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for Chamberlain College of Nursing
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Chamberlain College of Nursing to Host ‘Nurses’ Night at the Ballpark’ with Chicago Cubs Local nurse to throw first pitch, nursing student to sing national anthem at tonight’s game

CHICAGO—May 10, 2011—In celebration of National Nurses Week (May 6-12), Chamberlain College of Nursing is teaming up with Nursing Spectrum, a Gannett company, to host the second annual “Nurses’ Night at the Ballpark” with the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field on May 10. The evening is dedicated to recognizing Chicago area nurses and nurse educators for their commitment to continually improving patient care. Registered nurse (RN), Karen Filpi, will throw the ceremonial first pitch, and Chamberlain nursing student, Bianca Giraldo, will sing the national anthem.

Chamberlain College of Nursing, a proud advocate for the nursing profession, sponsors “Nurses’ Night at the Ballpark” annually, as a way to recognize and thank all the nurses of the Chicago area who are devoted to meeting the diverse needs of their patients.

“At Chamberlain, we value the critical and exceptional care that nurses deliver every day,” said Susan Groenwald, president of Chamberlain College of Nursing. “Joining with the Chicago Cubs and Nursing Spectrum to host ‘Nurses’ Night at the Ballpark’ gives us all the chance to publically applaud nurses for their work and encourage the public to do the same.”

The Chicago Cubs are well-acquainted with the value of quality nursing care. After all, nurses played a significant role in the life of Cubs starting pitcher Ryan Dempster, whose daughter Riley was born in April 2009 with a chromosomal disease that required continual care.

“Nurses are true heroes for their compassion and unparalleled ability to care for their patients,” said Dempster. “On behalf of the Chicago Cubs organization, we salute all those who work in this critical profession. I know my daughter Riley’s good health today is a result of the remarkable care she received from her nurses.”

Huntley, Ill. resident, Karen Filpi, RN, was chosen to throw the ceremonial first pitch of the “Nurses’ Night at the Ballpark” game after entering Chamberlain’s online essay contest in which registered nurses were invited to share the proudest moment of their career. Filpi worked with newborns in the neonatal intensive care unit for more than 20 years at Children’s Memorial Hospital in Chicago, Advocate Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge, Ill. and Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital in Barrington, Ill.

One year into her career, Filpi was asked to care for a baby boy who was born with half a heart. The baby fought for 21 days until the family received news that a heart was available for transplant. Throughout the wait for surgery, Karen developed a close bond with the baby and his family and still maintains a relationship with them today. Karen was also present for his second heart and kidney transplants in October 2009.

“When I think back to that day 22 years ago, I often think how different my life might be if I was not the nurse chosen to admit that baby,” said Filpi. “I’ve taken care of many kids and met many families throughout my nursing career, and it’s truly shaped me into the person I am today. Nursing is about providing quality healthcare, but it’s also about building relationships and showing compassion for others.”

For Woodridge, Ill. resident and Chamberlain College of Nursing student Bianca Giraldo, singing the national anthem at a ballpark was a lifelong goal. As a longtime Cubs fan, she is thrilled to have the opportunity to sing at Wrigley Field and proud to represent Chamberlain at the game. Despite winning NBC5-Chicago’s “Give me the Mic” singing competition in 2004, for which she was awarded a recording contract, Giraldo chose to pursue a career in nursing. Following her graduation from Chamberlain College of Nursing this summer, she plans to work as an intensive care or cardiac care unit nurse.

If interested in exploring a career in nursing or learning more about Chamberlain College of Nursing, visit www.chamberlain.edu/findyourself.

About Chamberlain College of Nursing
Chamberlain College of Nursing offers bachelor’s and master’s degree programs in nursing. Campuses are currently located in Phoenix, Arizona; Jacksonville, Florida; Addison and Chicago, Illinois; St. Louis, Missouri; Columbus, Ohio; Houston, Texas; and Arlington, Virginia.

Chamberlain College of Nursing is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission (HLC) and is a member of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools, ncahlc.org. HLC is one of the six regional agencies that accredit U.S. colleges and universities at the institutional level. The Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree program at the Addison, Arlington, Chicago, Columbus, Houston, Jacksonville, Phoenix and St. Louis campuses and the Master of Science in Nursing degree program are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE, One Dupont Circle, NW, Suite 530, Washington, DC 20036, 202.887.6791). The Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree program at the St. Louis and Columbus campuses and the Associate Degree in Nursing program are accredited by the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission (NLNAC). The Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree programs at the Phoenix and the Addison campuses are candidates for accreditation by NLNAC. Candidacy is the first step toward NLNAC accreditation (NLNAC, 3343 Peachtree Road NE, Suite 850, Atlanta, GA 30326, 404.975.5000). Accreditation provides assurance to the public and to prospective students that standards of quality have been met.

Chamberlain College of Nursing 2450 Crystal Drive, Arlington, VA 22202 is certified to operate by the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia, 101 N. 14th Street, 10th Floor, James Monroe Building, Richmond, VA 23219, 804.225.2600. Chamberlain College of Nursing has provisional approval from the Virginia Board of Nursing, Perimeter Center, 9960 Mayland Drive, Suite 300, Henrico, VA 23233-1463, 804.367.4515.

Program availability varies by location. Chamberlain reserves the right to update information as it becomes available. Information is current at the time of posting. For the most updated accreditation information, visit chamberlain.edu/accreditation.

Chamberlain College of Nursing, LLC is a part of DeVry Inc. (NYSE: DV), a global provider of educational services. ©2011 Chamberlain College of Nursing, LLC. All rights reserved. www.chamberlain.edu.

About Nursing Spectrum
Nursing Spectrum is published by Gannett Healthcare Group, a nursing and health care communications company and the largest print and electronic publisher of news, employment opportunities and, through its division Gannett Education, continuing education opportunities for registered nurses, physical therapists and occupational therapists. In addition to Nursing Spectrum, GHG publishes the magazines NurseWeek, Nurse.com The Magazine, Today in PT and Today in OT, as well as the websites Nurse.com, TodayinPT.com and TodayinOT.com.

Gannett Education provides an online and print inventory of more than 700 CE courses available for retail purchase on Nurse.com; employer-sponsored access to the same CE inventory for more than 300,000 nurses from 350 hospitals through CE Direct®; and a wide variety of venues for education, such as regional career fairs, CE seminars and Blend Vocation With Vacation® cruises and study tours.

For more information regarding GHG, visit Gannetthg.com.