Choosing a School for Nursing

Choosing to pursue a bachelor’s in nursing is an important calling. Though nursing is rewarding, it presents unique challenges in the complexity of healthcare. Choosing a nursing school to equip you for that calling means searching for a school that mirrors your values. At University of Northwestern – St. Paul, we stand out with our views of ethics, emphasis on hands-on learning, smaller class sizes, and the opportunities to go on international and local transcultural trips.  

1. View of Ethics

We teach our students from the start to view everything with Biblical perspective. We have compassionate professors who have experience working in their specialized field and integrate faith into teaching and learning. Ethical dilemmas are often encountered in the field of Nursing. Our faculty are there to help students through these struggles using Biblical truth and ethical standards. We incorporate spiritual care and ethical principles guided by Christian values in the nursing curriculum.  Alumni, Luke Paulsen (’20) shares, when navigating ethical situations in nursing practice, it is important to take a step back, breathe, and pray for people you encounter while you are working.

The Bible tells us that each person is created in the image of God and therefore has value and worth. (ESV, 2001, Gen. 1:26,27). We have the privilege to prepare nurses to care for the whole person. Every person is created with a heart, soul, mind, and strength. (ESV, 2001, Deut. 6: 4,5; Mk 12:29-31; Lk 10:26-28) We teach our students how to minister and address issues of every individual’s life with a heart filled with compassion and mercy while holding to the truth of God’s Word, this encompasses the emotional, spiritual, mental, and physical needs of each person. 

2. Hands-On Experience

At UNW, our programs offer hands-on experience. With knowledgeable professors who have experience in the nursing field, they utilize class sessions effectively by bringing lectures to life and letting students practice different skills in interactive settings. Senior Nursing Major Elli Dodge shares her experience saying that the “courses focus on the integration of science and faith, and my labs have taught me many skills that will be applicable in a clinical setting.” Students are required to complete several hours in clinical, equipping them for various healthcare settings.

3. Small Class Sizes

Students in nursing at UNW have the opportunity to experience 1:1 mentoring because of the smaller class sizes. The commitment to having small classes sizes is to the benefit of both the students and the professors because of the tight bonds that they can form with their classmates and their professors who often take on the role of a mentor. When there are sessions working in the labs, the professors can get a better look at their students and see who needs some pointers and who is doing well. A small class allows the opportunity for the lessons to be spent on furthering material, rather than attempting to get the attention of every student; with fewer students, there are fewer distractions for the professor and peers. 

4. Transcultural Trips

Transcultural trips in the school of nursing offer a unique experience to broaden skills and experience service and mission in action. These trips allow students to experience healthcare in a different culture from their own as well as an opportunity to serve people by integrating faith into nursing. Many students over the years have had life-changing experiences through these trips. As they are immersed into another culture, they experience the struggle of communicating without speaking the language and this prepares them to care for and empathize with patients whose first language is not English. Most recent trips include Israel, Ecuador, Brazil, and Spain.

Are you called to serve in the profession of nursing? Consider Northwestern where our priority is to lay a Biblical foundation and teach each student to demonstrate God’s abounding steadfast love and faithfulness through hearts filled with compassion and grace alongside a deep desire to restore every person to wholeness and health.  

We pride ourselves on our Biblical teaching of ethics, our ability to give hands-on experience in the classroom and through transcultural trips, and our manageable class sizes that make it easy to learn in the best environment for students. You can set up a tour and experience a day in the life of an Eagle and visit our School of Nursing. If you have questions and want to hear more about our program, visit our website and schedule a campus visit today!