A year and a half ago, Casa Grande Regional Medical Center made a commitment to assist RNs with an associate degree in earning their bachelor of science in nursing. Research shows that facilities with more BSNs provide a higher quality of care and decreased mortality rates in their patients. So, CGRMC partnered with Grand Canyon University and opened the program to any RN who had been with the hospital for a minimum of two years. CGRMC funded the program through its tuition reimbursement program.

Eighteen ambitious souls stepped forward and made a commitment to participate in the program. In turn, they have made a commitment to continue working at CGRMC for the next two years. The classes were held once a week on Wednesday or Thursday evenings at the Pavilion's Central Lounge. Each unit was five weeks in length and taught by Grand Canyon University. Rona Curphy, then interim CEO, also taught the leadership course.

The culmination of the program took place on June 16 when the participants presented their Capstone projects to the CGRMC nursing leadership and Grand Canyon University's Dean of the College of Nursing, Dr. Anne McNamara. Dr. McNamara said the most amazing portion of the final capstone projects was that the students had focused on areas that will be directly applicable to their jobs. For example, Lela Wright, RN Medical, did her presentation on how to prevent falls in the community before people ever arrive at the hospital. This can translate into a community outreach program so that people are educated on fall-proofing their homes.

When asked about her experience in the program, Wright said it had a wonderful structure for nurses working full-time. She had always intended to go back to school for her BSN, but life happened in between the 20 years since she achieved her associate in nursing. She feels that if she had done this on her own it would have taken her years to complete rather than 18 months. She said "I am grateful that the hospital offered the program. In the future, I want to be able to grow beyond floor nursing and toward more leadership opportunities. The BSN will enable me to do that."

Allen Bonner, director of the wound center, echoed these sentiments, stating, "The CGRMC and Grand Canyon University program allowed me to fulfill a personal goal that I had been wanting to pursue for a long time. The best part of the experience was the interaction with my co-workers in a learning environment, helping us grow in our careers."

The BSN program focuses on leadership management and critical thinking skills, rather than the hands-on skills which are required in an associate's course of study. Lela also noted that the weekly contact with an instructor gave an advantage over friends who had completed online coursework and had no direct contact with a teacher. She also enjoyed completing the program with a group of colleagues from the hospital. The ability to interact with one another on their projects throughout the week helped each of them get through the program together.

Congratulations to each of the RN and BSN graduates. CGRMC appreciates your loyalty and hard work to bring outstanding care to the people of our community.