Benitha Garrett

Q: “Tell us about yourself, Benitha.”
A: “I live in North Olmsted, Ohio. I have been married for 21 years with two wonderful children. I enjoy arts and crafts and I am very active in leadership at my church."

Q: “What is your current employer, your title, and describe your professional life.”
A: “I have been employed as a nurse in a variety of settings including cardiac step down, cardiothoracic surgery, skill nursing, and long-term care. I am currently a Nurse Manager at Koinonia Homes, Inc., an agency provider of services to individuals with developmental disabilities. I teach medication administration to unlicensed personnel, oversee the healthcare services provided in nine of our group homes and I am responsible for managing our CPR compliance program for all associates. I also run my own company, Benevolent Care Centers, providing training and nurse consultation."

Q: “What was your motivation for pursuing your degree?”
A: "I wanted to continue my education to empower myself to advance my nursing career."

Q: “What makes Norwich unique?”
A: "The faculty provided a learning experience that was student-centered and rich with support. I believe that I am well prepared to take on the new challenges ahead in my career as a nurse educator because of the education that I gained at Norwich University."

Q: “Please describe any memorable experiences with members of your cohort.”
A: "What I can say is that I appreciated having members of my cohort who were giving and had an attitude of looking out for their fellow nurses. One of the members of my cohort shared resources that helped the entire cohort better understand content being presented. I was surprised because I have traditionally operated in environments where competition precluded nurses from helping each other in this manner. The gesture changed my perspective and enhanced who I am as a nurse and team member."

Q: “How have you grown personally or professionally as a result of your education?”
A: "I have grown both personally and professionally. Accomplishing my education at Norwich helped me to realize how much stamina and discipline I have. It was not always easy to stay the course. However, the support that I received from the faculty and my advisor helped me to stay focused and prove to myself that I could do it. Professionally, I have evolved into a more confident leader, ready to challenge the status quo and become a change agent in the nursing profession."

Q: “Please tell us about any examples where you were able to put your knowledge to work immediately at your job.”
A: "The very first class of the MSN program, Health Systems Analysis, required proposing a solution to a current health care system that required improvement. Because of the knowledge that I gained, I was able to implement the system that I proposed to improve CPR/FA training compliance at the agency where I work. After one year of implementation, CPR compliance improved significantly and became the best compliance rate of all trainings conducted within our agency. The rate of non-compliance was almost negligible."

Q: “What aspects of your Norwich experience will you carry most strongly with you?”
A: "The faculty of Norwich served as exemplary examples of educators who were able to provide a student-centered learning environment in which I could flourish and grow as a professional. The information that I learned and skills that I gained in the classes have dramatically enhanced my ability to be an effective educator."

Q: “Anything else you would like to tell us about your experiences at Norwich or the impact of Norwich on your life?”
A: "I will continue to embrace lifelong learning and pursue a doctorate degree. My passion for education was fueled by the education that I gained at Norwich University and the support of the faculty who ensured that I had the tools to be successful and achieve more than I ever thought I could."