Students take fast track to nursing career with Great Plains Health and University of Nebraska Medical Center

NORTH PLATTE, Neb. (KNOP) - In August of 2022 Great Plains Health and the University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Nursing announced a collaboration to bring accelerated clinical in the Bachelor of Science in Nursing Program to North Platte. In the program, students complete their courses at the UNMC Kearney Campus while receiving exceptional clinical training at Great Plains Health.

“It’s helped in numerous ways,” said Jennifer Carillo, UNMC Accelerated BSN participant. “So, I still work downstairs, in our operating room as a surgical tech. It’s really advanced my knowledge and my practice. I work on the weekends still, and it’s really nice to see that everything I’m learning, I’m able to see first hand through work and also just my clinical here have just really expanded my knowledge.”

Lincoln County Native Jason Westman says the program is giving him an opportunity to give back to the Community that he grew up in and calls home.

”I thought healthcare sounded like a great way to go, I’m able to be here,” Westman said. “I was a Chaplin here for a little while, I just really enjoyed the environment. It’s just making it so I am able to move on further in the O.R. I’m wanting to work in an expanded role and be able to be the circulator in surgery because I was a surgical tech before. I wanted to be able to do more.”

While the program might only be a year old at Great Plains Health, Jennifer Carillo said she heard about a similar program from a colleague in Colorado.

”I heard about the program probably about seven years ago, right before I moved here,” Corillo said. “My best friend did a similar program in Colorado and she had talked to me about the opportunities in Nebraska and told me to really look into it when I decided to go to nursing school.”

Both Westman and Carillo plan to continue their careers at Great Plains Health upon completing the program with UNMC, Carillo said she and her family moved to Lincoln County six years ago and fell in love with the area.

“I plan on continuing my education after a couple of years and getting my DNAP then coming back to practice as a CRNA here,” Carillo said.

Carillo and Westman encourage anyone interested in the nursing field to consider the unique program offered through the University of Nebraska Medical Center and Great Plains Health. Those interested in learning more about the program can reach out to Samantha Clar, ABSN Program Coordinator and Clinical Educator with Great Plains Health. Clark can be reached at 308-568-7290.

Copyright 2023 KNOP. All rights reserved.