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SALLY BROWN, BSN

Michigan Medical/Surgical Nurse Overcomes
Health Struggles to Earn BSN

When Sally Brown completed her BSN in June 2017, she felt a
wide range of emotions. “I’ve dealt with a lot of different things in
the last four years I’ve been in school,” says Sally. At the top of the list:
multiple myeloma for her husband and her own diagnosis of stage three
breast cancer. Through their treatments, however, Sally stayed positive
and never considered quitting the program she started in 2013. “If I gave
up school, the cancer won, and I didn’t want it to. This was something
I’ve wanted for a long time. I wasn’t willing to quit.”

Started as a nurse aide

Out of high school, Sally worked in many different jobs before becoming
a Certified Nurse Aide. After a few years, she went to nursing school and
graduated in 1993, starting her career at Zeeland Community Hospital—
now Spectrum Health Zeeland Community Hospital. She worked in a
variety of areas—from admissions to case management—but has largely
focused on medical/surgical, which she refers to as “the position I
really love.”
After many years with Spectrum, Sally decided it was time to earn the BSN.
“My employer was pushing all ADN-prepared nurses toward the BSN,
and it seemed like the right time to do it,” she says. As an educational
partner of Spectrum, American Sentinel University came recommended by
colleagues and Sally liked what she learned. “American Sentinel’s BSN
really seemed to fit what I need. With my employer’s support, I got
started. It was a great decision.”

A fight to the finish

When cancer changed her and her husband’s life, Sally had to dig deep
to find the strength to continue, but she received great support from many
in her life. “I didn’t do this alone—I had my family, my employer, my
coworkers and everyone at American Sentinel,” she says. Even through
chemotherapy and radiation herself, Sally says she kept her eye on the
finish line. “Honestly, I just put my head down and did what I had to.”

www.americansentinel.edu

6 | Transforming Healthcare Through Education