The faculty of the Edna Jenkins Mann School of Nursing of Union College believes that nursing is both an art and a science and is enhanced by the liberal arts and science education provided in a baccalaureate program situated in an institution of higher education. We believe that professional nursing practice involves using knowledge, theory, evidence, and clinical reasoning to care for individuals, families, groups, and populations. We further believe that personal responsibility, autonomy, professional responsibility, and lifelong learning are hallmarks of a professional nurse.

We believe in a holistic view of nursing care including the care of the body, mind, and spirit. For professional nurses, the patient is defined as an individual, family, group, or population with unique worth and dignity. The goal of professional nursing is to assist patients in attaining the highest level of health possible. Health is not the absence of disease or disability but involves the well-being of the body, mind, and spirit, and is defined individually and culturally. We believe that health is influenced by the complex and dynamic interactions between, and within the internal and external environment.

We believe that nursing education is an interactive, developmental, and discovery process when students come as transfer students from previous nursing studies. Transfer students must have met the passing standard from the transferring institution. We believe in the development of highly prepared professional nurses through one-on-one interactions with faculty and experts in the field, questioning, scholarly literature research and writing, contextual learning, and the integration of a humanistic, caring philosophy. We believe that professional education for working adults should encourage the learners to integrate what they are learning into their real-life work when possible. We believe in educational mobility and lifelong learning in nursing and encourage students to pursue graduate education in the area of their interest following graduation from Union College.

The Edna Jenkins-Mann School of Nursing seeks to:

• Attract, develop, and retain excellent students with a passion for the art and science of nursing and lifelong learning.
• Create an educational environment that fosters the development of leaders through stimulating questioning, debate, and collaboration.
• Graduate professionals who are caring and are prepared to use evidence, knowledge, and clinical reasoning in holistically addressing healthcare needs.
• Prepare graduates for lifelong learning and leadership positions in nursing.

The graduate of the Edna Jenkins-Mann School of Nursing of Union College will:

• Use the knowledge, theory, evidence, and clinical reasoning to provide nursing care for patients across the lifespan.
• Effectively express ideas in written and oral communication.
• Participate in the coordination of care through an inter-professional teamwork approach to care for individuals and groups of patients.
• Manage the provision of nursing care through effective leadership and organizational skills.
• Practice within the context of professional, ethical, regulatory, and legal codes. Participate in political and regulatory processes that affect the health and well-being of society.
• Evaluate and use current and relevant technology and healthcare informatics.
• Create and foster a culture of safety and quality.
• Apply teaching/learning strategies and the nursing process to health care education.
• Demonstrate behaviors that support, enhance, and promote patient health, comfort, and hope.
• Articulate the value of lifelong learning within the nursing profession and develops a plan for continued education and educational mobility.