School of Nursing

Degree Offered

Doctor of Nursing Practice

Philosophy

The School of Nursing faculty, as members of the University community, share and extend its mission and core values. The School of Nursing supports the University’s vision of being “an institution where high-achieving scholars are engaged in transformative teaching and learning, civic outreach, interdisciplinary research and innovative solutions to global challenges.” (Preeminence 2023). Furthermore, as a School within the College of Health and Human Sciences (CHHS) we are devoted to distinguished education, scholarship, and community engagement achieved through exemplary teaching, devoted mentoring, interdisciplinary and innovative research, and dedicated service that promote health and wellness with a special focus on those who are underserved. We strive to achieve a diverse learning environment that values human dignity, integrity, and social justice, which are fundamental to the discipline of Nursing. We also believe that accountability, responsibility, and professionalism are required attributes of nursing professionals.

We consider professional nursing an art and a science. It is a changing, interactive, evidence-based, patient-centered practice discipline. The focus of the practice of the professional Nurse includes the diagnosis and treatment of human responses to actual or potential health problems/life processes (American Nurses Association Guide to Nursing’s Social Policy Statement: Understanding the Profession from Social Contract to Social Covenant, 2015). Nurses use the Nursing process as a systematic approach to plan and implement safe, quality, patient-centered Nursing care and to make clinical judgments in a variety of settings. We are committed to addressing health disparities by supporting and implementing research, training, education, and intervention programs that will improve the health of underserved and vulnerable populations.

We believe that health is a dynamic state of wholeness (mind-body-spirit) influenced by one’s cultural beliefs and personal circumstances. We believe that patients are active participants in their health care and Nurses are collaborators in their decisions regarding health promotion and illness prevention. We believe the Nurse practices within a health care system that is diverse and that is constantly changing in response to advances in technology and health-promoting discoveries.

The School of Nursing addresses the health and Nursing care needs of patients across the lifespan and in various health care environments. The Nursing curriculum provides a foundation for Nursing practice built on a body of knowledge derived from the humanities, arts, biological, physical and social sciences, and Nursing. The program prepares individuals for professional Nursing practice with the skills and knowledge necessary to expand their current practice and pursue graduate education and lifelong learning.

Mission

The mission of the School of Nursing is to provide an environment of academic excellence in which to educate and prepare students to become professional Nurses committed to lifelong learning, scholarly inquiry, civility and service which will enhance the health and wellness of diverse communities. We contribute to the body of Nursing knowledge through scholarly activities and the dissemination of findings. We provide service to local, regional, state, national, and global communities by facilitating community engagement.

Core Values

Faculty affirms the University and College values. The values of the institution are reinforced in classroom and clinical instruction, through the activities of the student nursing organizations, and in interactions between students and their academic faculty coaches. In addition, the faculty of the School of Nursing embrace the core values of accountability, responsibility, and professionalism. The core values of the University, College and the School of Nursing are expressed in the philosophy and mission statements and are reflected in program goals.

Organizing Framework

The Organizing Framework for the School of Nursing is:

Based on a foundation of general education knowledge
Dedicated to the acquisition and application of knowledge related to the science, art, and practice of Nursing
Built on a progression from simple to complex concepts
Focused on client health needs across the lifespan
Grounded in evidence-based practice in a variety of health care environments

Programs

Doctor of Nursing Practice, DNP