Overview

Mission

The Nursing Program shares the University of Washington Tacoma mission to provide upper division undergraduate and graduate education for the diverse citizens of the South Puget Sound region. The Nursing program supports the interdisciplinary mission of the campus through teaching and scholarly inquiry. Within the overall mission of the campus, the Nursing program focuses on the discovery and dissemination of knowledge that promotes health within an ethic of social justice. The curriculum emphasizes and fosters the integration of teaching, inquiry and service through a community of learners. Partnerships with the community assist the program in providing learning environments in which learners build upon their skills and knowledge to strengthen their understanding of local, national and global health issues.

Affiliated with the University of Washington School of Nursing , the UW Tacoma Nursing program shares common goals. The focus of the UW Tacoma Nursing program's goals is adherence to its unique mission.

Goals

• Provide innovative, high quality and accessible academic programs.
• Promote outstanding faculty scholarship.
• Extend faculty expertise and interest through service to communities and professional organizations.
• Promote partnerships with health care agencies and communities of the South Puget Sound region.
• Maintain a quality work environment by balancing teaching, service, and scholarship.
• Build educational offerings that meet professionals' and regional health care communities' needs.
• Support interdisciplinary education.
• Promote and support diversity within its student population and faculty members.

History

The Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program at the University of Washington Tacoma, admitted its first students in June 1992, joining the Liberal Studies program, which opened the campus in 1990.

Tacoma's RN-to-BSN program was developed by School of Nursing faculty of the University of Washington Seattle and implemented by the founding faculty of UW Tacoma Nursing. This program was initiated to support a specific group of learners, experienced registered nurses (RNs), returning to the academic setting for a BSN.

In June of 1992, sixty-six students began course work that would lead to a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree. The first graduate completed course work in March 1993, and celebrated commencement that June. Alumni of the University of Washington Tacoma BSN program now total more than 750.

Another milestone for the UW Tacoma Nursing Program was the beginning of the Master of Nursing (MN) Program in September 1996. The MN program focused on advanced nursing practice with Communities, Populations and Health. Twenty-six students began the part-time sequence in September 1996. In June 1998, the first class celebrated commencement. In 1999, the Master of Nursing Program began offering courses with an emphasis in Health Care Leadership and Management. In 2002, the Nurse Educator option was added.

Other highlights for the program include:

• Program offices move to the new Cherry Parkes building in 2004
• Accelerated ADN to MN study option established in 2004
• Teaching BSN courses off-site at Providence St. Peter Hospital in Olympia in 2005
• Dual admission program in 2007 that allowed Pierce College students to begin their BSN studies at UW Tacoma Nursing while completing their Associate Degree in Nursing

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