School of Nursing
- Roberta Waite, EdD, RN, PMHCNS, ANEF, FAAN
Dean
- John Dolan, PhD
Associate Dean of Student Affairs
- Debora M. Dole. PhD, CNM, FACNM
Vice Dean for Academic Faculty Affairs
- Sarah B. Vittone DBe, MA, MSN, RN
Program Director
History and Purpose
The School of Nursing builds on a 120-year tradition of educational excellence at the professional, advanced practice, and doctoral levels, while raising the school’s profile in research and scholarship. As the nation’s largest healthcare profession, nursing represents a fundamental core of the workforce. Georgetown’s commitment to nursing is infused by our Jesuit values of caring for the whole person—cura personalis—and serving the common good.
The School of Nursing offers numerous MS and doctoral degree programs. The Bachelor of Science in Nursing is a traditional four-year program. A highly regarded faculty provides students with a grounding in clinical skills; knowledge in the biological, physical, and social sciences; and nursing theory. Students have access to diverse health systems and community-based organizations around the Washington region and at the O’Neill Family Foundation Clinical Simulation Center in St. Mary’s Hall. Students are well prepared for the NCLEX-RN examination. Georgetown educates nurses who are well prepared for licensure and certification examinations; first-time pass rates are exceptional, when not perfect. Alumni of the BSN Program have gone on to diverse careers, prestigious graduate programs, and leadership roles in various sectors.
The BSN is a direct-entry nursing program with hands-on clinical experience in the first year of study. Students obtain over 850 total clinical and laboratory hours in a variety of clinical settings. In addition, Georgetown houses the O’Neill Family Foundation Clinical Simulation Center, an immersive facility for nursing students to build and refine their skills as professional and advanced nurses. The senior nursing practicum allows students to gain further experience in an area of their choice. The BSN Honors Program allows those students in the undergraduate nursing major with academic potential to be challenged at the highest level. Participants in the nursing honors program will address, through scholarly inquiry, a contemporary issue related to clinical nursing practice.
Education at the School of Nursing is grounded in cura personalis—the care and development of the whole person—by educating students for a meaningful life, challenging them intensively, all while supporting them in their learning. The School embraces the Jesuit inspired principles shared by the entire Georgetown community, which emphasize the pursuit of knowledge with a responsibility to contribute to the common good. Students develop into health professionals who can recognize and respond to the full human experience encountered in the health field. During their first year at Georgetown University, BSN students participate in the First Year Colloquium. This course is taught by faculty across the interdisciplinary team at the School of Nursing and School of Health. All students are exposed to the various arenas of health care with opportunity to dialogue and critique health policy, quality and care.