Mission Statement

The University of Evansville Dunigan Family School of Nursing’s mission is to develop nurse leaders and agents of change in their communities.

Statement Of Philosophy

The philosophy of the University of Evansville Baccalaureate Nursing Program is in harmony with the philosophy of the University. The American Nurses’ Association Social Policy Statement (2010) defines nursing as “the protection, promotion, and optimization of health and abilities, prevention of illness and injury, alleviation of suffering through the diagnosis and treatment of human response, and advocacy in the care of individuals, families, communities, and populations” (p.10). This emphasis on human responses as its primary concern recognizes nursing as a caring art. Therefore, we believe that the foundation for nursing is a liberal arts and sciences-based curriculum.

The philosophy of the program includes beliefs about people, environment, health, learning and nursing derived from a variety of disciplines. These beliefs support the conceptual framework of the curriculum designed to prepare broadly educated people capable of participating in the multi-disciplinary delivery of health care. We value self-responsibility, autonomy, altruistic caring, leadership, and scholarship as qualities of the professional nurse.

We view people (individuals and groups) as having body, mind, and spirit in an integral relationship that is more than the sum of the parts. People have the unique capability of abstract thinking and reflection that allows them to derive meaning from the human condition. People are sentient beings, and their feelings and emotions are an expression of the integrated whole. They are paradoxical in that self is partly defined by meaningful relationships with others while it retains its own uniqueness. People experience development of incredible complexity across the life span.

Environment pertains to the contextual field in which people live and function responsively. It consists of the diverse physical, social, economic and cultural influences upon individuals and aggregates within the environment as they seek integration and balance. Human interaction necessitates the formation of moral/ethical approaches and the development of values and beliefs that contribute to an evolving view of society and its relationship to the world.

Health is a concept that seeks to encompass the personal experience of well-being. It has functional, emotional, and spiritual dimensions that relate to integral dynamic balance within the environment.

Nursing is an evolving body of knowledge. Theoretical concepts used in the discipline of nursing are derived from nursing science and tradition and from constructs and theories applied from other sciences and traditions. Nursing science is advanced by quantitative and qualitative research and by reflective analysis of practice.

We engage our students in the creative enterprise of learning. Learning ultimately is a self-motivated, active process that enhances life- long development. Learning may be facilitated by teachers, mentors and peers and is nurtured in an atmosphere of mutual trust and respect.

Nurses use therapeutic interaction, the nursing process, and critical thinking to plan and manage health care. They are concerned about the dynamic interaction between environment and people and its potential impact upon health. Nurses use leadership and political action to influence emergence of a global view that incorporates the concept of “health for all” as an ideal.

End Of Program Learning Outcomes

The goal of the University of Evansville Baccalaureate Nursing Program is to prepare a liberally educated professional nurse. The Professional Nurse graduating from this program has the following attributes:

1. Has mastered the University General Education component that has prepared them for the diversity of human experiences and engaging the skills of critical thinking.
2. Applies knowledge from the discipline of nursing to support critical thinking necessary for reflective practice.
3. Committed to altruistic service with sensitivity to the needs of vulnerable groups in society.
4. Practices as a member of a multidisciplinary team at a level consistent with beginning professional practice.
5. Competent and safe in nursing modalities of care in a variety of settings at a level consistent with beginning professional practice.
6. Competent in leadership and management skills at a level consistent with beginning professional practice.
7. Committed to self-directed learning as a means to improve practice and add to the body of knowledge in nursing.
8. Practices within the moral, ethical, and legal framework of the nursing profession.

Student Achievement Data

Graduates’ achievement on licensure examination:

Our 2022 pass rate is 97%.

Students’ achievement in completion of the nursing program:

Our 2022 completion rate is 94%.

Graduates’ achievement in job placement:

100% of graduates are employed as a professional nurse or enrolled in graduate school within six months of graduation (2021).