Brandon Haeseler’s Path Started at Jefferson and Led to LVHN

As the Philadelphia Eagles Super Bowl victory parade made its way down Broad Street in February 2018, Brandon Haeseler was on his way to the Jefferson – Dixon Campus, home to Jefferson College of Nursing, where he was set to begin the one-year Accelerated Bachelor of Science (BSN) Plus (ABSN+) program.

“I did not plan to go to nursing school,” Haeseler says. “But as fate would have it, I became a nurse, and I could not see myself doing anything else.”

His path led him to Thomas Jefferson University and ultimately to Lehigh Valley Health Network (LVHN).

The ABSN+ pathway is designed for students who already hold a bachelor’s degree in a field other than nursing. Students earn a BSN degree in 12 consecutive months of intensive full-time study.

Haeseler, a Schuylkill County native, knew he wanted a career in health care. After graduating from Arcadia University with a bachelor’s degree in biology, he wasn’t sure what direction his career would take until he found Jefferson College of Nursing. When he graduated, he was sure he’d land a nursing job in Philadelphia until fate intervened once again and he found the perfect fit at LVHN.

“I always wanted to work at LVHN,” Haeseler says. “I’d drive by Lehigh Valley Hospital–Cedar Crest on Interstate 78 and think, ‘I’ll work there one day.’”

He joined LVHN as a registered nurse (RN) on the transitional trauma unit in 2019 and has been there since.

Thomas Jefferson University’s College of Nursing provided a strong foundation for Haeseler’s nursing career.

Shared governance is a pillar of the American Nurses Credentialing Center Magnet Recognition Program® and a focus of nursing education at Thomas Jefferson University and nursing practice at LVHN.

Nurses are encouraged to participate in unit and hospital-wide professional governance models, meaning they have a say in decision making. Haeseler chairs two unit-based committees and co-chairs a third. He also serves on a hospital-wide committee. He is a preceptor, so he orients new colleagues, and he is actively pursuing trauma certification with LVHN’s support.

“The Accelerated BSN program at Thomas Jefferson University prepared me to advance nursing practice and the supportive environment at LVHN empowers me to make a real impact,” he says.

Growing up in a rural community, Haeseler saw firsthand the challenge of accessing health care. He is excited by more access to care and doctors to serve his community made possible by the combination of Jefferson and LVHN. 

As Jefferson and LVHN come together for the future of care, the combination creates a leading integrated academic health care delivery system alongside a national doctoral research university.

“Being part of Jefferson means access to a pipeline of doctors and nurses to help care for our communities,” Haeseler says. “It also means there is so much opportunity to learn and progress in your career. Whether you are starting nursing school or going for your master’s or doctorate degree, we have access to more than 200 programs through Thomas Jefferson University.”