Department of Nursing

Philosophy

The Department of Nursing embraces the mission of the university, which has historically provided educational programs responsive to the needs of the community, nation, and the world.  The philosophy of the Nursing Department provides a holistic set of beliefs governing the baccalaureate degree programs.

Society - a dynamic system of interacting subsystems, the goals of which are to attain and to maintain a steady state.  We believe society is composed of diverse groupings of people across the life span reflecting various ethno-cultural orientations.  The adjustment modification strategies used by these subsystems for the attainment and maintenance of the steady state are influenced by a multiplicity of factors that characterize society.  These include ethical, legal, historical, social, environmental, cultural, economical, and political factors.  The interrelationship of factors in the environment, both internal and external to individuals, families, groups, and communities, creates a milieu in which these systems grow and exchange, thus influencing their states of health.

Person - a bio-psycho-socio-cultural-spiritual being who is continually striving to maintain homeostasis and working towards maximum potential.  As a member of a societal system, a person is influenced by the multiplicity of factors that characterize society.  The individual’s ability to adapt within society is influenced further by developmental and maturational accomplishments.  As continually developing beings, humans adapt to or modify an ever changing environment as they strive toward a state of self-actualization. 

Health - a dynamic state located on a continuum between wellness and illness.  On this continuum, health reflects the inter-relationship among the biological, psychological, sociocultural, and spiritual components of the individual.  The relative balance among these components influences the individual’s state of health.  The individual constantly seeks to attain and/or maintain an optimal level of health through self-directed care.  Well being is a perception of health and human existence and is influenced by lifestyles and human experiences within the context of culture and society.  Attaining and maintaining health and well being are the responsibilities of a society and its members as a whole.  Diverse populations in diverse committees have the right to access health care within the parameters of available health resources. 

Teaching/Learning - an interactive process between teacher and learner, the outcomes of which include changes on cognitive, psychomotor, and affective behaviors.  The process promotes self-understanding and motivation for continued learning and personal growth, thereby enhancing the development of the learner as a contributing responsible member of the discipline of nursing and of society.

Learning is most meaningful when it is related to the pursuit of the individual’s personal goals.  Individuals have varied learning styles and progress at different rates.  The learner is viewed as a responsible participant who should be encouraged in self-expression, creativity, and freedom to discover.  Learning is a lifelong process that builds on a foundation of concepts and skills from simple to complex, acquired from previous experiences.  The teaching/learning process facilitates the development of critical thinking, decision making, and independent judgment.  Learning is dynamic process that results in a change in attitude, values, thoughts, and behavior.  Furthermore, the process is enhanced by reinforcement, role modeling, and mutual respect between the teacher and the learner.  In addition, teaching/learning is facilitated by the use of a variety of educational methods, incorporating multi-sensory approaches such as lecture/discussion, demonstration, role playing, simulations, computerized technology, and practical application in a variety of settings.

Nursing - a critical subsystem of the health care delivery system.  Its goal is to maximize the self-care potential of individuals and groups of all ages regardless of their locations on the wellness-illness continuum.  The focus of nursing is to promote therapeutic client outcomes, which include enhancing and maintaining health, providing illness care, assisting in habilitation/rehabilitation, and comforting the dying.  This is accomplished through the steps of assessing, diagnosing, planning, implementing, and evaluating activities with individuals and/or groups when their self-care agency is inadequate to meet their therapeutic self-care demands.  The practice of nursing takes place within the context of a therapeutic relationship.

The scope of nursing includes teaching, research, and administration.  Within this context, effective interpersonal and communicative skills are essential components of nursing practice.  Given current and emerging social, economical, and political trends, health teaching is essential to nursing’s role in health promotion and maintenance.  The discipline of nursing synthesizes theories and concepts from the natural and social sciences and the humanities into the practice of nursing.  Nursing has the responsibility to continue to develop and expand the body of nursing knowledge through research such that client outcomes, nursing practice, and nursing education are enhanced.  In addition, with the broadening scope and complexity of nursing practice, nursing must provide heightened leadership, management, and control of its own activities through a specified set of socially responsible standards of nursing practice.  Nursing as a professional discipline must be accountable to itself and to its consumers. 

Nursing Education - an organized process by which individuals are prepared to assume nursing practice roles and provide competent nursing assistance within the health care delivery system.  Nursing education should take place within institutions of higher education.  Instruction in the humanities, natural and behavioral sciences, and nursing theories provides a foundation for the development of the cognitive, psychomotor, and affective skills necessary for the practice of nursing.  Baccalaureate graduates are provided the ethical foundations for practice and learn to appreciate human diversity and the effects of global health care on health care systems, policy, and economics.  Baccalaureate education prepares nurses to function in the six interrelated roles of advocate, clinician, collaborator/coordinator, educator, leader, and participant and user of research.  Education is a lifelong process, and it is the responsibility of each professional nurse to seek lifelong educational opportunities.

The baccalaureate degree is the minimal education preparation to practice as a generalist in professional nursing.  The baccalaureate graduate uses the nursing process in providing and managing therapeutic nursing intervention to individuals, families, groups, and communities with common or uncommon health conditions - the outcomes of which may be predictable or unpredictable.  The baccalaureate graduate analyzes the effects of research on legal, ethical, political, economic, and social processes on client outcomes, nursing practice and the health care delivery system.  In addition, the baccalaureate graduate acts as a change agent and client advocate, using the principles of leadership and management when collaborating and consulting with other health care providers.  Upon completion of the program, the baccalaureate graduate articulates a personal philosophy, which demonstrates commitment to continuous learning, excellence in practice, and promotion of the profession of nursing.