Vision
The College of Nursing will become a premier institution for nursing education, research, and service.Academic excellence - A comprehensive, continuous, cooperative academic program will prepare nurses for leadership in health care practice and in research.
Research - Collaborative and individual nursing research achievements will be recognized for their contributions to promoting and advancing nursing practice and leadership.
Service - Integral to this vision is service to health-care consumers throughout the State of New Jersey, particularly the vulnerable and underserved.
Philosophy
The philosophy of Rutgers College of Nursing reflects the faculty's beliefs about humans, the environment, health, nursing, and learning. The philosophy provides direction to the curricula of all programs in the school.Humans are holistic beings expressed through biological, psychological, cultural, and spiritual dimensions. As they move through the life span, humans progress through discernible phases of development, each having its own set of tasks, needs, and health- care requirements.
The environment is broadly defined as comprising physical, social, cultural, economic, and political dimensions. Humans' health reflects their interaction with the environment.
Health is a dynamic physical, mental and social phenomenon that emerges from human-environment interactions. Health is evaluated by the individual's subjective feelings of well-being and by bio-behavioral measures and standards. Health needs are viewed from within a developmental context and are met through health promotion, risk reduction, and illness and symptom management.
Nursing is an art as well as a science. As an art, nursing promotes, restores, and maintains the health of humans throughout their lives through culturally sensitive care to diverse populations. Health maintenance and optimum wellness are the desired outcomes of care. As a science, nursing also relies on research and scientific methods that inform both its body of knowledge and its practice.
Learning is the acquisition of knowledge, cognitive skills, values, and beliefs. Learning occurs through inquiry and experience and builds on prior knowledge and skills. Self-motivation, self-awareness, and open communication are intrinsic to the learning process. Dynamic interactions that occur between and among students and faculty enhance learning.The outcome of this learning process is a knowledgeable and compassionate graduate able to integrate and apply nursing knowledge competently for the betterment of the client being served.
A baccalaureate education prepares the student to function as an autonomous professional in a variety of health care settings with ethical and cultural sensitivity for diverse population groups. The graduate possesses a broad knowledge base as well as skills in critical thinking, clinical reasoning, judgment, and leadership.
Graduate education in nursing builds upon the general baccalaureate education. The graduate of the master's program is prepared to function as an advanced practice nurse, as a nurse practitioner, or as a clinical nurse specialist, who is an expert practitioner in a specialized field, incorporating theories and principles of nursing, education, management, and research. As leaders in the profession, graduates work to influence health policy and make significant contributions to the health care delivery system. Graduates are prepared to pursue doctoral education.
Nursing has a distinct body of knowledge that must be extended, verified, and revised using the methods of scientific inquiry. The doctoral program prepares nurse scientists who will advance the discipline of nursing through research and theory development. Graduates are expected to provide leadership for the advancement of the discipline in the scientific community and in academic and service institutions.
The College of Nursing is committed to the continuing education of nurses. Possession of current knowledge and skills relevant to professional nursing practice enables practicing nurses to provide comprehensive, quality, health care.
