History, Mission and Vision of the School of Nursing
Ohio University has a long tradition of offering quality higher education with a national reputation for academic excellence. Since graduating our first nursing class 45 years ago, OHIO’s School of Nursing has also continually evolved to meet the needs of students and the health care workforce while keeping with our mission of preparing health professionals whose work reflects the highest standards of collaboration, ethics, innovation and commitment to all.
History
The Ohio University nursing program began in 1968, with the establishment of an Associate in Science in Nursing degree. A two-year associate degree is still an option at Ohio University’s Chillicothe, Southern and Zanesville campuses.
In 1975, the University launched an RN to BSN completion program through distance learning technologies to provide licensed registered nurses an accessible, high-quality option to further their education and careers. Currently, all RN to BSN courses and most general education courses required for the RN to BSN program can be taken online.
The School of Nursing moved from the College of Education to the College of Health and Human Services in 1980. It remained a separate school when the college reorganized in 2010 as the College of Health Sciences and Professions.
In 2013, the school graduated the first class of students from its four-year traditional Bachelor of Science in Nursing program on the Athens campus. The traditional BSN is currently offered on the Athens campus as well as the OHIO regional campuses of Chillicothe, Eastern, Southern, and Zanesville.
A Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) has been offered from the Athens campus in both a hybrid option and an online option since 2004.
The Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program began in January 2017 and offers a concentration in advanced clinical or executive practice to further expand the knowledge and skills of the advanced nurse clinician or administrator for the BSN to DNP student or the MSN to DNP student.
All undergraduate School of Nursing programs are approved by the Ohio Board of Nursing (OBN). In addition to approval by the OBN, Ohio University School of Nursing holds several accreditations.
School of Nursing Vision Statement:
The Ohio University School of Nursing will provide accessible state-of-the-discipline undergraduate and graduate nursing education. The school will focus on fostering preservation, promotion and restoration of health in the global community. Our graduates will be highly competent practitioners, leaders and scholars who are grounded in a sense of inquiry and committed to human caring within a climate of diversity.
School of Nursing Mission Statement:
The Ohio University School of Nursing’s mission is to augment the students’ education to prepare them to succeed in any organizational environment. The faculty is committed to providing a curriculum that is sensitive to the cultural diversity in the society and the changing demands for health care through utilization of local, state and international partnerships and collaboratives. The school also promotes excellence in the profession through scholarship and service.