Launch a career with many paths for growth
Associate degree in nursing
A message from the associate dean of nursing student education
For the last 23 years, Gallup polls find that nursing is the most trusted profession. Patients cite knowledge, caring and compassion. But nursing at Geisinger is all of that and more.
Geisinger nurses enjoy ample opportunity. Teamwork. Respect. Encouragement.
Nurses at Geisinger work in a supportive environment where nurse voices are elevated, and nurse leadership is crucial. Nowhere is this more evident than in our approach to nurse education.
Our education focuses on hands-on experiences that connect students to patients right away. Supervised by skilled and supportive faculty, students gain the confidence to communicate with patients and families and deliver care at a phase of learning when many other programs still rely on Power Points and lectures.
Nursing students at Geisinger are also exposed to the vast array of career opportunities available to nurses — interacting and being inspired by nurse leaders with whom they work daily. These role models demonstrate the myriad things a nurse can do and emphasize that these opportunities in research, advanced care, leadership and education are open to every learner right here at Geisinger.
In fact, many of our students have a guaranteed job here before they even graduate.
Students who dream of caring for their neighbors, improving lives and accompanying patients on some of the most difficult journeys in life will make those dreams a reality almost as soon as they step onto our campus.
If that sounds like your dream, you belong at Geisinger, and we welcome you!
Rebecca Stoudt, DNP, PhD, MSN, CRNA Associate Dean of Nursing Student Education Geisinger School of Nursing
Why consider a Geisinger School of Nursing education?
Nurses are in high demand.
At Geisinger School of Nursing, you can start a secure, rewarding career as a nurse in as little as two years. In fact, you can complete our advanced placement LPN-to-RN program in just three semesters.
Average RN starting salary: $73,220
Whether you’re beginning, growing or changing your career, a degree from Geisinger will put you on a flexible career path that can take you anywhere, from direct care to research and education — or even a leadership role.
Small class sizes mean highly personal experiences.
Geisinger offers an affordable nursing degree program with educational excellence and hands-on clinical experience that will prepare you to deliver patient-centered care.
Many Geisinger students choose to become employees.
More than 76% of Geisinger School of Nursing graduates find a permanent home as a Geisinger employee (as of May 2025). A deeply rewarding career with Geisinger may be in your future!
About Geisinger School of Nursing
Nursing education in Lewistown began as Lewistown Hospital School of Nursing, a diploma-granting program, in 2005. It changed its name to Geisinger Lewistown Hospital School of Nursing in 2013 when Lewistown Hospital became part of the Geisinger family.
In 2023, Geisinger Lewistown Hospital School of Nursing closed, and Geisinger School of Nursing opened as a new degree-granting school under the Geisinger College of Health Sciences.
Geisinger School of Nursing offers an Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN). We focus on small class sizes, direct clinical experience and hands-on learning.
Program outcomes
• NCLEX-RN pass rates:
• April 2024 graduates: 93.1% (first time pass rate)
• April 2024 graduates: 100% (first time and repeater pass rate)
• Program completion rate: 82.3%*
*Represents class that started August 2022 in Geisinger Lewistown Hospital School of Nursing diploma program and graduated from ADN program in April 2024.
Our mission
Geisinger School of Nursing was founded to provide quality nursing education. We seek to engage a diverse group of students and to help them become leaders in providing competent and safe bedside nursing care.
Our philosophy
Nursing is a dynamic process of caring based on a theory-guided, evidence-based body of knowledge and established standards of professional practice. The focus of nursing practice is based on the patient-family’s level of functioning, preferences, values and needs. Nurses also focus on different dimensions of patient care which promote, maintain and restore wellness, including:
• Physiological
• Psychological
• Socio-cultural
• Developmental
• Spiritual
End of program student learning outcomes
At the end of the program, the graduate will:
• Model safe nursing care in diverse settings. (Safety)
• Collaborate with patients, families and members of the healthcare team to help the patient/family achieve optimal outcomes. (Teamwork and collaboration)
• Implement clinical judgment when providing patientcentered care.
(Client-centered care and clinical judgment)
• Integrate data and technology for information-gathering, communication and clinical care. (Informatics)
• Practice within the ethical, legal and regulatory framework of nursing and standards of nursing practice. (Professionalism)
• Examine evidence-based research to guide nursing practice. (Evidence-based practice)
Accreditation
Accreditation is a process of peer review that the educational community has adopted for self-regulation since the early 20th century. It’s a voluntary process intended to strengthen and sustain the quality and integrity of higher education, making it worthy of public confidence. Institutions choose to apply for accredited status, and once accredited, they agree to abide by the standards of their accrediting organization and to regulate themselves by taking responsibility for their own improvement.
The Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) program at Geisinger College of Health Sciences in in Lewistown, PA is accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN).
The most recent accreditation decision made by the ACEN Board of Commissioners for the Associate Degree in Nursing program is initial accreditation.
Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) 3390 Peachtree Road NE, Suite 1400 Atlanta, GA 30326 404-975-5000
To view the public information disclosed by the ACEN regarding this program, visit programacenursing.org/search-programs.
Geisinger College of Health Sciences is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE) to award an associate degree in nursing, masters, and doctors degrees. MSCHE is an institutional accrediting agency recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation. Inquires or complaints can be referred to Middle States Commission on Higher Education, 3624 Market St., 2nd floor west, Philadelphia, PA 19104, or by phone to 215-662-5501. Learn more at msche.org.
One degree leads to astonishing array of career choices
For this career changer, nursing has accommodated every life priority.
Like many high school seniors, Alex Haines rejected the safe, sensible advice of his mother in favor of a more exciting future. “You know, my mom told me I should go into nursing out of high school, and I said, ‘Absolutely not. This is what I’m going to do,’” he said. “This” was to serve his community as a Pennsylvania State Trooper like his father.
Haines earned a degree in criminology but had difficulty finding a job. He started working as a security officer in the Emergency Department at Geisinger Lewistown, where he saw firsthand a career that appealed both to his sense of adventure and his desire to serve. “I spent a lot of time in the emergency department, and I got to see the care,
the compassion, the adrenaline, how you could change someone’s life in an instant and that’s when I started to fall in love with nursing,” he said.
While he was a student at the School of Nursing, a particular area of nursing captivated him. “I started seeing the Life Flight nurses come in and I knew that’s what I wanted to do. I started talking with them and figuring out what I had to do to arrive there. I did some fly-alongs with them and it was amazing. I did my capstone nursing school study on becoming a flight nurse.
So, I set those goals and worked my way up into it, starting at security to the emergency department as a nurse and then I set my goals for flight nurse. I got that five years later.”
It seemed Haines had everything he dreamed of as a high school senior. Action. Adventure. Service. But people grow and change, and Haines was no exception. He found himself at a career crossroads and felt the need to adjust his trajectory one more time.
“Life has a way of changing goals,” he said. “I had a daughter. So, while I was doing the job I loved, an opportunity came up with Trauma. I never thought I would be a nurse
behind a desk but here I am now, trauma program manager looking at the quality of our patient care, looking at risk and safety from the moment they come through our door to the time that they leave.”
Nursing has been the one constant for Alex through the twists and turns in his journey. His training has accommodated each one of his shifting priorities.
“I never thought I would feel this fulfilled behind a desk,” he said. “I never thought I’d feel this fulfilled as a manager. I always wanted to be the one providing direct care, but now I’m able to see that the things I do on a daily basis impact that direct care for the better, so much for the better. So, I’m grateful. I’ve had so many opportunities since becoming a nurse. There’s no other career like it.”
Always encouraged to go higher
Michelle Peachey’s road wasn’t straight, but it still led to nursing.
Although School of Nursing student Michelle Peachey has plenty of influences in her own family, she said a book was her inspiration to pursue a career in nursing. “I had an Usborne book on Florence Nightingale that I loved when I was growing up,” she said. “It was such an uplifting story of how she helped soldiers during war. Then, when I was 16, I started caring for a few elderly women in our church who needed in-home care. I didn’t pursue anything at that point — I was still young. But I found it very fulfilling to help people who couldn’t help themselves.”
Instead, Peachey, who grew up on a farm in Reedsville, embarked on an odyssey of hands-on experiences in care and education that finally drove her to Geisinger’s School of Nursing, where she’s now in her second semester. “I didn’t get my GED until
I was 25,” she said. Instead, she engaged in various outreach projects with her Mennonite Church group, including teaching inner-city kids in Belize and volunteering at a nursing home in Virginia. “I got my CNA license there for free and worked for 17 months,” she said. “I also did 4 years of in-home care, became a phlebotomist and drew blood for a year.” Peachey has been in her current role in patient access registration at Geisinger Lewistown Hospital for the past 3 years.
Her family’s influence finally had its effect when Peachey decided it was time to pursue a nursing career. Her father David Peachey has been a chaplain at Geisinger for 20 years. Her brother Keith Peachey is the operations manager for med surg and the ICU at Geisinger Lewistown Hospital, and his wife Carolyn works in labor and delivery.
“I knew right away when I was planning to go to nursing school that it would be Geisinger,” Peachey said. “I knew what my brother thought about the school, and I was impressed when I attended both his and his wife’s graduations. My dad loves his ministry at the hospital as well. The things they said about Geisinger and the School of Nursing and how good it is — applying here was a total no-brainer for me.”
Peachey also credits the people she’s worked with at Geisinger for giving her the support and encouragement to further her career.
“As a Geisinger employee, I find our management is very good at wanting us to pursue upward mobility. They’re very happy to work with you. I’d guess most employees come to work hoping to go further in their career just because Geisinger has so many excellent opportunities. I know my brother is always encouraging students to go higher. And now, I’m taking part in the Nursing and Health Sciences Scholars Program. Geisinger has every resource needed to help you advance your career.”
As she continues to advance, although she enjoys caring for the elderly, Peachey said she’s open to various fields in nursing. “I’ve been loving OB and pediatrics this semester and I think it would be great to start in med surg, or possibly the ICU. I really love caring for patients’ families as they go through difficult times. Wherever this career leads, I’m really excited about the future and the opportunities God will give me.”
Like family
Faculty and staff support inspired this RN to change her career trajectory.
When Brittney Peters was an LPN student 10 years ago, Beth Finkbiner, MSN, RN, was her instructor. Now Ms. Finkbiner is the director of the Geisinger School of Nursing and the person Peters calls “the reason why I went back to Geisinger School of Nursing for my RN.”
As an RN, Peters works in the emergency room of Geisinger Lewistown Hospital. She received encouragement from Finkbiner and all her former teachers to enter the School of Nursing to advance her career. “Beth Finkbiner is just the best,” she said. “And Jewel Peachey, she was actually an educator here at the hospital and is now my instructor.
So, I have a lot of experience working beside my instructors, which is fantastic.”
But even if she hadn’t known the faculty personally, Peters is confident these teachers would have still made her feel welcome, inspired, and supported.
“The staff at the School of Nursing makes sure to remove every obstacle to learning. They help you overcome them. They’re not here to watch you fail — they want you to thrive and succeed just as much as you want to. They’re absolutely fine with spending more time with you if you need it.”
Faculty encouragement wasn’t the only thing that convinced Peters to take the plunge and go back to school. The school’s 2-year timeframe and the Nursing and Health Sciences Scholars Program were incentives too good to pass up.
“I was actually considering other nearby colleges. “I found a part-time BSN online —but it would take six years. Six years is a long time and I have young kids. Another thing about Geisinger is the Scholars Program.
I wouldn’t have been able to work full time, go to school full-time and raise my family. The Scholars Program allowed me to work flextime while still watching my young kids grow up and go to school and it prevented my husband from having to work incredible amounts of overtime just to support our family.”
In the end, however, for Peters it’s still all about the Geisinger people.
“The staff is amazing. They do all they can for working students to take that extra stress off of us, allowing them to concentrate on their schoolwork. Without their encouragement, I may have been an LPN for the rest of my life on the third floor of Lewistown Hospital, but now I am considering career options like nurse leadership or even education. A lot of things have opened up for me.”
Seeking a ‘radical change,’ this nursing student finds peace and purpose in human connection
Joey Sanders hasn’t regretted her choices.
Billye Jo (Joey) Sanders grew up in Denver and built a career in Houston, Texas, as a sports medicine rehab facility clinical administrator. By conventional standards — success, stability, status — she had it all. Still, she found herself restless and in search of what she calls “radical change.”
“I wanted a small-town feel where there was a really big sense of community,” she said. “I wanted that human connection again because I feel like it’s lost in a big city.”
Incredibly, internet searches led her to central PA and Geisinger School of Nursing. Intrigued, Sanders visited Lewistown, and she bought a house there. Now she’s a May 2025 graduate and was
valedictorian of her class. She intends to build a new life in a community light-years from Houston and Denver.
“I did my research in terms of things that were important to me,” she said. “When I stayed in this area the summer before last, I met with the women at the local Chamber of Commerce. They were amazing and introduced me to tons of nature activities — kayaking, paddle boarding, fly fishing, hiking and mushroom hunting. You can be outdoors pretty much year round here. I get in my car to drive around because it’s so pretty and relaxing. It’s a radical change, but I’m excited about it.”
Still, Sanders said, scenery and a slower pace are mere bonuses to the overwhelming reason she chose Geisinger and Lewistown. “I wanted that human interaction. I was missing that as an administrator. I wanted to find a place where I could be connected and make a difference,” she said.
In her search, Geisinger School of Nursing stood out. “I appreciated Geisinger’s commitment to evidencebased care. Yes, it’s a small town, but we’re so advanced in terms of patient care. And in Lewistown, we still have the reach of the entire Geisinger system. I feel I’ll have opportunities to do different things because I don’t know exactly what kind of nurse I want to be. And Geisinger is not only modern and cutting-edge, it also has the distinct benefit of
allowing an employee or a student to be part of a local community in a meaningful way,” she said.
Since starting her studies, Sanders has been happy to find Geisinger’s promise of hands-on learning to be real.
“When I was doing my research, I spoke to various people in the community to get a feel for the School of Nursing’s reputation. Everyone told me Geisinger nurses are highly soughtafter, thanks to the amount of clinical experience they have when they get their degree. They’re prepared and ready to start working anywhere.”
Sanders hasn’t regretted her choices. “I’ve spoken to a lot of nurses throughout the community and here in the hospital, and they like their jobs. That’s all that matters at the end of the day: that you feel valued, like your job and like your coworkers. We all have a finite amount of time and energy, whether we’re living in a small town or a large city. I’m happy not to waste it on things like traffic, but instead put my time and energy into connecting with people and giving back to the community.”
Advocate, caregiver, innovator, educator
This nurse says every aspect of her career is a calling — one that can strike people at any stage of life.
Lauren Weaver knows all about being a traditional student — and she knows all about being a nontraditional student. She knows what it’s like to be called to nursing as an idealistic high school student, and she knows what it’s like to agonize over a career change as a mother with small children. She knows what it’s like to be young, nervous and alone with your first patient, and she knows what it’s like to mentor such a learner into a confident practitioner. The richness and diversity of her experience is why she’s so passionate about nursing. And why she wants to inspire others.
“I want to inspire people to choose nursing or to go back to school to be a nurse because it really is a calling. You’re with people in their most vulnerable times. We see them at their best and we see them at their worst. We’re advocates for them. We’re there for them when they don’t have families. Think about it — through COVID, families weren’t able to visit. Who was there?
The nurses. So yes, I would love to be an inspiration to anybody who’s considering going back to school. If it’s your passion, you can do it. Absolutely.”
Weaver backs up her encouraging words with her own experience. Her nursing journey showcases the breadth of the profession and the endless possibilities it offers. She has worked in home health, inpatient care, as a per-diem nurse and now as a nurse educator. Along the way, she’s added a master’s degree to her BSN and is now seeking nurse educator credentials.
Her first job was a nurse extern position at Geisinger Lewistown Hospital, which turned into an inpatient nursing job. From there, Weaver went into home health and hospice, which she found personally fulfilling. “I spent at least four years doing home health and hospice and Ioved it – I still do — but I was ready to slow down because I was pregnant with my third child,” she said. With the relationships she had established at Geisinger, she was able to move into a per diem role, once again at the Lewistown Hospital. It was there that the possibility of being a nurse educator arose.
“I knew (School of Nursing director) Beth Finkbiner because she grew up in the same area and she was
always at the hospital with students,” Weaver said. “She would ask me, ‘Hey, when are you coming over to the school?’ Her encouragement is what made me decide to move over to education.”
“The best thing about teaching is seeing my students’ growth, their skills, their confidence,” she said. “It’s rewarding to see them figuring it out — seeing when things click for them in the setting clinical and they’re like, ‘Oh we just learned about this in theory, but here we are in clinical taking care of a person with congestive heart failure’ and it all just makes sense. I love that.”
One other thing drives her in her role as preceptor and teacher — the dire need for nurses.
“I wouldn’t say it’s funny, but when I graduated from college in 2009, I honestly couldn’t find a job,” she said. “There just wasn’t this overabundance of positions available. And now we’re experiencing this shortage and Pennsylvania might be one of the worst as far as the nursing shortage goes. It’s a good feeling knowing that Geisinger School of Nursing is contributing to the health system — that I am contributing, not just as an educator but as a pipeline for locally grown talent. If you look at the demographics, there’s no shortage of local talent. So, our school increasing enrollment and then doing the dual enrollment, it’s just a great change and we are truly helping our communities and our neighbors.”
About the program
At Geisinger School of Nursing, you’ll benefit from:
• Hands-on training
• Small class sizes
• In-depth clinical exposure
• Experienced and dedicated faculty
ADN Program information
Geisinger School of Nursing offers one program of study in professional nursing. After completing the program, you’ll receive an Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN). You’ll then be eligible to apply for the National Licensure Exam (NCLEX-RN) to become a registered nurse.
The ADN program is a total of 70 credits. The nursing courses, totaling 46 credits, will be offered by Geisinger School of Nursing. The remaining 24 credits are general education courses. We’ve partnered with HACC, Central Pennsylvania’s Community College, to offer these courses to our students.
If you haven’t completed your general education courses before starting the RN program, you’ll need to complete them in the evening during or before the semester listed. All general education courses must be completed before your final semester.
Note to incoming LPNs: LPN-to-RN students will begin in the third semester and complete 54 credits in total. Of those, 30 nursing credits will be offered by Geisinger School of Nursing. The following general education courses must be completed prior to starting the third semester: Anatomy & Physiology 1 and 2, General Psychology and Lifecycle Development.
Plan of study
Geisinger School of Nursing offers a 5-semester plan of study. Fall and spring semesters are 16 weeks and summer semesters are 12 weeks.
Admissions requirements
Geisinger College of Health Sciences seeks to admit talented, communityminded students who wish to pursue the nursing profession using a holistic review of students’ metrics, attributes and experiences.
Admission requirements:
1. High school education – You must have completed work equivalent to a high school education.
An official high school transcript or GED is required.
2. The following coursework:
» Four units of English
» Three units of social studies
» Two units of mathematics (including algebra)
» Two units of science (general biology and general chemistry) with a related laboratory or the equivalent
3. Grade point average (GPA) – A “C” grade or better is required in algebra, general biology and general chemistry and each must be one full credit. C-minus won’t be accepted. In order to meet our prerequisite course requirements, you must have completed algebra, general biology and general chemistry with laboratory. If you have not yet completed these courses, you will need to do so before applying.
» A grade of “C” or better is required in algebra, general biology, and general chemistry. Each must be 1 full credit completed at the high school level or higher. A grade of C- or lower will not be accepted.
» We will accept courses that are repeated, provided the grade achieved is a C or higher.
4. Testing – You may take an entrance exam. The following tests are acceptable (but not required) for consideration for admission for the program:
» The ATI TEAS test
» National League for Nursing Preadmission Examination for RN
» ACT or SAT
5. Postsecondary education – If you’ve completed post-secondary coursework at an accredited university, you must submit a transcript(s) and detailed course description(s) for evaluation of academic achievement and possible credit transfer.
Note: Sophia learning courses do not fulfill general education course requirements.
6. Citizenship – You must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident of the United States.
7. Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) is required for applicants whose first language is not English.
Student life
Social life
As a Geisinger School of Nursing student, you’ll enjoy a vibrant, supportive social life beyond the classroom. The campus buzzes with activity as students engage in a wide array of social events and extracurricular activities, fostering a sense of community and camaraderie. Students collaborate and learn from one another, strengthening their academic knowledge and friendships.
Volunteering
Enriching volunteer opportunities seamlessly connect the institution with the broader community. These opportunities emphasize the importance of giving back and understanding the real-world impact of nursing. Every semester, you’re encouraged to participate in at least 2 volunteer activities that strengthen your practical skills and instills a profound sense of empathy and social responsibility. You’ll become involved in various community projects, from free blood pressure screenings and vaccination drives to outreach programs at local schools. These experiences enhance nursing skills and broaden your perspective, enabling you to apply your knowledge in diverse and meaningful ways.
Student sucess
Career support services and wellness
As a Geisinger School of Nursing student, you benefit from comprehensive career support services and wellness initiatives tailored to your needs. Faculty members fill multiple roles, serving not just as educators but also as dedicated advisors. They offer personalized guidance in career planning, providing invaluable insights into the nursing profession and helping you chart your path toward a successful career. You may also choose to be paired with a member of an upper class for “near peer” mentoring.
Geisinger School of Nursing prioritizes student wellness, recognizing the importance of a balanced lifestyle in nurturing you as a future healthcare professional. Wellness coaching is built into the curriculum. Through various programs and resources, you’re encouraged to prioritize self-care, looking out for your overall well-being while navigating the rigors of nursing education. This holistic approach makes sure you’re prepared — academically, emotionally and professionally — for the challenges and triumphs that lie ahead in your nursing career.
Financial aid
The Financial Aid Office can help you identify financial resources to achieve your educational goals while managing the cost of attendance. You can connect with a financial aid advisor by emailing nursingfinancialaid@geisinger.edu.
Ready to apply?
Application process
Geisinger School of Nursing accepts applications for two start terms: fall (beginning in August) and spring (beginning in January). Select which start term works best for your schedule and future goals.
1. Complete your School of Nursing application.
2. Submit official high school transcript and/or GED as required. Provide proof of prerequisite courses as outlined in admissions requirements.
3. Standardized test scores are optional, but can be added to your application material.
4. Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) is required for applicants whose first language is not English. The TOEFL is not optional if English is not your first language.
5. Submit official college and/or post-secondary education transcripts (past or current are required) if applicable.
6. Submit LPN license if applicable.
7. Submit 3 letters of recommendation. Letters can be uploaded or sent directly to gchsnursing@geisinger.edu
Contact us at:
Geisinger School of Nursing
111 E. Market St. Lewistown, PA 17044
570-600-5669
Fax: 717-242-7933
gchsnursing@geisinger.edu
geisinger.edu/son
SCHOOL OF NURSING
111 E. Market St.
Lewistown, PA 17044
717-242-7930
Fax: 717-242-7933
gchsnursing@geisinger.edu geisinger.edu/son
Start your nursing journey with less financial stress
With the Geisinger’s Nursing and Health Sciences Scholars Program, you can focus on building your nursing career while easing the burden of student loans. Get the support you need to make a difference in healthcare with more financial peace of mind.