Health

Health is “a dynamic state of well-being characterized by a physical and mental potential, which satisfies the demands of life commensurate with age, culture, and personal responsibility” (Bircher, 2005). Health is “an experience that is often expressed in terms of wellness and illness, and may occur in the presence or absence of disease or injury” (ANA, 2004, p. 48).

Wellness is a positive state of health in which diverse individuals, families and communities can actualize their potential, with motivation to pursue higher functioning occurring through positive interaction with the environment.

Illness is perceived uniquely by each individual. Illness refers to interference with well-being and is influenced by individual-environmental interrelationships. Individuals strive for an optimum level of wellness. This continual striving toward maximum wellness embodies the concepts of health promotion, health maintenance, and health restoration. Health promotion is concerned with identifying those variables which influence the ability to achieve maximum health and is directed towards empowering individuals to attain the highest level of health. Health maintenance focuses on the stability of the individual's current state of well-being. Health restoration is concerned with re-establishing health and well-being while minimizing the untoward effects of illness.

Nursing

Nursing is a profession that assists diverse individuals, families and communities to make decisions and adopt behaviors to meet basic and higher level needs and maintain, restore and promote health throughout the life cycle. It encompasses the diagnosis and treatment of human responses to actual or potential health problems and is intended to sustain life processes, promote normal growth and development, and prevent or manage illness, disability and death and their effects. Nursing encourages self-directed care toward the goals of health promotion, health maintenance and health restoration, and operates within an ethical context congruent with the Mission Statement of Villanova University and The American Nurses' Association Code of Ethics (2001). Nursing professionals use a systematic approach in the delivery of care. Scientific evidence and scholarly inquiry provide the basis for nursing practice.

Nursing encompasses autonomous and collaborative care of individuals of all ages, families, groups and communities, sick or well and in all settings. Nursing includes the promotion of health, prevention of illness and the care of ill, disabled and dying people. Advocacy, promotion of a safe environment, research, participation in shaping health policy and in patient and health systems management, and education are also key nursing roles (International Council of Nurses, 2002).

Role Development

Baccalaureate nursing education prepares generalist practitioners with professional responsibility, and the knowledge, skills and values to provide culturally competent care for diverse client groups. Graduate nursing education advances those abilities, enhances evidence-based scholarship, and expands graduates' perspectives to encompass the larger socio-political and nursing arenas. Graduate nursing education prepares for the specialized roles of Nurse Educator, Health Care Administrator, Nurse Practitioner, and Nurse Anesthetist.

Scholarship

In the Undergraduate Program, students are introduced to the nursing process and the research process, which helps them comprehend the interrelationships of theory, scientific evidence, and practice. Undergraduate students are prepared to comprehend the importance of scientific evidence to professional nursing practice, evaluate and integrate evidence as informed consumers of research and use scientific evidence as a basis for practice.

In the Graduate Program, scholarship assumes a more prominent role. The curriculum strengthens the relationships among theory, scientific evidence, and practice. Graduate students refine their analytical skills, identify researchable topics and expand the evidence base of nursing toward the improvement of the health status of the public, and the advancement of nursing practice, administration and education.

Leadership

Leadership is “the ability to inspire confidence and support among followers, especially in organizations where leadership is focused toward those whose competence and commitment produce performance” (Huber, 2006). Leadership skills include, but are not restricted to, an understanding of complex delivery systems, health care policies, and other factors that influence the delivery of quality patient care. Baccalaureate graduates are prepared to assume clinical leadership roles and promote change in their own practice environments through ethical critical decision-making, creativity, and inter-professional collaboration. At the completion of the master’s program, graduates are prepared to provide leadership in broader, more varied ways by effecting change in health care and health policy. In addition, leadership will be demonstrated in clinical practice, education, with groups, and the profession as a whole.