Allegheny Health Network’s (AHN) Schools of Nursing are seeking applicants to join the next generation of standout nurses.
Applications are being accepted through June 15 for AHN’s two nursing schools: West Penn Hospital School of Nursing in Pittsburgh’s Bloomfield neighborhood, and Citizens School of Nursing in Tarentum.
Both schools offer 22-month registered nurse (RN) programs, with classroom learning and hands-on clinical experiences led by highly qualified faculty members. Small class sizes and one-on-one learning opportunities provide a personalized experience for each student.
The schools’ diploma programs are completed in half the time of a four-year collegiate program. Nursing school tuition is also significantly more affordable than a college-based bachelor’s program.
“AHN’s Schools of Nursing set students up for success from the very beginning,” said Amy Stoker, PhD, RN, director of the West Penn School of Nursing. “Our engaged and caring instructors prioritize relationship-building with each student to ensure they feel comfortable and confident as they pursue their nursing careers.”
Over 90% of graduates who seek employment as entry-level registered nurses will obtain a position in a health care setting within one year of graduation.
“One of the many benefits of attending AHN’s nursing schools is the opportunity to be hired within the network post-graduation, with a highly competitive salary when hired,” said Ruth Tarantine, DNP, director of AHN Schools of Nursing and the Citizens School of Nursing. “The familiarity from clinical experience makes the transition seamless for students who choose to stay in the network to pursue their nursing careers.”
Jacob Tirk, 21, of South Butler, is one of the 25 nurses graduating from the Citizens School of Nursing on May 3, and already has a job secured at AHN’s Allegheny General Hospital (AGH), working in the Cardiothoracic Telemetry unit. He credits his instructors at the Citizens School of Nursing for his remarkable nursing school experience.
“Before attending the Citizens School of Nursing, I heard about how engaging and accessible the instructors were, and I found that to be true during my time there,” shared Tirk. “Their ongoing support was vital to my success and helped prepare me to excel throughout my education. I’m looking forward to applying what I learned to my new career at AGH this spring.”
Daniela O’Neil, 26, is originally from West Palm Beach, Florida, and pursued nursing as her second career. She moved to Pittsburgh to attend the West Penn School of Nursing after living in New York City at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. She’s one of the 40 nurses graduating from the West Penn School of Nursing on May 25.
O’Neil will remain in Pittsburgh after graduation and begin her new job as a NICU nurse at AHN’s West Penn Hospital.
“Nursing school is challenging, but the support provided by the instructors at West Penn School of Nursing allows anyone who wants to become a nurse to succeed in their career,” shared O’Neil.
AHN Schools of Nursing offers types of financial aid such as federal government grants, federal student loans, state grants, scholarships, and private educational loans. On-site housing is available at the West Penn School of Nursing, while the Citizens School of Nursing has free, on-site parking.
AHN is one of just a handful of hospital systems to operate multiple nursing schools. Since the 1970s, as college nursing programs proliferated nationally, hospital-affiliated diploma programs began to close. But the Northeast, and Pennsylvania in particular, maintain a strong tradition of hospital-based education for nurses.
To learn more about the AHN Schools of Nursing, visit https://www.ahn.org/health-care-professionals/education/nursing/schools.
About the Allegheny Health Network:
Allegheny Health Network (AHN.org) is an integrated healthcare delivery system serving the greater Western Pennsylvania region. The Network is composed of 14 hospitals, ambulatory surgery centers, Health + Wellness Pavilions, multiple employed physician organizations, home and community based health services, a research institute, and a group purchasing organization. The Network provides patients with access to a complete spectrum of advanced medical services, including nationally recognized programs for primary and emergency care, trauma care, cardiovascular disease, organ transplantation, cancer care, orthopedic surgery, neurology and neurosurgery, women’s health, diabetes, autoimmune disease and more. AHN employs approximately 22,000 people, has more than 2,600 physicians on its medical staff and serves as a clinical campus for Drexel University College of Medicine and the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine.
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