Structure and Governance

The University of Houston-Victoria’s Mission

The University of Houston-Victoria (UHV), a dynamic destination institution serving Texas and the world, is dedicated to providing every student educational and leadership opportunities to become a successful professional and an engaged global citizen. Innovative educational activities challenge students to make meaningful connections between their learning and their lives in a complex world. UHV promotes economic development and advances quality of life through teaching, research, and service excellence.

College of Education and Health Professions Mission Statement

The mission of the College of Education and Health Professions (CEHP) faculty and staff is to provide an excellent educational experience to learners enrolled in programs offered by the CEHP at the University of Houston-Victoria. The faculty, through their teaching, research, and service, are committed to preparing highly qualified professionals for their chosen careers in the teaching, coaching, counseling, administration, and health and wellness fields. The College of Education and Health Professions strive to serve as a model organization, responsive to the challenges of a modern society. [Amended by CEHP 2/8/22]

The Nursing Program Mission/Vision/Philosophy

The mission of the Nursing Program is to provide nurses innovative and responsive programs to advance their career as valued graduates and nurse leaders. The Nursing Program is committed to serving the educational needs and enhancing the quality of life while enriching the economic, cultural life, and health of the communities served.

Vision

It is the vision of the RN to BSN Nursing Program to be recognized as a model of excellence and become one of the leading RN to BSN online Baccalaureate nursing programs in the region. Additionally, through leadership and scholarship by faculty and graduates; the RN to BSN Nursing Program endeavors to contribute to the body of nursing knowledge.

Philosophy

The Nursing Program faculty believe nursing is a balance of both art and science. The art of nursing includes the concepts of caring and collaboration that foster respectful relationships and individual dignity and value. The science of nursing is supported through inquiry, research, and other scholarly activities promoting evidence-based practice. Further, the nursing faculty view human beings as unique, holistic, and multidimensional; deserving of value and dignity. As such, patients have the right to autonomy as well as information to make informed decisions. The philosophy of the Nursing Program is guided by the five principles as outlined below.

Health is a dynamic state of interaction uniquely experienced by each individual and exists on a continuum.

Nursing as a practice discipline is both an art and a science. The biological, cultural, physiological, physical, personal, political, and spiritual contexts of the environment are integral to the human experience.

Nursing faculty understand caring to include compassion, awareness of self and others as biopsychosocial, spiritual beings, and relationship-centered care. As such, faculty seek to provide a safe, dynamic, working, and learning environment, to promote the development of individuals, families, and community members’ health.

Effective communication among disciplines, clients/patients, and families is central to the guiding principle of collaboration. The Nursing Program seeks to promote a supportive and cooperative culture to advance and achieve shared expectations and goals. Faculty believe collaboration should include a culture of support, authenticity, advocacy, cooperation, establishing and maintaining partnerships and co-participation. The Nursing Program encourages active engagement through collaboration with all members of the healthcare team and with recipients of health.

The faculty value innovation through inquisitiveness, creativity, adaptation, resilience, evidence-based approaches, and informatics technology. The faculty further believes the professional nurse is a partner and advocate for the health consumer in an increasingly diverse population. Professional nursing provides culturally congruent care to individuals, families, and groups (populations) within their communities. Care of the physical, psychosocial, and spiritual needs is essential to disease prevention, health promotion, and maintenance of health.

Program Goals

1. Provide student-centered innovative education programs.
2. Develop and maintain collaborative partnerships.
3. Advance the nursing profession through scholarship and professional involvement.
4. Serve as a foundation for graduate study.

Graduates of the RN to BSN Program Expected Student Outcomes (ESO) will:

1. Synthesize knowledge from the biological, social, and behavioral sciences, the humanities, and nursing to provide appropriate, culturally sensitive care to individuals, families, and communities.
2. Demonstrate inquiry and analysis in applying patient care technologies and information systems to support safe nursing practice and population risk reduction.
3. Lead safety and quality improvement activities as part of the interprofessional team and as an advocate and manager of nursing care.
4. Manage care transitions and promote population risk reduction with diverse communities in collaboration with members of the interprofessional health care team.
5. Participate in monitoring institutional, professional, and public policy to maintain adherence to standards of practice within legal, ethical, and regulatory frameworks of the professional nurse.
6. Demonstrate leadership skills related to clinical and professional issues, financial, and human resource in providing and evaluating care.
7. Demonstrate leadership and advocacy that reflects the values and ethics of the nursing profession.

[Amended by NPFC 12/1/16; 07/31/17]