Mission:

• Educate student nurses at the baccalaureate level using a learner-centered, life-long learning approach to provide the highest quality of healthcare to individuals, groups, and communities as well as to effectively respond to the changing healthcare   needs of society. 
• Educate student nurses to provide high quality healthcare services to the community through a range of nursing activities with diverse populations in a variety of settings.
•  Educate student nurses to provide the highest quality of care within the context of the diverse, dynamic and challenging health care environment.

Our mission is pursued in an environment in which students are valued for their individual strengths and diversity, supported by a faculty committed to academic excellence and innovation, and in collaboration and partnership across disciplines, with the nursing community at large, is viewed as essential.

 Goals:

• Ensure that students:

a.   Utilize systematic assessment and critical analysis of the care situation, the technology   available, best evidence, best practice, cultural considerations, and ethical tenets to deliver client-centered care that is ethical, safe, effective, timely, and equitable;

b.   Employ communication, relationship-building, quality improvement, management, and leadership skills to promote healthcare teamwork to affect the highest quality, client-centered care;

c.   Constantly seek to identify, develop, implement, and maintain best health care practices with other health care team members to optimize client health;

d.   Develop self-analysis and lifelong learning skills to identify and maximize personal and professional opportunities for growth;

e.   Improve the quality of health care delivery through participation in political, regulatory, and organizational processes;

• Ensure that faculty:

a.   Prepare professional nurses to practice in a complex and changing healthcare environment to meet the needs of diverse populations through innovative and flexible programs; and

b.   Integrate teaching, practice, and research throughout the curriculum.

Objectives:

Upon completion of the Sentara College of Health Sciences Nursing Program, graduates will be able to:

• Combine theoretical knowledge from the sciences, humanities, and nursing as a base for clinical reasoning in professional nursing practice, incorporating concepts of the client, health, environment, and nursing;
• Provide safe, competent, and effective nursing care to clients throughout the lifespan utilizing principle-based communication; psychomotor, teaching, management, and therapeutic skills; and ethical tenets;
• Design comprehensive therapeutic nursing care in partnership with individuals, families, groups, and communities, including those who are culturally diverse or vulnerable and at risk for health disparities;
• Collaborate within interprofessional healthcare teams to effect the highest quality, client-centered care through the use of communication, relationship-building, quality improvement, management, and leadership skills;
• Generate own professional practice that focuses on health promotion, risk reduction, disease prevention, and illness and disease management from a holistic perspective;
• Analyze and apply research findings to promote evidence-based practice and identify future healthcare needs;
• Demonstrate values, integrity, and behaviors consistent with the culture of professional nursing, including responsibility and accountability for professional nursing practice; and
• Participate in political, regulatory, and healthcare organizational processes to promote improvements in healthcare delivery systems and practices.