Mission, Vision and Philosophy
Mission
In support of the South College mission statement, the mission of the School of Nursing is to provide a high quality undergraduate and graduate nursing education that challenges students through curriculum and collaborative interaction. Because academic programs at South College are professional and career-focused, the School of Nursing MSN program responds to local, regional, and national employment needs and supports current workforce trends.
Vision
The South College School of Nursing aspires to become a nursing school of distinction through an integrated and student-focused curriculum. The MSN Program is committed to providing an education that values excellence in ethical patient care and professional growth and integrity.
Philosophy
The wellness-illness continuum of care provides the overall organizing framework that serves as the philosophical structure for the nursing curriculum at the South College School of Nursing, with students introduced to a variety of nursing theoretical frameworks. Related concepts emphasized in the nursing curriculum include ethical decision-making, critical thinking, effective communication, leadership, and management.
Person
A person is a unique, holistic, adaptive, open system. Persons, either alone or in groups, families, or communities, have inherent basic rights and choices. Each person is multi-dimensional with variables such as age, gender, culture, race, religion, socioeconomic status, and lifestyle choices.
Environment
Environment is a complex, open system functioning in a dynamic state of change. The environment is both internal and external, uniquely perceived by each person, either alone or in groups, families, or communities.
Health
Health is a dynamic phenomenon encompassing physical, emotional and spiritual parameters. Health is individually perceived and influenced by internal and external factors.
Nursing
Professional nursing is an art and a science with caring as the core concept. The role of the nurse is to facilitate optimal independent functioning of persons, alone or in groups, through the promotion, maintenance, and restoration of health. The professional nurse will utilize critical thinking and the nursing process to plan and implement care.
Professional Nursing Education
Nursing education is an interactive process. The MSN faculty of the South College School of Nursing embraces the concepts of professional nursing education as described in the Essentials of Master’s Education in Nursing (AACN, 2011) and the Graduate-Level QSEN Competencies Knowledge, Skills and Attitudes (AACN, 2012).