Nursing - Program Overview
Why choose Saint Francis University?
* Saint Francis University offers a liberal arts education along with the nursing professional education program. The program places a strong emphasis on the academic work which will prepare you for the nursing challenges of today and tomorrow.
* A high proportion of graduates go on to graduate school, and they find that their baccalaureate education has given them a solid educational foundation.
* At Saint Francis University, you will know and be known by your faculty and your classmates on a personal basis. Saint Francis University offers you the advantages of a small, private college - individual, personal attention and an interest in your future lie at the core of the Franciscan tradition.
* You will graduate with a spiritual foundation for your nursing career: the 5 C's of Caring (Commitment, Confidence, Compassion, Conscience, and Competency) as your model.
What will I study?
What courses will I take each year?
A complete schedule of courses in which you will enroll each semester is provided on a separate web page.
Will I find educational advantages and spiritual growth when I attend Saint Francis University?
You will gain an educational and spiritual foundation for life when you attend Saint Francis University. Your educational foundation will be strong with five components: critical thinking, communication, ethical and Franciscan values, primary sources, and multiculturalism addressed in the academic courses you take. These components prepare you with your educational foundation for nursing and life-long learning. You will gain a spiritual foundation in your formal studies in both the liberal arts courses and nursing courses complemented with your campus life. With campus life you have the opportunities for further spiritual growth in campus organizations.
You will be introduced to the Goals of Franciscan Higher Education during your general education or first two years here at the College as well as to the Prayer of Saint Francis. The College strives to incorporate Franciscan values into the life and work of the College community. The eight (8) goals are:
1. A humble and generous attitude toward learning
2. Reverence for all life and for the goodness of all humanity.
3. Respect for the uniqueness of individual persons
4. A global vision
5. Service to the poor and the needy
6. A community of faith and prayer
7. A spirit of simplicity and joy
8. Franciscan presence
Accreditations
What national college and nursing organizations have approved your program?
The Nursing Program at Saint Francis University has been accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools and the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education.
Mission and Purpose of the Nursing Program
The mission of the caring curriculum is to prepare professional nurses who possess a life-giving mode of being, in order to maximize wellness in individuals, families, and aggregates.
The 5 C's of Caring define caring in the nursing curriculum. They are:
Commitment:
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Being present and attentive to patient's state of being and bound to his/her emotional or intellectual needs.
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Confidence:
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Hope; feeling of assurance.
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Compassion:
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Showing empathy; responding in kindness; taking appropriate action.
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Conscience:
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A state of moral awareness; ethical obligation.
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Competency:
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Skillful; properly qualified.
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These components are studied. They are integrated into the nursing courses and clinical tools. The nursing faculty has identified clinical behaviors, exemplified in the Prayer of Saint Francis, which you will achieve as students. You use these as your clinical guides while you are in the program, and they will continue to guide you in your nursing career.
How will the 5 C's of Caring and the Prayer of Saint Francis guide me in my Nursing Career?
The Prayer of Saint Francis is the inspiration for the 5 C's of Caring of the nursing program of Saint Francis University.
Click here to view the prayer and the virtues the prayer inspires our student nurses to attain.
The purposes of the caring curriculum are to:
Provide a program of academic excellence which nurtures professional caring attributes.
Foster life-long learning and stimulate personal and professional growth.
Provide educational opportunities to develop the caring attributes in preparation for professional nursing practice.
Provide an educational program whereby care is given using a mind, body, spirit perspective.
Increase the number of nurses prepared at the baccalaureate level who are educated within a caring paradigm.
Prepare the graduate for a leadership role in order to promote caring environments in the health-care system.
Provide a foundation for graduate study.