South Florida is also home to the U.S. Army Trauma Training Center (ATTC) at the renowned Ryder Trauma Center, the Nicklaus Children’s Hospital, the Miami VA Healthcare System, and many other world class hospitals and healthcare systems. FIU collaborates with the majority, if not all, healthcare delivery systems and professionals throughout South Florida. We are continually striving to improve patient care and outcomes.

 

The FIU College of Nursing and Health Sciences’ Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program is an amazing place to be. The program is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) and has several distinctive track options that are designed to meet the needs of different types of students: (a) the Generic BSN track (for the traditional college student), (b) the RN-to-BSN track (for RNs who are returning to complete their BSN), (c) the Combined BSN and MSN (Master of Science in Nursing) for Foreign-Educated Physicians (FEP) track (for foreign educated physicians who wish to return to healthcare in the United States), (d) the Accelerated Option (AO) track (for students who completed a degree in another major and have chosen nursing as a second career/degree), and (e) the Veteran Bachelor of Science in Nursing (VBSN) track (for military medics and corpsmen).

 

Our BSN program tracks are highly competitive. Classes and clinical experiences are rigorous, but undoubtedly rewarding. Our BSN students and graduates are committed to becoming leaders in the nursing profession and have demonstrated substantial contributions throughout South Florida and beyond. Courses are taught by expert nursing faculty who bring extensive experience as clinicians, educators, and scholars.

 

My own journey as a nurse educator began in Pennsylvania when I started teaching as an adjunct clinical professor for a private university. I went on to teach at an allopathic (MD) medical college for a few years before finally becoming a part of Florida International University.

 

After years of working clinically as a registered nurse, nurse practitioner, and administrator, teaching gave me new hope for the future of nursing and the power behind shaping the minds of those who will carry the torch forward. It has been so inspiring to think of all the lives touched by the young nurses I have worked with.

 

Watching student nurses grow and develop throughout the curriculum, seeing the light bulbs go off and the “aha” moments of sudden insight in hospital hallways and classrooms, see them get past the exhaustion and the sweat and tears is incredibly gratifying. Obtaining a nursing degree is no small feat. It requires great courage, precision in skill sets, critical thinking, and remarkable senses of confidence and critical thinking.

 

Teaching in nursing is most certainly one of my proudest achievements. Contributing to passing on a lifetime of knowledge and experience to a new generation of nursing is a privilege. There is no greater feeling than watching former students become successful in their careers. It is fulfilling to see former students return to graduate school to seek advanced nursing degrees and potentially research nursing careers.

 

Nurses’ Week is a wonderful time to celebrate the nurses who work tirelessly from the classrooms to the clinical settings to the board room chairs. Nurses are the backbone of healthcare. We are the 24/7 boots on the ground. I am eternally grateful to be a nurse and encourage anyone thinking about a healthcare career to consider nursing. In this profession, you can change the world! Thank you to all nurses for your contributions and caring.