Nursing Program Objectives

The nursing program is dedicated to the pursuit of higher learning grounded in the arts, sciences, and humanities. Program objectives reflect the philosophy and curricular focus, emphasizing the ethic of care, critical thinking, and a spirit of inquiry in education, practice, service and research. Based upon these and other concepts, students are encouraged in practices of caring through interactions and forming of relationships between their patient/clients, peers and faculty. The program has six overall objectives that are delineated into distinct levels which determine course content and progression to more complex learning within the nursing program. These objectives provide the framework for theory and clinical learning experiences throughout the curriculum.

Graduates will be prepared to practice professional nursing. Upon completion of the Stevenson University baccalaureate nursing program, graduates will

1. Integrate the concepts of caring in nursing practice in diverse health care settings across the health-illness continuum.
2. Engage in holistic reflective nursing practice informed by the arts, sciences, and humanities.
3. Exhibit competencies in critical thinking, communication, evidence-based decision making, scholarly inquiry and technical skills in the practice of nursing.
4. Integrate professional competencies in the nursing roles of provider, designer, manager, and coordinator of care and participate as an active member of the profession.
5. Assume ethical and legal responsibility and accountability in nursing practice, exemplifying the values of altruism, autonomy, human dignity, integrity, and social justice.
6. Apply leadership concepts, skills, and decision-making in creating caring environments to promote health and healing in individuals, families, communities, and global populations.