Earning a Bachelor of Science in Nursing is a big expense. Going back to school can cost you valuable time, work and money. So is it really worth it? Is it too much work? Could your money be better spent somewhere else? GCU faculty has some interesting perspectives on this question that many RN’s face.
Jenna Snyder was raised in China as the child of missionaries. She moved to China with her family when she was only 2 years old and was exposed early on to people on the streets begging for money. These people were not typically beggars rather, they also suffered from horrible conditions including leprosy, rare genetic conditions and infected wounds.
By Dawna Cato
GCU Alumni, Vice President of Clinical Care Services
At 22 years old, I was a young mother with two children both born with congenital heart defects. I knew I wanted to go to college, and nursing seemed to be an obvious choice so I could understand my children’s condition more fully and better care for them. I started as a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) in 1990.
Healthcare is a rapidly evolving industry. In order to be an effective nurse, it is important to be aware of the latest trends. To get a better understanding of the most important trends in healthcare right now, we asked GCU RN to BSN faculty their thoughts on this topic.
By Tammy McGarity
GCU Alumna, College of Nursing and Health Care Professions
My name is Tammy, and I am the director for the Center for Clinical Excellence at a Magnet hospital. I am responsible for researching, implementing and standardizing best evidence-based practices in our healthcare system. Grand Canyon University’s Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program, with its focus on implementing research and best practices in nursing, prepared me to question the status quo, think outside of the box, research the literature and implement best practices.
By Tish Dorman
Adjunct Faculty, College of Nursing and Health Care Professions
My aunt was a labor and delivery nurse. When I was a little girl she would dress me up in a nurse’s uniform, complete with cap and blue cape even though I repeatedly told her that I wasn’t going to be a nurse. After I graduated from high school and began my first year of community college I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do. My mother said it was “time to do something with my life.” My response was, “I guess I will be a nurse.” Little did I know then that nursing was my calling. Once I started my clinical rotations, I fell in love with nursing.
By Pamela Love
Faculty, College of Nursing and Health Care Professions
I am Pamela Love, PhD, MSN, RN, CNE, an associate professor at the College of Nursing and Health Care Professions serving as the academic quality review (AQR) manager in the DNP program. I moved from Houston to Phoenix just after Hurricane Harvey visited last August. By the Grace of God, my family was spared the devastation so many others suffered. I also married the “Love” of my life before moving across the country to begin an exciting new adventure at GCU.
By Joanne Senn
Adjunct Faculty, College of Nursing and Health Care Professions
When I was a girl, my father was a hospital administrator who started off as a medic in the army. When he retired, he ran a nursing home and would often take me, giving me a feel for hospitals and healthcare at a young age. It was these experiences early on, as well as the fact that my two older sisters were nurses, that shaped my decision to go into nursing.
By Leslie Minjarez
Adjunct Faculty, College of Nursing and Health Care Professions
I decided to pursue a career in healthcare in high school. My favorite classes had always been math, chemistry and biology but during my senior year I got mononucleosis and ended up in the hospital for a week. While there this incredible nurse took care of me. She was pretty, wore a pink uniform and was always so nice to me, making me feel better every time she came to check on me. I knew then that I wanted to become a nurse.
I enrolled in a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program right out of high school. When I finished my BSN, my plan was to enroll in a master’s program but I was not sure what I wanted to do. I loved working with cancer patients at the time and immediately began to work on a difficult unit with patients experiencing complex medical problems.
Quality and safety in nursing is defined in the knowledge, skills and attitudes that are designed to be developed in pre-licensure programs for nursing. The Quality and Safety Education for Nurses (QSEN) project explores certain challenges in the preparation of future nurses to assure that the quality and safety of healthcare practices are continuing to improve.
