1. Philosophy of Nursing

The Nursing Faculty believe that:

1. people are dynamic beings who continuously interact with their environment in unique ways.
2. all people have basic needs which they strive to satisfy and toward which their behavior is directed.
3. people’s ability to meet basic needs is affected by a variety of factors such as culture, age, health, finances and environment.
4. unmet basic needs may result in health problems.
5. nursing is a profession which has evolved to assist people to meet basic needs.
6. nursing is based on knowledge from the nursing theory and nursing research, the natural and behavioral sciences and the humanities.
7. the nursing process is a method allowing nurses to fulfill their roles under the New York State’s Nurse Practice Act to diagnose and treat human responses to actual or potential health problems.
8. nursing care is directed toward promoting wellness, restoring optimal health, preventing illness, providing rehabilitation and supporting death with dignity.
9. the graduate nurse demonstrates competence in professional behavior, communication, comprehensive assessment skills, effective clinical decision making, therapeutic nursing interventions, teaching-learning processes, collaboration and management of care.

2. Philosophy of Nursing Education

The Nursing Faculty believe that nursing education:

1. is a process that prepares the student to participate in the practice of nursing.
2. is accomplished by an institution whose primary purpose is education.
3. fosters critical thinking, responsibility, accountability and appropriate clinical decision making.
4. includes clinical experience as an essential component of nursing education.

3. Philosophy of Student-Learning Process

The Nursing Faculty believes that the process of learning is influenced by characteristics of the student, the environment, and the instruction.

The student is influenced by:

1. the rate at which learning occurs.
2. the mode of learning (auditory, visual, kinesthetic).
3. the level of participation in the learning experience.
4. the level of motivation.
5. previous knowledge and experience.
6. cultural background

The environment conducive to learning provides:

1. an atmosphere of support, caring, cultural sensitivity, and mutual respect.
2. a structure that facilitates free and open interaction between student and teacher.
3. convenient access to information and learning experiences, using a variety of equipment and settings.
4. support for creative and critical thinking.

Instruction conducive to learning:

1. has clearly stated student outcomes.
2. encourages active participation on the part of both student and teacher.
3. provides a variety of instructional strategies to meet differing learning needs and styles.
4. provides feedback to the student that is directed toward positive growth.
5. involves students with appropriate access to faculty for instruction, academic advisement, and feedback.
6. promotes learning throughout the life-span.