Snellville, Ga. (October 17, 2023) – Thanks to a one-of-a-kind partnership between Georgia Gwinnett College and Piedmont Eastside Medical Center, one aspiring nurse is extremely grateful.
GGC now offers a bachelor’s degree in Health Science with a focus on Patient Navigation, and this year the inaugural class had its first graduates, with Nellie Benjumea a part of it. Being a patient navigator means you are supportive and able to guide patients and help them overcome barriers that prevent them from getting the care they need, such as financial resources and understanding their care and treatment.
The four-year college partnered with local health care partners, such as Piedmont Eastside, to allow the healthcare students to work in a hospital setting and get hands-on learning with patients. Benjumea says working at Eastside was an amazing experience, being able to see just how important patient navigation is and how passionate the staff were not only to just be a mentor to her and her classmates, but also how compassionate and helpful they were to patients in need. She says before pursuing her bachelor's degree, she didn’t know what she wanted to do, but she knew she wanted to help people.
"I am very fortunate to be a small part of this monumental class," said Benjumea. "This role is often undervalued, and I am happy GGC and Eastside are shedding light on this vital role of addressing socioeconomic factors with patients."
Being exposed to all aspects of care within the patient navigation field has opened her eyes.
"In order to understand this role, you must be immersed in it. Being able to partner with healthcare partners that are right in my own neighborhood made it that much better for me," she said.
The students partnered with several local health organizations from various backgrounds, such as breast cancer patients, dementia patients, aging communities, and even the underserved, so they would be well-versed.
"My favorite part of this whole process is really being able to connect to patients in such a different way and really on a deeper level," said Benjumea.
Throughout the 120-hour course, she says she gained confidence all around. She is now continuing her education in the ABSN program at another institution, and she says she’ll continue to share the greatness of the GGC-Eastside partnership.
GGC had their first class graduate in May and has begun their second cohort with intentions to expand it.
Learn more about the Bachelor of Science in Health Science program.