April 11, 2022
St. John’s University has received approval from the New York State Education Department to create and offer a Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing program. Applications for admission are being accepted immediately and preparations are underway for the first cohort of students scheduled to begin classes in August.
“After much planning—and with great excitement—we launch the new nursing program at St. John’s,” stated Rev. Brian J. Shanley, O.P., President. “Service is a core value of our University, and the nursing program aims to provide a stellar education within the context of our Catholic and Vincentian mission. The foremost goal of our program is to train skilled professionals and compassionate nurse leaders ready to serve others in societies in need of healing.”
Establishing a nursing program is one step in a major and long-term investment in the health sciences at St. John’s. The University has commenced work on the construction of a new medical and educational Health Sciences Center at the Queens, NY, campus that will support and house existing and forthcoming health sciences programs in one facility. The new 70,000-square-foot building will provide state-of-the-art technology, simulation labs, and flexible room layouts to allow for a multitude of teaching and learning styles.
The center, scheduled to open in Fall 2024, will enable the University to educate the next generation of health-care providers in a model that embraces the University’s mission of providing a quality education in modern learning facilities. The innovative and flexible learning environment will ensure that future health-care workers can keep pace with the dramatic advancements in the health-care industry. According to a June 2021 survey on LinkedIn, registered nursing is the fourth most in-demand profession in the American workforce today.
The nursing program at St. John’s is housed in the College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences—the largest provider of health-care personnel in Queens County and one of the major health-care educators in the New York City region. The B.S. in Nursing is an innovative program imbued with the perspectives of human dignity, freedom, justice, truth, and respect for the natural world that provides evidence-based practice and theoretical and clinical course work essential to success in the field.
“At St. John’s, we have the resources to provide students with hands-on clinical rotations within our network of partner health-care systems, which includes New York City Health + Hospitals, NewYork-Presbyterian Queens, and Catholic Health,” stated Simon G. Møller, Ph.D., Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, University Distinguished Professor, and Provost Endowed Chair.
During clinical rotations in their junior and senior years, students will experience specialty nursing in various health-care settings supported by the direct supervision of a nursing faculty member. Graduates will be trained and prepared to practice with individuals, families, groups, communities, and populations across the lifespan in an ever-changing health-care environment.
“St. John’s is setting the stage for the education of nursing leaders who will shape future health-care delivery,” shared Colleen Carmody, Ed.D., R.N., C.N.S., Founding Director, Nursing Program; Senior Associate Dean; and Associate Professor/Industry Professional, Department of Clinical Health Professions, who directs the new program.
“We have designed an innovative curriculum, secured support for brand-new facilities, and established community partnerships that will strengthen our academic health system.”
Nursing education is not new to St. John’s. In 1937, a Department of Nursing was formed at St. John’s within The School of Education. The department became a separate School of Nursing Education in 1942, helping to train nurses during World War II. In 1958, the School again became a department under The School of Education, before being discontinued in 1966.
The four-year nursing pre-licensure program is designed for undergraduate students with no previous experience in professional nursing. It is open to applicants with good moral character and demonstrated academic ability. Click here for more information about admission to the Nursing Program.
In addition to the University requirements, the following are needed for nursing program consideration: official high school transcript(s) with at least one biology course and one chemistry course; a high school diploma with a minimum grade point average of 90; and a minimum SAT score of 1070.