Mission, Vision and Philosophy

Philosophy

The philosophy of Fort Valley State University’s Nursing program encompasses and expands upon the mission and vision of the institution. FVSU provides teaching, research, and service to communities statewide. The nursing program will integrate quality instruction with student learning experiences that are responsive to the needs of both a culturally and economically diverse student population and the provision of care to serve economically diverse rural families and communities.

The faculty believes nursing is an art, science, and a calling. The art of nursing is using the mind, heart, and hands to assist in the healing process. The scientific component utilizes several disciplines to understand how the body functions in relation to stressors. Nurses answer the “call” by remaining steadfast in their educational preparation and the practice of rendering service to mankind. The services nurses provide are holistic, intending to support patients and families at their most vulnerable points and enhance their quality of life.

We believe nursing is a dynamic process that is set into motion by the needs of the people. The restoration of health is the cornerstone of nursing practice; however, health involves more than physical conditions. Health is holistic, evolving, and requires interventions to enable change. Nursing involves a high level of commitment to the art of caring and the science associated with the functions of the human body. The servanthood of the nurse requires communication, patience, critical thinking, empathy, and altruism. These characteristics enable the nurse to diligently perform their assigned duties and work collaboratively with a healthcare team, with the heart of the team being the patient.  Nursing is focused on seeking answers, shaping plans of care, and solving familiar or unprecedented healthcare issues that result in morbidity and mortality.

We believe nursing involves lifelong learning. Florence Nightingale eloquently stated, “Let us never consider ourselves finished nurses. We must be learning all of our lives.”  The journey for our scholars begins at Fort Valley State University, but there are infinite educational pursuits beyond any nursing program.  The goal of every nurse and nursing student should be to stay abreast of the evolving trends in nursing and healthcare and to advance their formal education. This goal can be accomplished through diligently seeking professional development and training programs throughout one’s career.

The faculty is committed to serving students through innovative instruction and research endeavors to prepare nurses who are equipped to provide culturally sensitive services to meet the healthcare challenges of the 21^st century and beyond.  We are not only committed to sharing our strengths, but also our weakness in effort to foster responsibility, accountability, and autonomy.  Our goal is to provide a learning environment that is free of bias and conforms to the needs of the students.  We will ingrain Nightingale’s philosophy of success in students, which is to never give or take an excuse.