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Land Your Dream Nursing Job
When it comes to getting noticed, first impressions matter.
The pressure of today’s competitive job market can sometimes knock you off balance when you’re searching for the perfect nursing job opportunity. Whether it’s neglecting to adequately research the company you’re interested in working for or even forgetting to send a personalized thank you note after the interview, these seemingly small oversights can potentially cost you a spot in the running for your dream nursing job.
You’ve put in the hard work (not to mention blood, sweat, and tears!) in earning your nursing degree. Now is the time to reap the professional rewards. Make sure your first impression with a future employer gets off to a successful start with an impressive resume and expert interviewing skills.
We’re behind you. You’ve got this!
RELATED ARTICLES: Why a BSN?
Faculty Spotlights
Tampa Campus: Lisa Flanagan, Instructor (LPN Program)
What’s the #1 most played song on your iPod?
I absolutely love listening to music! To pick just one song is really hard for me because during my free time I am always listening to music. Currently, it would have to be, “Compass” by Lady Antebellum.
If you could choose anyone, who would you pick as your mentor?
Mother Teresa. Her compassion for all living things, her acknowledgment of our human struggles and her belief in the power of a smile is incredibly simple and motivating.
If you could witness any event in human history – past, present or future – what would it be?
World Peace – Harmony among all people and the wisdom to agree to disagree.
Who or what influenced you to become a nurse?
Between my love of biology and the human spirit, it became a natural choice. My desire to motivate, support and assist patients has been something I cherish.
What was the last movie, TV show or book that made you cry or tear up?
If you would poll my family and friends, they would laugh and want to give you an example when I didn’t cry! I am the one crying at Hallmark commercials, Disney movies, emotional songs, graduations, weddings, and funerals. A recent book for my book club that made me cry was called, “The Husband Secret” by Liane Moriarty.
MORE ABOUT LISA: Lisa Flanagan is an Instructor in the LPN Program at Galen College of Nursing. Flanagan graduated from Marquette University in Milwaukee, WI. She has been with Galen College of Nursing since 2005 and has taught clinical, theory and lab at the College. Her passion is teaching in the Clinical Learning Lab. Flanagan’s background consists of hospital oncology early in her career. The majority of her career has been working in outpatient dialysis centers doing hemodialysis, peritoneal dialysis, and apheresis. Additionally, she has been a patient educator. In her free time, Flanagan enjoys gardening, growing orchids, yoga classes, mosaics, reading, traveling and maximizing time with family and friends.
Cincinnati Campus: Steven Tankersley, Instructor (Anatomy & Physiology)
Do you have any pets?
We have a Golden Retriever named Trilogy, to carry on after his Sire name, Elvis. Elvis still holds the United States record for jumping off a deck into a swimming pool and has even appeared on the David Letterman Show! (Claim to fame!) Although Trilogy himself was unable to compete, he remains our very loyal, very large (125 pounds!) family lap dog.
Describe a medical experience that challenged you, and how you overcame it.
I was a Medic for over 15 years and during that time I delivered three babies. The first one was actually the toughest because the mother was involved in an auto accident and the car she was in was lying on its side. The mother was crowning, and her water had broken, all the while she was seat belted in hanging in mid-air. I had to break through a side window, lowered the mother to a supine position and deliver the baby girl while the mother was entrapped in the car.
Luckily, both mother and child were fine and transported safely to the hospital. They were so grateful that they named their daughter Stephanie, after me.
Most trusted stain remover for scrubs?
I have two! For blood stains, I have always found soaking it in Hydrogen Peroxide for about five minutes works great. For other bodily fluids, I recommend using about a tablespoon of TSP, Â Tri-Sodium Phosphate. It works well in a load of laundry, and you can get TSP at any hardware store.
The best part of waking up is …?
The best part of waking up is to get my girls up and get them ready for school. I make their lunches every morning and see them onto the bus.
Favorite TV show?
I actually have two of them I am into vintage objects and I restore old farmhouses to their original form. (Our current house is 113-year-old Victorian.) So, because of that, I like “American Pickers.” “Ghost Hunters” is also a favorite since we have paranormal activity [in our house] on a daily basis.
EDITOR’S NOTE: While the jury is still out on the paranormal stuff – Share this post if you think we should rally to feature Steven’s home on the Ghost Hunters TV show!
MORE ABOUT STEPHEN: Stephen teaches Anatomy & Physiology Lecture and Lab at Galen College of Nursing in Cincinnati, Ohio. He graduated from the University of Cincinnati with a bachelor’s degree in Biology, while working full-time as a Public Safety Officer where he performed the duties of a police officer, firefighter, and paramedic. Â Stephen continued his graduate education at Wright State University School of Medicine, earning a master’s degree in Anatomy and Physiology. He brings to Galen over 15 years of teaching experience and has instructed physicians, medical students, nursing students, and medical assistants. In addition, he has a great deal of clinical experience working in surgery, emergency, and as a Coroner’s investigator. Stephen’s hobbies are cycling, coaching and flying.
Louisville Campus: Buffy Simpson, Instructor (PN Day & Evening)
What’s your best advice for new nursing students?
It’s important to learn how to learn, and it’s OK if you do not get everything perfect. You are learning, and that is expected.
Favorite instructor when YOU were a nursing student? Why?
My favorite nursing instructor was Dr. Carla Hermann. She taught Medical/Surgical at a level that everyone could understand. Her passion for teaching was evident with how she could take a subject that might appear to a student as “boring” and make learning fun She was able to break the material down for students to comprehend.
Are you a Chef Extraordinaire, or a Take-Out Expert?
I would say I might be a little of both. I love to cook, but they are not meals that Chef Emeril would particularly prefer! I do enjoy picking up take-out once in a while to help with time constraints.
Typical response after you tell someone you’re a nurse?
Oh, my (daughter/grandmother/ wife) is also a nurse.
MORE ABOUT BUFFY: Buffy Simpson is a faculty member in the PN Day and Evening programs, has taught for Galen for over five years. She received her BSN from the University of Louisville in 1992 and her MSN from Indiana Wesleyan University in 2014. Her nursing specialty area is critical care with experience in many types of ICUs, such as neurological, transplants, Medical-Surgical with an emphasis in cardiac, and has over 20 years of experience. She currently works PRN in the pre-operative and post-operative specialty departments for Jewish Hospital. She is a proud member of the Kentucky League for Nursing and Sigma Theta Tau International Nursing Honor Society.
San Antonio Campus: Daniel Lovasz, Instructor (ASN Program)
Biggest pet peeve?
Ordering food in the drive-thru. They always ask me 100 questions, when all I want is a combo meal.
What is the greatest reward you find in your nursing career?
Receiving text messages from my graduates like, “I just passed my NCLEX, I am so happy. Or, “Thank you for all your help, I’m now an RN.”
Guiltiest pleasure?
Cheesecake at Cheese Cake Factory! Also – I must always get the newest iPhone on the release date.
The most valuable piece of nursing advice you have received from a peer or instructor?
Early on in my teaching years, an AS Director told me not to be afraid to say to students, “I don’t know.” It invites further discussion and group learning.
Last city you visited?
San Francisco.
MORE ABOUT DANIEL:  Born in Romania and immigrated to the US in 1996, Daniel enjoys teaching and finds it very rewarding.  He is a member of Sigma Theta Tau International and his hobbies include skiing, fishing, hiking, and statistics. He is married (to a psychiatrist) with three children, is a Major in the US Army Reserves, has a dog (Duchess), and a cat (Rocky). Daniel holds a Doctorate in Health Administration/Ph.D. and has experience as an educator of various subjects including Pharmacology, Community Health, Behavioral Health, Medical-Surgical Nursing, Foundations of Nursing, Physiological Psychology and Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing. Daniel has also has served as the Chair of CSU Institutional Review Board for effective evaluation and approval of research studies. He is currently an RN to BSN Instructor for Galen College of Nursing in San Antonio, Texas.
Grant from Galen College of Nursing Boosts NLN Leadership Institute, Under Banner of NLN Center for Transformational Leadership
Washington, DC, January 24, 2014 — Galen College of Nursing, a multi-campus and online educational institution based in Louisville, KY, has made a generous grant to the National League for Nursing Center for Transformational Leadership to enhance programming in the NLN Leadership Institute, as the NLN announced the selection of the institute’s 2014 participants.
Said Mark A. Vogt, president of Galen College of Nursing, “We are passionate about the profession and committed to helping nurse educators evolve as leaders. Galen’s support of the NLN Center for Transformational Leadership is an essential investment in the development of leadership resources that will help transform nurse educators and have far reaching and long lasting effects. Galen values the opportunity to contribute to this important endeavor.”
The grant will support the development of case studies in leadership, individual executive coaching, webinars, and group coaching sessions for the 41 nurse educators chosen through competitive application to participate in one of the institute’s three programs: LEAD; Leadership Development for Simulation Educators; and the Senior Deans and Directors Leadership Program. Nurse educators apply to a specific program, based on their professional experience and goals. The 2014 cohort is the fourth since the launch of the institute in 2011, with funding from the Johnson & Johnson Campaign for Nursing’s Future.
The Johnson & Johnson campaign, which has partnered with the NLN to support leadership development programming since 2007, expanded its funding of the Leadership Institute in 2012. The additional grant made it possible for more nurse educators to participate in LEADand Leadership Development for Simulation Educators; and facilitated the creation of the Senior Deans and Directors Leadership Program. Each of the institute’s programs shares a dedication to cultivating excellence in nursing education at the highest level, engaging participants in intensive executive coaching sessions and personalized career counseling. Exposure to world-class faculty and dynamic curricula are achieved through conferences, webinars, and immersion experiences designed to bring about lasting transformation in individual professional development and sustainable institutional change.
“Galen has already demonstrated a significant commitment to the programmatic development of leaders within its organization. The college’s mission to prepare diverse learners to become competent and caring nurses to meet the health care needs of the communities they serve dovetails with the NLN’s mission to promote excellence in nursing education to build a strong and diverse nursing work to advance the nation’s health,” noted NLN CEO Beverly Malone, PhD, RN, FAAN.
Observed NLN president Marsha Howell Adams, PhD, RN, CNE, ANEF, professor and senior associate dean of academic programs at the University of Alabama’s Capstone College of Nursing: “We are indebted to both Galen College and Johnson & Johnson for their commitment to partner with us to nurture leadership in nursing education. Admission to the Leadership Institute is selective because, at the NLN, we believe strongly that when the right people are given the best tools to succeed in positions of leadership, they can have a profound effect on the quality of nursing education across the board. This ultimately translates into excellence in patient care delivered by nursing school graduates.”
2014 elite cadre includes: 15 faculty fast-tracked to leadership roles at their academic institutions who will join LEAD, under the direction of NLN chief program officer Dr. Janice Brewington; 20 simulation educators chosen for Leadership Development for Simulation Educators, led by Drs. Mary Anne Rizzolo and Pamela Jeffries; and six senior deans and directors of nursing schools seeking to re-focus their vision on strategic innovation, to be guided by Dr. Brewington in the Senior Deans and Directors Leadership Program. From January through December of 2014, Leadership Institute participants will learn about what makes an effective leader and how they can re-tool their own skills and experiences to achieve their professional leadership goals.
Moreover, to promote diversity among leaders in nursing education nationally, at least 25 percent of program participants have been selected from under-represented minorities. In addition, two key outcomes identified for the 2013 Leadership Institute are expected to apply to the 2014 cohort as well: first, that 90 percent of program participants commit to remaining in academic leadership positions following completion of the program, and second, that 80 percent pledge to expand the capacity of their schools’ nursing program, either by increasing enrollment of qualified applicants or improving retention of matriculated students.
A list of those selected for the 2014 LEAD; Leadership Development for Simulation Educators; and Senior Deans and Directors Leadership Program is appended, below.
Detailed information about the Leadership Institute may be found at www.nln.org/facultyprograms/leadershipinstitute.htm or email facultyprograms@nln.org.
Dedicated to excellence in nursing, the National League for Nursing is the premier organization for nurse faculty and leaders in nursing education. The NLN offers professional development, networking opportunities, testing services, nursing research grants, and public policy initiatives to its 39,000 individual and 1,200 institutional members. NLN members represent nursing education programs across the spectrum of higher education, and health care organizations and agencies.
2014 LEAD Cohort
Veronica Amos, PhD, CRNA, PHCNS-BC, Assistant Professor and Assistant Director, Nurse Anesthesia Program, University of Maryland School of Nursing
Colleen Andreoni, DNP, FNP-BC, ANP-BC, CEN, Assistant Professor, Department Chair: Health Management & Risk Reduction, Loyola University, Chicago, Marcella Niehoff School of Nursing
Kristen Barbee, PhD, RN, CNE, Assistant Professor, Wingate University
Beverly Hindenlang, DNP, RN, CNE, Dean of Nursing, Program Director of Health Services Administration Program, Nursing Faculty, State College of Florida, Manatee-Sarasota
Brenda Hosley, PhD, RN, Clinical Associate Professor, Arizona State University College of Nursing and Health Innovation
Linda Koharchik, DNP, MSN, RN, CNE, BC-NE, Director of Adjunct Faculty and Clinical Affairs, Duquesne University School of Nursing
Suzanne Lehman, MA, RN, CNE, Nursing Instructor and Baccalaureate Day Section Coordinator, St. Catherine University
Victoria Morrison, PhD, RN, CIC, CNE, Interim Associate Dean, Salem State University
Shawna Mudd, DNP, CPNP-AC, PNP-BC, Assistant Professor, Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing
Sue Pilker, MSN RN, Assistant Dean of Undergraduate Nursing, Bryan College of Health Sciences
Lorie Sigmon, DNP, RN, FNP, Clinical Assistant Professor, East Carolina University
Kim Smith, MS, RN, CNE, Interim Associate Dean for Nursing, Assistant Professor, Morrisville State College
Jodi Stauss-Stassen, MS, RN, PHN, Dean of Allied Health & Nursing, Northland Community and Technical College
Connie Webster, PhD, RN, CNE, Professor of Nursing (Lecturer and Clinical Instructor), University of the District of Columbia
Michael Williams, PhD RN, CCRN, CNE, Director (Interim) and Associate Professor, Eastern Michigan University School of Nursing
2014 Leadership Development for Simulation Educators Cohort
Kimberly Curry-Lourenco, PhD, MSN, RN, Coordinator of Instruction and Technology, Tidewater Community College Beazley School of Nursing
Jessie Daniels, MA, RN, Skill Lab Coordinator/Faculty, National American University
Cynthia Foronda, PhD, RN, Assistant Professor of Nursing, Johns Hopkins University
Vivian Gamblian, MSN, RN, Simulation Coordinator, Senior Lecturer, Baylor University, Louise Herrington School of Nursing
Molly Kellgren, RN, MSN, Assistant Professor, Director of the Nursing Applied Learning Lab, St. Catherine University
Mary J. Lamb, DNP, RN, Co-Dean of Nursing, Shanghai Institute of Health Sciences – International Program Cooperation program with Bob Jones University of Greenville SC
Brent MacWilliams, PhD, ANP, Assistant Professor, ACCEL Leadership: Research and Evaluation, University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh, College of Nursing
Sara J. Manning, MS, RN, CHSE, Coordinator of Clinical Simulation Education, Assistant Professor of Nursing, and President of the Simulation Educators of Western New York Collaborative, Roberts Wesleyan College
Kate J. Morse, PhD, CRNP-BC CNE, Assistant Clinical Professor, Director of Graduate Simulation, Drexel University
Virginia C. Muckler, DNP, CRNA, Assistant Professor, Clinical Education Coordinator, Duke University School of Nursing
Holly L. Pugh, MSHA, BSN, RN-BC, CIN, Director, Clinical Simulation Center, Bon Secours Memorial College of Nursing
Nancy E. Rogers, MA, BSN, RN, Professor, Simulation Specialist, Carroll Community College
Deborah Rojas, MSN, RN, Assistant Professor; Simulation Coordinator, University of Northern Colorado
Andrea Parsons Schram, DNP, CRNP, FNP-BC, Assistant Professor, Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing
Lisa Davis Sievers, MSN, RN, CNS, Nursing Faculty and Simulation Lab Manager, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio School of Nursing (UTHSCSA)
Christine M. Thomas, PhD, RN, Associate Professor, West Chester University
Kim Tinsley, MSN, RN, CNE, RN, Director/Faculty, North Arkansas College
Karen M. Van Beek, MS, RN, CCNS, Faculty / Health Sciences Resource Center Coordinator, Bellin College
Heather Walsh, MSN, RN, PCNS-BC CPN, Simulation Outreach Coordinator, Children’s National Medical Center
Penny J. Weiermann, MSN, RN, CAPA, Nursing Simulation Specialist, Simulation Lab Manager, Faculty in Nursing and Allied Health, Northland Pioneer College Show Low Campus
2014 Senior Deans and Directors Leadership Program Cohort
Karen Clark, EdD, RN, Dean of Nursing, Interim Director Center for Health Promotion, Associate Professor, Indiana University East School of Nursing
Joan Frey, EdD, RN, NEA-BC,Dean of Nursing, Galen College of Nursing
Ngozi Nkongho, PhD, RN, Director of School of Nursing, Hackensack UMC Mountainside
Linda Rider, EdD, RN, Chairperson and Assistant Professor, Department of Nursing, University of Central Oklahoma
Dianne Tapp, PhD, RN, Dean and Professor, University of Calgary
Nancy Vrabec, PhD, RN, Associate Dean of Nursing, Milwaukee Area Technical College