Mission & values
School Vision
The vision of Northern Arizona University’s School of Nursing is to provide outstanding education to students at the undergraduate, master’s and doctoral level in order to provide high quality health care services to individuals and diverse communities in a complex environment of constant change.
School Mission
The School of Nursing prepares students to become and remain excellent nursing professionals and leaders. We aim to facilitate high quality education to advance nursing knowledge and practice. We aspire to translate and apply research evidence and promote health and well-being of under-served rural communities within Arizona as well as globally.
Our Values
The values upon which the mission and goals are founded are:
- We value the intellectual life shaped by excellence in knowledge, learning, creativity, intellectual curiosity, and scholarship;
- We value diversity within community with respect for the uniqueness of each person, compassion for each person, and accountability to one another; and
- We value growth and service to others informed by mutual empowerment and risk taking.
Curricular Concepts
The School of Nursing faculty has developed an organizing framework that serves as a guide and provides direction for faculty to organize its programs of education and to focus research, scholarship, clinical practice, and community service. The framework represents a systematic organization of concepts which are the essential components of baccalaureate and graduate education.
- Professionalism and professional values
- Clinical practice and prevention
- Critical reasoning
- Communication
- Global health
- Leadership
All students are evaluated using these concepts throughout the curriculum.
School of Nursing Goals
The goals of the School of Nursing reflect those of the University and the College of Health & Human Services.
Increase retention of students, faculty, and staff Accordion Closed
Create and sustain an environment of recruitment and retention for students, faculty, and staff recognizing and building upon the strengths of a diverse workforce.
- Facilitate mentoring of students, including those at risk, by enhancing existing resources.
- Foster an environment of academic progression and continuing competencies while encouraging life-long learning.
- Develop and evaluate new learning approaches within and across programs to support student academic achievement.
- Facilitate mentoring of Faculty and Staff to increase retention.
Provide excellence in nursing education at the bachelor, master, and doctoral levels Accordion Closed
To ensure future healthcare needs of diverse populations across multiple settings are met.
- Continue to revise and develop multiple pathways providing more opportunities to increase diversity among students and build capacity to prepare more graduate level students to assume roles in advance practice, leadership, teaching and research.
- Evaluate existing IPE models to identify best practices and assist in curricular development and revisions.
- Develop and implement inter-professional focused assignments across all programs to ensure educational, best practices, and collaboration to assist in meeting the challenges of a complex healthcare system.
- Promote health, wellness, and safe clinical outcomes for patients across the lifespan in rural and urban settings.
Strengthen the research and scholarly activities for the School of Nursing Accordion Closed
To nurture a climate of inquiry and research that addresses health disparities and needs of diverse individuals, communities and populations.
- Create a research task force to develop and expand areas of research expertise in the SON among tenure track and non-tenure track faculty.
- Facilitate opportunities for interdisciplinary research opportunities.
- Recruit new tenure-track and clinical track faculty with research experience and agendas.
- Identify and remove barriers for student and faculty scholarship.
- Mentor faculty in research and scholarly activities.
- Increase funding for research
- Secure support services, including grant writing and statistical support
- Secure/Assign a research mentor through RTF, CHHS, or STTI
Cultivate a culture of diversity, civility, community and global citizenship within the School of Nursing Accordion Closed
Create an environment in which the strengths of diverse students, faculty, and staff are acknowledged and rewarded, and in which students, faculty, and staff work collaboratively to achieve success for the school, the university, the Flagstaff community, Arizona, and the profession.
- Identify resources and current needs for the recruitment and retention of students, faculty and staff of diverse backgrounds.
- Promote and encourage participation in global and cultural health learning opportunities across programs and curricula.
- Collaborate with community partners to ensure quality learning experiences among diverse populations.
- Practice and promote an environment of civility and mutual respect among NAU faculty, staff, students and community partners.
Become the nation’s leading School of Nursing serving American Indians Accordion Closed
To be recognized nationally for the provision of educational opportunities for American Indians, that incorporate strategies to meet the unique needs and learning styles of American Indian students and that are designed to meet the health care needs of the American Indian population served by these graduates.
- Increase American Indian admissions and graduations in the undergraduate and graduate programs.
- Identify and actively recruit American Indians across Arizona and throughout the Southwest for student and faculty roles.
- Explore recruitment and retention strategies (including surveying Alumni) for American Indian students across programs.
- Identify and remove barriers to admission and retention within the resources of the SON and the University.
- Identify financial and academic resources (including University ESL) to support student successful completion and retention.
- Participate in bridge programs for recruiting American Indian Students, including the development of grants.
- Develop and strengthen American Indian community partnerships with nursing organizations.
- Develop relationships with Arizona Community Colleges to assist in outreach, identification and recruitment of American Indians interested in pursuing or advancing their degree.
- Develop formal mentoring and support program for American Indian nursing students throughout their program.
Develop an active alumni association Accordion Closed
- Develop an alumni committee or task force.
- Collaborate with Marketing and NAU Alumni Association to develop outreach materials and communication tools for Alumni and community partners.
- Collaborate with NAU Alumni Association to include SON Alumni in alumni events.