Nashville-based health care company acquires Galen College of Nursing

SOURCE: Louisville Courier Journal

AUTHOR: Matthew Glowicki

A Nashville-based health care provider is acquiring the Galen College of Nursing, the provider announced Thursday.

HCA Healthcare will become the majority owner in Galen's parent company, pending regulatory approval, according to a news release.

Galen has a location in Louisville, 1031 Zorn Ave, as well as campuses in: Hazard, Kentucky; San Antonio, Texas; Tampa Bay, Florida; and Cincinnati, Ohio. The private nursing school also offers an online campus.

HCA Healthcare operates 185 hospitals and about 1,800 other care sites in 21 U.S. states and in the United Kingdom, according to the release.

Explaining the change, Galen spokeswoman Anna Kitson said one of Galen's three owners is planning on retiring, providing the opportunity to find a partner who could provide longevity and additional resources "to help us make an even greater impact on nursing education and the nursing workforce in our country."

“There will be no changes to our offerings except for the potential for additional program development in the future and no impact for our students other than future opportunity,” Kitson said.

She added that the same goes for staff and faculty.

“They respect that we are experts in nursing education and they want to work with us in support of that, not change what we do or how we do it,” she said.

The partnership is expected to provide growth opportunities to the nursing school, including the establishment of Galen nursing programs at HCA healthcare affiliates, the release notes.

The Louisville campus has more than 1,400 nursing students and more than 5,000 students system wide, according to a recent news release. It offers associate, baccalaureate and practical/vocational nursing program degrees.

Galen College of Nursing, on Zorn Ave. in Louisville. Sept. 14, 2017. (Photo: By Pat McDonogh, The C-J)