SPRINGFIELD—Lincoln Land Community College expanded its nursing program by hiring Professor Brian Douglas. There is a need for more nurses in the country and in the state. This lack of nurses has led to big signing bonuses and tuition reimbursement but with many challenges to those willing to be a nursing college student.

“I think we learn better with a little bit of humor and activities.” Douglas said, “I’ve never been one to just sit in a classroom and just listen to a lecture. I like my students to be engaged in the classroom.”

Making time for coursework, reading textbooks, and clinical work leaves most students with no time left over for themselves. Douglas makes his students his top priority. He dedicates as much time for his students as they do to their education. Douglas teaches on the main Lincoln Land campus as well as clinicals at Memorial Medical Center, on the orthopedic floor twice a week. He will be teaching the mental health section as well.

Douglas admits to holding pretty high standards for his students. However, he wants them to seek out as much help as they need early on. Douglas can teach more than just the curriculum, but also military proficiency.

Douglas served in the active military in Texas for four years and when he reached the date of his Expiration of Term of Service (ETS), he was switched to military reserve. His duty station in Nashville and graduated from nursing school from Austin Pay State University, a four-year public university located in Clarksville, Tennessee. But before joining the military, he served in a different way.

“I always wanted to do something medical, or in the medical field. And I think it started in my anatomy and physiology class in high school.” Douglas said.

Douglas grew up on a ranch in Arizona until he was fourteen. After that, his family moved to Des Moines, Iowa. After high school, Douglas went to school to become a paramedic. He worked as a paramedic for a few years. The fact that Douglas is now a professor, he sees as sort of an accident.

“I taught at a University in Des Moines from 2006 to about 2016. Yeah, for ten years, I got a little thing for ten years.” Douglas said.

Douglas really enjoys it here on campus and likes the team atmosphere of LLCC’s top-rated nursing program.

Theo Kennon III can be reached at [email protected].