Nathan Hansen, an alumnus of the nursing program at State College of Florida, Manatee-Sarasota (SCF), was named the 2017 New Nurse of the Year at Blake Medical Center for his work and for saving a teenager’s life in an unexpected way.
Hansen said SCF’s nursing program gave him a solid foundation, allowed him to see the whole picture – beyond the OR – at the hospital, and helped with managing priorities, something he has to do every day at Blake Medical Center. It also got him interested in blood marrow donation, which led to him saving a life.
As a student at SCF, Hansen, who had been a blood donor for more than 10 years, decided to sign up for the bone marrow registry after watching a YouTube video on the procedure while studying for a class. That led to him being identified as a match for a 17-year-old boy last year.
Hansen received the recognition over the summer, just three years out of the nursing program at SCF. He doesn’t know who nominated him for the award, and he didn’t expect to win because six others also were nominated. He said he was glad he could help the teenager and loves what he does. The award largely was an acknowledgment that he made the right choice in going into nursing, he said.
For more information about SCF’s nursing program, visit SCF.edu/Nursing.