Mission, Vision, and Goals

Mission

We transform healthcare education by integrating innovative learning experiences with a student-centric approach and advance knowledge through scholarly inquiry. We cultivate a workforce of nursing professionals who improve the health and healthcare disparities of our local, state, national, and global community. 

Vision

Prepared for practice.  Partnered for success.  Privileged to serve.  

Values

Caring: is treating all people with interpersonal sensitivity, being physically and mindfully present; and responding with humanity, kindness, and compassion.

Collaboration: is exchanging ideas to come up with creative ways of meeting our goals; working selflessly as a team to solve difficult problems; conferring prior to decision making. 

Professionalism: is performing one's job with competence, skill, ethics, and courtesy. 

Integrity: is acting with honor, authenticity and truthfulness with uncompromising adherence to principles. 

Humanity: is valuing all people, grounded in the belief that each individual is worthy of dignity, respect, fairness, and access to the best we have to offer. 

Innovation: is discovering and defining new ways to sustain excellence and promote experiential learning while embracing the importance of change.

Excellence: is striving to always act in accordance with our values.

Priority + Strategy

  • Priority 1: A Healthy Place to Work

    Strategy 1.1: Value Talent

    Recruitment, retention, placement, compensation, development, and mentoring of the best faculty and staff.

    Strategy 1.2: Invest in Culture

    Intentional building and improvement of a strong and healthy culture of engagement and wellness.

    Strategy 1.3: Improve Organizational Efficiency

    Continuous betterment of structures, processes, and outcomes through improvement methodologies.

  • Priority 2: A Ground-breaking Place to Learn

    Strategy 2.1: Teach by Best Practices

    Align curriculum and pedagogy with evidence to fully integrate didactic, clinical, and simulation education.

    Strategy 2.2: Cultivate Success & Wellness

    Design, deploy, and continuously improve a student-centered learning environment that supports success and wellness for all students.

    Strategy 2.3: Educate for Practice Readiness

    Prepare a diverse workforce of safe novices that enter practice ready to deliver care.

  • Priority 3: A Growing Place to Innovate

    Strategy 3.1: Expand Impact

    Collaborate with the university to improve educational access.

    Strategy 3.2: Engage Community

    Form deeper relationships with our community and other partners to deliver more value on our mission.

    Strategy 3.3: Create and Apply Evidence

    Inform and shape healthcare and education to improve the development of caregivers and the care they give.

Philosophy

The Sam Houston State University (SHSU) School of Nursing (SON) faculty believes nurses promote safe, caring and healing environments that influence the health and wellness of individuals, families, and communities. The profession of Nursing builds on a foundation of studies in the arts, sciences, and humanities.

Nursing is in a constant state of evolution. The process of learning provides a necessary foundation for the development of knowledge, skills, and attitudes. SON graduates demonstrate critical thinking and evidence-based practice in the provision of safe, quality patient care.

Learning is a complex, life-long process that is unique for each individual. SHSU School of Nursing's faculty, staff and students engage in a climate of civility. The faculty facilitates the teaching-learning process. Faculty are dedicated and committed to providing learning experiences in a supportive environment. The student's role is to actively participate in learning activities and become accountable professionals. Faculty and students are involved in the community, contributing to the development of the profession through leadership, research, and evidence-based practice. The SHSU graduate nurse is well prepared to provide patient-centered care and advocate for patient safety as a member of the professional health care team.

Collaborative relationships with the community are highly valued in the nursing education. The SON exemplifies the SHSU motto "A measure of a life is its service" through community and engagement and excellence in nursing education and practice.

Program Learning Outcomes for Graduates

  1. Integrate knowledge from liberal studies and nursing science to practice professional nursing, in a holistic caring manner.
  2. Develop, implement, and evaluate safe, quality patient care through collaboration with patients and members of the inter-professional health care delivery team in various health care settings.
  3. Demonstrate ethical accountability and legal responsibilities using cultural parameters and professional nursing standards of practice and care in order to provide care to individuals, families, groups, and populations.
  4. Use therapeutic communication in formal and informal interaction with patients, families, groups, colleagues, and other members of the healthcare team in the delivery of nursing care.
  5. Demonstrate professional leadership and management skills while implementing safety principles in the delivery of nursing care.
  6. Base safe patient care upon evidence and clinical reasoning.
  7. Act as an advocate for both sick and healthy clients across the lifespan and for the nursing profession, reflecting current and changing health care systems, health policies, and global health care factors.
  8. Demonstrate accountability for lifelong learning and professional growth.
  9. Demonstrate competency with technology and information management in the delivery of safe care, while maintaining confidentiality and protecting patient rights.
  10. Collaborate with other professionals on the health care team to provide health promotion, disease, and injury prevention across the lifespan for individuals, families, groups and populations.

Texas Board of Nursing Differentiated Essential Competencies