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SUSAN BOOKSHA,

                                                       MSN, NURSING


                                                       EDUCATION

                                                       SPECIALIZATION







                                               New Jersey Palliative Care Nurse Graduates with

                                               MSN, Eyes DNP


                                               When Susan Booksha graduated high school, she followed her heart into
                                               healthcare—something she’d dreamed of doing since she was a little girl.
                                               “There was never another career I wanted to do more than nursing,”
                                               says Susan, a New Jersey native. She became a Licensed Practical Nurse
                                               in 1980 and worked in the hospital, nursing home and a physical therapy
                                               settings. Years later, after raising children and enjoying her LPN career, a
                                               friend—a Registered Nurse—suggested that she apply for an open position
                                               at her employer, AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center. Susan was hired in
                                               2002 and earned an Associate Degree of Nursing in 2004, a contingency
                                               of her getting the job.

                                               Following her passion

                                               At AtlantiCare, Susan started out in the medical/surgical area working with
                                               acute care patients but got into hospice care in 2006. “I have a heart for
                                               end-of-life care,” she says. “I spent eight years in that role and loved it.”
                                               She applauds AtlantiCare for its support of nurses, which led her to pursue
                                               the BSN in 2013. “This is an education-oriented place that promotes
                                               from within. They’ve always encouraged my efforts to better myself.”
                                               Time for the MSN


                                               In 2014, Susan’s boss—who started out as a unit secretary at AtlantiCare
                                               and worked her way up to management—proposed a deal. “She said she
                                               would get her doctorate if I got my master’s,” recalls Susan. “The MSN
                                               was on my mind because of the career advancement opportunities it
                                               would give me. People take you seriously when they see those three
                                               letters behind your name.”










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