Married AdventHealth nurses earn bachelor’s degrees together while caring for patients

Thomas Carim and Brinna Carim spend their days caring for patients at AdventHealth Waterman. At home, they study side by side, reflecting on their work and raising a young family.

Recently, they reached a milestone together, earning Bachelor of Science in Nursing degrees.

A BSN builds on a nurse’s initial training, preparing them to take on more complex care, expand their knowledge and better support patients.

For the Carims, the journey was shared from the start.

“We met on a cruise in 2022,” Thomas Carim said. “Now, we’re building a life where everything we do is connected to caring for others.”

Thomas Carim works on a medical-surgical observation unit at AdventHealth Waterman. His path to nursing was shaped in part by years of living with asthma.

“I remember being the one in the hospital bed,” he said. “Now, I get to walk into the room and help someone feel a little less alone.”

Brinna Carim, who cares for patients in AdventHealth Waterman’s oncology unit, found her direction while helping her grandfather through an illness.

“You don’t forget moments like that,” she said. “They shape how you show up for people.

The Carims are among 11 AdventHealth Waterman nurses who completed the BSN program through a partnership with Lake-Sumter State College. The nurses were recognized as part of Lake-Sumter State College’s graduation ceremony on Friday, May 8.

Through the partnership, nurses complete coursework in a structured program designed for working professionals, with schedules that allow them to continue caring for patients while earning their degrees.

The program is part of AdventHealth’s broader efforts to create opportunities for nurses to advance their education while continuing to care for patients.

Funding from the AdventHealth Waterman Foundation and the state’s Linking Industry to Nursing Education (LINE) program helped cover tuition, fees and books, removing financial barriers that can delay or prevent nurses from continuing their education.

Going through the program together gave the couple a steady source of encouragement.

“We kept each other going,” Thomas Carim said. “On the hard days, you didn’t have to explain anything. The other person already understood.”

Hospital leaders say that kind of growth reaches patients in meaningful ways.

“This reflects the commitment our nurses bring to their work every day,” said Lisa Bowman, chief nursing officer at AdventHealth Waterman. “They’re choosing to develop in ways that shape the care patients receive. We’re grateful for our Foundation and the donors who are helping clear the path for more nurses to take this step.”

Efforts like this help address the rising need for more skilled nurses in Lake County, where access to care depends on a well-trained workforce.

“For working nurses in our community, earning a BSN represents both professional growth and a commitment to high-quality patient care,” said Christine Ramos, associate vice president of health professions programs at Lake-Sumter State College. “Earning a BSN gives nurses the opportunity to build on the knowledge they already bring to the bedside and continue growing in their practice. Programs like this also help keep skilled nurses in our community and support the future of health care in our region.”

For the Carims, the degree represents more than a professional step. It reflects the life they are building together, one shift and one class at a time.

“It’s not just about finishing,” Brinna Carim said. “It’s about becoming the kind of nurse people can count on when it matters most.”

Along with the Carims, the following AdventHealth Waterman nurses completed the program: Angela Hamblin, Ashley Purdy, Cammisha Snelling, Dana Asbury Kutzli, Detra Allen, Georgette Ayers, Kayla Blackstock, Kayla Livingston and Olena Justiniano.