things but they don’t have the educational foundation to step up to that position. Particularly for me, the reason that I decided to continue my education at Galen in their online RN and BSN Program, I really, I guess, caught the itch of academics and I knew that I wanted to teach, and I knew that I could not do that with just an Associate’s Degree.
Describe the Galen Online RN to BSN.
The BSN Program itself is actually, it’s very structured but also very flexible at the same time. While there are prerequisites to the classes that you must take to progress onto the next level, there’s a variety of different classes that you can take at any time during the program.
What did you like about the program?
Their system that they use online is very easy to access. There’s a lot of different mediums that you can choose from, a lot of accessibility. You can go through your cell phone, you can go on your home PC, there’s PowerPoint, video, teacher conference, anyway that you can communicate essentially in today’s world.
How were the teachers?
They’re always there if you need somebody. I had one teacher in my BSN Program where I was having a problem with one of the courses and she calls me on my cell phone, and she lives in Florida, I believe.
So how did you do?
I think, at the point when I hit my Bachelor’s, that I started to believe in myself a lot more. At the end, like I said, I graduated summa cum laude valedictorian.
Any words of wisdom?
For me personally, I’ve learned, don’t be afraid to believe in yourself, even just a little bit. Sometimes all it takes is just a spark. Certainly, if you have a spark to go into this profession, you’ll find a lot of people here that will fan that flame and make it bigger. Take a chance on yourself. You might be surprised of all the things that you can accomplish.
Nursing – America’s Most Trusted Profession
If you’re currently serving as a nurse – or are considering becoming one – you should be proud. It’s the country’s most trusted profession. Again.
According to a recently released Gallup poll, Americans rated nurses highest in honesty and ethical standards for the 16th consecutive year. Nurses topped 22 other occupations, with 82% of Americans describing nurses’ ethics as “very high” or “high.”
Nurses scored about 11% higher than the nearest profession, which were military officers. Rounding out the top five most trusted occupations were grade school teachers, medical doctors, and pharmacists.
You’ll notice that three of the professions rated highest for honesty and ethical standards are in the healthcare field – nurses, medical doctors, and pharmacists.
Nurses have rated highest every year but one since 1999. In 2001, Gallup included firefighters on the list after the 9/11 terrorist attacks, and 90% of the public rated their honesty and ethical standards as “high” or “very high.”
Galen College is Dedicated to Keeping Nurses at the Top
At Galen College of Nursing, excellence and compassionate values are among our utmost goals. When a student graduates from our college, it’s important that they not only have strong skills to excel at nursing but that they also possess the strongest ethical standards to continue America’s high perception in our profession. That’s Pure Nursing.
Open House: San Antonio Campus
College Open Houses are a big part of your college search experience. You can do all of the research and make all of the phone calls, but you really won’t get a feel for a school until you actually visit the campus. It’s an important step in finding the perfect fit and can build confidence before setting foot for classes in the halls of your future alma mater.
At a Galen Open House, you can also:
- Explore the various programs and learn about your interests in nursing
- Speak face-to-face with faculty, admissions and financial aid teams
- Engage in hands-on nursing lab demonstrations
- Tour classrooms, libraries, and student study areas on campus
- Learn about our Online RN to BSN
- Get a feel for what it’s really like to be a nursing student at Galen
If you plan on attending, make sure to let us know we’ll be expecting you. We can’t wait to see you here!
Wednesday, January 31st | 5:00 – 6:30 PM
7411 John Smith, San Antonio, Texas 78229
Space is limited, so please RSVP on this form.
Open House: Cincinnati Campus
College Open Houses are a big part of your college search experience. You can do all of the research and make all of the phone calls, but you really won’t get a feel for a school until you actually visit the campus. It’s an important step in finding the perfect fit and can build confidence before setting foot for classes in the halls of your future alma mater.
At a Galen Open House, you can also:
- Explore the various programs and learn about your interests in nursing
- Speak face-to-face with faculty, admissions and financial aid teams
- Engage in hands-on nursing lab demonstrations
- Tour classrooms, libraries, and student study areas on campus
- Learn about our Online RN to BSN
- Get a feel for what it’s really like to be a nursing student at Galen
We will have a presentation starting at 5:30 pm. Our admission representatives and financial aid specialists will be available to answer questions and to help you get started on your journey to becoming a nurse.
If you plan on attending, make sure to let us know we’ll be expecting you. We can’t wait to see you here!
Wednesday, January 24th | 5:30 – 7:00 PM
100 E Business Way, Suite 200, Cincinnati, Ohio 45241
RSVP on the form that can be found here.
Open House: Louisville Campus
College Open Houses are a big part of your college search experience. You can do all of the research and make all of the phone calls, but you really won’t get a feel for a school until you actually visit the campus. It’s an important step in finding the perfect fit and can build confidence before setting foot for classes in the halls of your future alma mater.
At a Galen Open House, you can also:
- Explore the various programs and learn about your interests in nursing
- Speak face-to-face with faculty, admissions and financial aid teams
- Engage in hands-on nursing lab demonstrations
- Tour classrooms, sim labs, libraries, and student study areas on campus
- Learn about our Online RN to BSN
- Get a feel for what it’s really like to be a nursing student at Galen
We will have a presentation starting at 5:00 pm. Our admission representatives and financial aid specialists will be available to answer questions and to help you get started on your journey to becoming a nurse.
If you plan on attending, make sure to let us know we’ll be expecting you. We can’t wait to see you here!
Tuesday, February 13th | 5:00 – 7:00 PM
1031 Zorn Avenue, Louisville, Kentucky 40207
Space is limited, so please RSVP on this form.