Philosophy Statement
| Home | Mission, Vision, Philosophy, and Framework |
| UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA MEDICAL CENTER COLLEGE OF NURSING |
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| Philosophy Statement | ||
| Mission, Vision, Philosophy, and Framework | Originating Date: March 1981 | |
| Responsible Reviewing Agency: Executive Council Approving Agency: Executive Council |
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The nursing metaparadigm (human being, health, environment, and nursing) guides students and faculty in teaching and learning at all levels of nursing education at the College of Nursing.
Human Being, Health, Environment & Nursing
Human being
Human beings are holistic individuals with physiologic, psychosocial (cognitive/mental, emotional, behavioral, social), developmental and spiritual dimensions. All human beings have inherent worth, have the right to be treated with dignity and respect, and are embedded in a milieu that includes culture and society.
Health
Health is a dynamic state of well-being in each dimension of the human being and extends to families and communities. Well-being is demonstrated by functioning that is effective in achieving life course goals to the satisfaction of the individual, family or community. Health is affected by complex interrelationships of factors (health determinants) such as the social and economic environment, individual characteristics, and behavior.
Environment
The environment is the milieu within which human beings exist and nurses provide care. The external environment includes systems of health care, culture, family and community, and the physical environment in which people live. The internal environment is expressed through the multiple dimensions of the human being. Internal and external environments influence well-being across the lifespan of individuals, families, groups and communities.
Nursing
Nursing is a practice discipline and a caring profession. Nurses use best scientific evidence, provider expertise and patient values to provide safe, high quality, effective, efficient, timely, equitable and patient-centered care. Nurses provide care through primary, secondary and tertiary prevention to individuals, families and communities that addresses the multiple dimensions of the human being with the goal of improving well-being. Nurses promote health using knowledge, critical reasoning, clinical judgment, skills, experience and leadership. Nurses have a responsibility for ethical awareness in the social, political, legal, ecological and economic arenas and serve as advocates for patient health.
Nursing Education
We believe a liberal education provides the foundation for the knowledge, skills, attitudes, and ethical framework essential for professional nursing practice and engagement in a global society. Guided by the UNMC ITEACH values of Innovation, Teamwork, Excellence, Accountability, Courage, and Healing, nursing education fosters intellectual curiosity, critical thinking, clinical judgment and lifelong learning.
We believe learning is an active, collaborative process in which students and faculty share responsibility for creating an inclusive and supportive learning environment. Through engagement in evidence-based practice, scientific inquiry, clinical experiences, service, technology, informatics, and interprofessional collaboration, learners develop the competencies necessary to improve health outcomes and advance health equity. Faculty facilitate learning through scholarly teaching, mentorship, and the creation of transformative educational experiences.
We believe professional nursing education prepares graduates for leadership roles appropriate to their level of practice and equips them to provide person-centered care, improve health systems, advance nursing knowledge, and address the health needs of individuals, families, communities, and populations at local, national and global levels.
Nursing Research and Scholarship
PhD prepared nurse scientists advance the unique body of nursing knowledge through the development, testing, and dissemination of nursing science. Nurses with Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degrees are clinical scholars who are prepared to translate research into evidence-based clinical practice using informatics and quality improvement models, and to provide organizational level leadership for improved performance within systems. All nurses should be prepared to understand and work to promote well-being amongst themselves as well as patients, families, and communities and ameliorate health care problems within their scopes of practice at local, state, national, and global levels.
Professional Service
Professional nursing embodies service in practice arenas, professional organizations and the university. Nurses are vital members of the healthcare team to promote health and reduce the burden of illness for diverse patients, families, communities and populations through interprofessional collaborative practice. Service through professional involvement in local, state, national and international organizations enhances the discipline of nursing and provides an example for developing minds. Service to the university system supports the discipline of nursing and the academic profession.
Faculty Practice
Faculty practice is the provision of professional nursing/clinical services that contribute to the promotion, maintenance and rehabilitation of health of individuals, families, communities and health systems. At UNMC College of Nursing, a broad definition of practice is assumed that faculty practice encompasses multiple roles and may include, but is not limited to, direct and indirect provision of nursing/clinical services, research, education, consultation, administration, and other collaborative agreements.