Philosophy Statement

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Mission, Vision, Philosophy, and Framework

UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA MEDICAL CENTER COLLEGE OF NURSING
Philosophy Statement
Mission, Vision, Philosophy, and Framework	Originating Date: March 1981
Responsible Reviewing Agency: Executive Council Approving Agency: Executive Council	Revised: January 1992 Revised: April 1998 Revised: April 2008 Revised: November 2009 Revised: December 2012 Revised: August 2018 (changes) Revised: October 2026 (changes)

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

We believe nursing research and scholarship are essential for advancing the science of nursing and improving the health and well-being of individuals, families, communities and populations. Through the generation, translation, dissemination, and application of knowledge, nurse scholars contribute to evidence-based practice, innovation in health care delivery and improved health outcomes.

We believe all nurses have a responsibility to engage in scholarly inquiry appropriate to their roles and to use evidence to inform practice, education, leadership and policy. Doctoral prepared nurses contribute to the advancement of nursing and health care through scientific discovery, evidence translation, quality improvement and systems leadership.

Professional Service

We believe service is an essential expression of professional nursing and academic citizenship. Through engagement in practice settings, professional organizations, communities, and the university, nurses contribute to the advancement of health, education and the nursing profession.

We believe collaboration, advocacy, and leadership are fundamental responsibilities of professional nurses. Service promotes health, reduces the burden of illness, and supports the well-being of all individuals, families, communities and populations while strengthening the profession and society.

Faculty Practice

We believe faculty practice enriches nursing education, advances scholarship, and strengthens partnerships with communities and health care systems. Faculty practice encompasses a broad range of professional activities that contribute to the promotion of health, prevention of illness, restoration of health, and improvement of health systems.

We believe faculty practice may occur through direct care, consultation, research, education, administration, policy development, and other collaborative activities. Together these activities strengthen the integration of teaching, practice, research, and service and support the College's mission to improve health and advance health equity.