Galen College of Nursing and Arizona College of Nursing open new campuses in Sarasota

Two new nursing campuses are now open in Sarasota, primed to educate more nurses to help meet Florida's growing demand.

In March, Galen College of Nursing opened an over-22,700-square-foot campus on North Cattleman Road in Sarasota, with in-person instruction set to begin later this month. Arizona College of Nursing announced last week that it will also be opening a campus in Sarasota, on Cooper Creek Blvd., with instruction to begin in August.

Leanne Salazar, the chief nurse executive of HCA Florida's West Division – majority owner of Galen College – referenced a Florida Hospital Association report from last September, which says that Florida faces a shortage of 59,100 nurses by 2035. That, combined with U.S. Department of Labor projections, which state that roughly 194,500 registered nursing jobs will be available annually over the next decade, makes the education and availability of "the next generation" vital, according to Salazar.

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"We have to be ready to meet the needs of the growing population in the health care demand," Salazar said. "But our workforce needs that support, so priming our pipeline of nurses is critical."

Both colleges, through a blend of active classroom learning and clinical and simulation labs – and in Galen College’s case, an advanced simulation hospital – will prepare nursing students to enter the workforce.

“Nurses are essential to our healthcare system, and the need will only increase as Florida’s population grows,” said Alexis Garruzo, executive director of academic operations for Arizona College’s Sarasota campus, in a release. “This is an exciting time to pursue a nursing career in Florida, and we are thrilled to open our Sarasota campus.

“Our accredited, career-focused, Bachelor of Nursing Degree (BSN) program will prepare students for a fulfilling nursing career.”

Arizona College offers a three-year (or less) BSN program, while Galen College offers a two-year associate degree program, a bridge program for students to move from licensed practical nurse to an associate degree holder and a BSN program with a pre-licensure option.

HCA Florida Healthcare, a network of over 570 affiliated sites and approximately 11,000 doctors, and Galen College conducted a ribbon-cutting ceremony June 15 to mark the opening of the Sarasota campus. More than 40 students have been admitted to the new campus, according to Salazar, with orientation for the start of in-person instruction taking place last week.

"That makes me really excited, because that just shows the potential," Salazar said. "We've already started to expand in that area and our nurses of tomorrow are becoming prepared to be to be ready to practice.

Arizona College now has 12 locations nationwide, with three in Florida, while Galen College now has 13 locations nationwide, with four in Florida.

This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Galen, Arizona College open nursing campuses in Sarasota