Welcome our new Roanoke Campus Associate Dean, Dr. Kimberly Brown

Dr. Kimberly Brown was appointed Associate Dean of Nursing for the Roanoke, VA campus in December 2022. Dr. Brown earned an Associate Degree (ADN – 1992), a Bachelor’s Degree (BSN – 1998), and Masters of Science in Nursing (MSN – 2008) from Jefferson College of Health Sciences in Roanoke, Virginia. More recently, Dr. Brown earned a Doctorate of Nursing Practice (DNP) in 2012 from Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio. As a registered nurse for 30 years, Dr. Brown is an experienced academic nurse leader and a Certified Nurse Educator (CNE). Dr. Brown’s clinical practice included the adult acute care areas of endocrinology, neurology, and post-surgical care, as well as community-based services. She held operational leadership roles in a level-one trauma center.

In 2010 Dr. Brown formally transitioned to academia at her alma mater, Jefferson College of Health Sciences in Roanoke, VA. Before joining Galen College of Nursing, Dr. Brown served as nursing faculty at Liberty University, James Madison University, and Radford University. Dr. Brown is the founding chair of the Division of Nursing at Ferrum College in Ferrum, VA. Her professional service roles include the Commission on Nursing Education and Academic Practice Partnership Council for the Virginia Nurses Association. Specialized skillsets developed over the last decade include curriculum development, faculty mentoring, graduate nurse executive education, and new program launch.

“Nursing is my first love and has given my life so much meaning. It is my honor to use my life and skills to assist others in the pursuit of their calling.” -Dr. Kimberly Brown

Dr. Kimberly’s favorite quote is from Ralph Waldo Emerson: “The purpose of life is not to be happy. It is to be useful, to be honorable, to be compassionate, to have it make some difference that you have lived and lived well.”

5 Podcasts Every Nursing Student Should Listen To

Time, opportunity, and information…three essential things for a nursing student. While there are plenty of ways to obtain information, opportunity and time may be limited. Podcasts have become an increasingly popular way to maneuver around obstacles of time constraints and information overload. And, yes, there are podcasts about and for nurses and nursing students. Topics range from informational to comical to storytelling. We’ve compiled a list of podcasts for your listening pleasure. Subscribe and listen today!

• Straight A Nursing:
  This podcast focuses on helping students through their clinical, med-surge, mental health, pharmacology, women’s health, pediatrics, and other specialized subjects in their nursing curriculum. Each topic of focus expands through multiple episodes that provide detailed study material and testimonials of real nurses who have experience in the related field. Every podcast includes blogs, quizzes, and study guide courses that can be bought for an additional fee.
•  Good Nurse Bad Nurse:
  One of the most popular genres of podcasts is, of course, true crime. Check out Good Nurse Bad Nurse for a combination of nursing and crime. This podcast is half light-hearted and interesting stories and half thought-provoking stories that implore nurses to utilize their expertise and critical thinking skills to work through the crimes and tales discussed. Good Nurse Bad Nurse is hosted by a registered nurse and special guests who utilize these true-crime stories to educate and encourage nurses.
• Nursing School Week by Week:
  Nursing school can be challenging, and it can be easy to feel alone or like you are behind your peers. Nursing School Week by Week is a podcast hosted by Melanie, a current nursing student, and part-time nurse’s assistant, as she takes you with her through her educational journey. She offers tips on students, acing courses, clinicals, and interview tips. This light-hearted and informational podcast gives you resources for exams and provides every listener with a sense of community with nursing students across the nation.
• See You Now:
  This podcast is produced in collaboration with Johnson & Johnson and the American Nurses Association. Host Shawna Butler, a nurse economist, and health technology specialist, provides listeners with a closer look at the individuals changing the face of healthcare. This not only highlights these individuals, but expands nursing allies in politics, business, and technology. Conversations oftentimes feature medical professionals who are developing and accessing new devices, protocols, and processes in fields such as maternal health, infection prevention, palliative care, and so much more. Moreover, this podcast includes discussions on the innovative technologies changing nursing and healthcare such as robotics, virtual screening, and vaccines. This podcast is for any nurse or nursing student who wishes to stay up to date with this ever-changing field.
• The Unofficial NCLEX Prep Podcast:
  This podcast is a great tool for nursing students or fresh graduates. The Unofficial NCLEX Prep Podcast is an audio guide to preparing and planning for the exam. Each episode breaks down one special element of the NCLEX Exam. They break down the material, offer stories and advice on subject matter from working nurses, and offer new techniques and perspectives on your study habits and goals. They allow providing a growing study guide with the podcast that can be found in the link provided in the bio.

Galen Students Volunteer During Hazard, KY Flooding

Devastation by Flooding in Hazard, KY 

On a warm summer week in Hazard, KY a community was hit with major rain and flooding. More than 40 feet (at its peak) of flooding displaced residents, uprooted houses and trees, and left thousands without transportation, clothing, housing, and more. A call was sent across the state for aid in any way. Various state, city, nonprofit, and business organizations heeded the call and jumped in to assist this community in need – including Galen College of Nursing. On August 8-13, 2022, 46 Galen nursing students and 4 Galen staff took to the road to lend a hand!  

Galen Students on the Ground 

In their final weeks of clinical studies, this group dedicated five 12-hr working days in the trenches at the local hospital to assist already overworked doctors and nurses with what would become an overcrowded facility.  

Galen students were able to use their required five volunteer days as on-the-scene clinical work. They mostly assisted with nursing home residents who were moved to the hospital for temporary housing. Some of the students expressed their excitement about being able to assist with and sit in during surgeries and gain field experience as they prepared for their final exam. Other duties included cleaning, taking donations, and greeting patients.  

Many of the students are current technicians or CNAs in medical facilities, so they were ready to get to work with the guidance of the registered nurses and doctors already on staff. The hands-on learning was an invaluable experience, allowing students to make a difference during a natural disaster and assist a hurting community. 

On Thursday, September 8, Galen hosted a special presentation and dinner for the Galen students who donated their time and effort to the Hazard, KY community. They were greeted by the Galen Hazard Campus Associate Dean, Allison Boggs, and were able to share their stories and reflect once again on their experience and preparation for graduation and future success.