Galen College of Nursing, one of the largest educators of nurses in the United States, and HCA Florida Healthcare continued their mission to expand access to quality nursing education with today’s announcement of new campuses in Sarasota and Gainesville. With existing campus locations in Tampa Bay and Miami, Galen will double its footprint in Florida to help address the state’s increasing nursing workforce needs.
“At Galen, our mission is to expand access to quality nursing education and prepare diverse learners to demonstrate excellence and compassion in nursing,” said Mark Vogt, Galen’s chief executive officer. “Working together with HCA Florida Healthcare, students in our Gainesville and Sarasota campuses will have increased opportunities to enter the nursing profession.”
The new Gainesville 25,000 square-foot campus and Sarasota’s 22,700 square-foot campus will feature resources designed to elevate the student experience and prepare future nurses to enter the field. Solely focused on nursing education, Galen prepares a diverse population of students to become nurses who deliver quality, compassionate care. Galen will bring one of the highest levels of nursing education to the region with state-of-the-art facilities featuring advanced clinical and classroom learning environments designed to encourage hands-on learning. Galen’s student support model has helped thousands of students enter the profession with consistently high NCLEX pass rates.
Dr. Leanne D. Salazar, DNP, MBA, ARNP, CENP, CPPS, CPHQ, FNP-BC, division chief nurse executive for the West Florida Division of HCA Healthcare, added, “As the top sponsor of graduate medical education in the state of Florida, we are excited to join Galen in recruiting more prospective nursing students who will go on to expand and enhance our community workforce, like the more than 25,600 nurses we employ in our Florida sites of care. With this Academic Practice Partnership, we can also work together to bridge the education to practice gap, all designed to provide the best patient care possible.”
Dr. Peter Lindquist, DNP, RN, NEA-BC, division chief nurse executive for HCA Healthcare North Florida Division, shared, “As a mission-centered organization, we are committed to the health and wellness of our communities. Ensuring generations of families have access to high-quality healthcare delivered by compassionate, caring healthcare professionals is a top priority. We are excited to welcome Galen College of Nursing to Gainesville and look forward to the lasting impact this development will have on Alachua County and the surrounding area.”
The Gainesville Campus will be located at 7001 SW 24th Ave. and the Sarasota Campus at 501 N. Cattleman Rd. They will be designed to cultivate learning with advanced classroom and clinical technology mixed with collaborative and creative space. Created with students in mind, the campus environments will reflect a high-quality educational approach and an expression of commitment to students and the community at large.
The Sarasota and Gainesville campuses will initially offer three program options, including a two-year option for an associate degree in nursing; a licensed practical nurse to associate degree in nursing bridge (LPN/LVN to ADN bridge option); and a BSN program with a pre-licensure option. In addition, the Gainesville campus will offer a Practical Nursing (PN) option. Galen also offers online RN to BSN and MSN programs for nurses aspiring to advance their education in support of career growth and development.
With four quarterly term starts per year, admission for the upcoming term beginning March 31, 2022, for the ADN and Bridge options is now in progress.
HCA Florida Healthcare, the majority owner of Galen College of Nursing, has a long history of investing in Florida to effect positive change, including a major capital investment initiative of approximately $3 billion spent over the last three years. This includes the $360 million HCA Florida University Hospital and existing facility renovations across the state to accommodate new, state-of-the-art equipment. Earlier this month, HCA Healthcare announced it had purchased MD Now Urgent Care, a network of 59 urgent care centers in Florida. As a tax-paying entity, HCA Florida Healthcare has also supported local communities with more than $957 million in state taxes over the past three years.
