Atlantic General Hospital Awards 2015 Nursing Scholarship

Atlantic General Hospital now awards scholarships each year to associates demonstrating a commitment to the nursing field who are planning to further their education and training in the field.

This year’s first recipient is Brandi Rush, a Stephen Decatur High School and Worcester Technical High School (Certified Nursing Assistant, 2011) graduate. She moved to the area with her family when she was in kindergarten. Her memories of the care she and her twin sister received at the local doctor’s office played a strong role in her decision to pursue a career in nursing. Brandi recalls Debbie, the nurse practitioner at the family doctor’s office they visited, with her great bedside manner and caring attitude.

Brandi shares, “Debbie was the first person to illustrate to me and my sister what a good nurse was. I knew then that I wanted to be just like her.” Later, Brandi and her family moved to Newark, but she never forgot Debbie and her passion for nursing and the patients she provided care to.

During her time at Worcester Technical High School, Brandi interned at Atlantic General Hospital and found it to be a warm, caring place to work and learn more about the nursing field. Once the internship came to an end, Brandi applied for and was hired as a per-diem nursing assistant. She has been with the hospital for over four years.

Brandi lives with her boyfriend on his family farm and their two dogs, a cat, a pig and a horse. She shares, “My boyfriend, friends and family including my grandparents have supported me in many ways throughout my life. I have the best coworkers anyone could ask for; they are all caring, team players.”

Brandi started the nursing program at Wor-Wic Community College on September 10th. While in the program, Brandi will continue her work as a CNA with Atlantic General Hospital. Her plans for the future? To work on the Med-Surg floor and work up to a management position in the years to come. Congratulations Brandi!

Atlantic General Hospital has developed the James G. and Nancy W. Barrett Scholarship Program to offer assistance with tuition, books and health care benefits to recent high school graduate applicants who wish to pursue a career in nursing. In 2004, the scholarship program was renamed to recognize the extraordinary efforts put forth by the late Jim Barrett and his wife Nancy in support of Atlantic General Hospital. Each year, AGH receives applications for the scholarship and selects a recipient that illustrates a strong commitment to becoming a part of the profession and an active member of the community.

This spring, Atlantic General Hospital/Health System has developed the Associate RN-BSN Scholarship Program to offer assistance with tuition to nursing associates pursuing an advanced degree in nursing. The individual would, in return, continue to work in our facility upon completion of the program. The Scholarship Program provides tuition assistance and required course books towards an advanced degree in nursing for selected persons. This program requires the candidate to be a nursing associate in good standing and maintain either full time or part time status of employment at AGH/HS. Per Diem or casual nursing associates are not eligible for this scholarship. Upon successful completion of the program, RN agrees to work either full or part time at Atlantic General Hospital/Health System for a specified time period. For more information on either of these two scholarship opportunities, please click here.