Guest post: Celebrating 125 years as a leader in nursing education and research
This year marks the 125th anniversary of the School of Nursing. Today’s guest post author is Dean Jean Giddens.
We have so much to proud of in 2018 as we mark our 125th year as a leader in nursing education and research. From its start in 1893 as the Virginia Hospital Training School for Nurses to the present, the VCU School of Nursing has been a leader in advancing the nursing profession.
Throughout our evolution from several earlier schools, including the MCV School of Nursing and the St. Philip School of Nursing, we achieved a number of firsts that positioned us on the forefront of nursing. Under the leadership of our founder, Sadie Heath Cabaniss, our school was the first nursing program in the Commonwealth to have a nursing curriculum based on the teaching methods of Florence Nightingale.
We were also the first school in Virginia to receive accreditation from the National League for Nursing for a bachelor’s degree program for registered nurses, the first to offer a master’s degree program in nursing, and the first to prepare nurse practitioners at the master’s degree level. Our school has also been recognized nationally for being among the pioneers in nursing research discoveries and for its community service to aid the most vulnerable. These are among the milestones that paved the way for the outstanding education we offer today.
As we look ahead, we will continue to play a critical role in the success of the nursing profession. Strengthened by partnerships with VCU Health System, our VCU Health Sciences colleagues and other local health care organizations, our school is committed to building on its tradition of excellence, producing educated nurses for the Virginia workforce and beyond. We remain among the leading nursing schools in the nation that prepare the next generation of nurses to provide safe, quality care to our patients and advance nursing knowledge.
I am so grateful to be a part of this innovative nursing school and a part of the outstanding VCU community. Each day our faculty and staff strive to exemplify our mission – to shape the future of nursing through the power of education, discovery and collaboration. When I envision the next 125 years and beyond, I have no doubt that the VCU School of Nursing will be the destination for those committed to transforming health care.
I invite you to celebrate this important observance with us! Visit our website to stay up-to-date on our 125th anniversary activities and follow our posts each Monday on Facebook and Twitter, using #VCUSON125 to join the conversation.
Categories 21st-Century University, Community, Diversity, Health, News, To VCU