People interested in a career serving others often consider a college degree in nursing. While it’s critical to learn the latest in best clinical practices needed to care for patients, nursing students are often driven by a desire to help others. That’s one reason why many people dedicated to their faith become nurses. The nursing profession offers the chance to provide care and healing to those in need, often those who are less fortunate than others. While many nursing programs are available, for many a faith-based RN-to-BSN is the best choice.
A Foundation in Faith
Houston Christian University offers an online faith-based RN-to-BSN degree that prepares graduates to take on the challenging job of nursing care in the 21st century. But what makes a faith-based program different?
The first difference can be seen in the HCU mission statement. The statement includes the idea that the school “instills in students a passion for academic, spiritual and professional excellence.” HCU leaders state that “HCU strives to not only develop each student academically but spiritually, physically and relationally as well.”
The Baptist General Convention of Texas created HCU in 1960 with the goal of establishing a university in Houston that stressed both quality of life and quality of learning. The school strives to have an ethnically diverse group of students, mirroring the diverse population of Houston itself. HCU has been named by U.S. News and World Report as one of the top regional universities in the west for campus ethnic diversity.
A Faith-Based BSN
A career in nursing offers an opportunity to serve others and demonstrate a Christian-based approach. HCU keeps this in mind, including components within the coursework itself that stress Christian values such as strong ethics and a mentality of serving others. The program has courses that examine in detail the skills nurses need and how to apply them to the real-world of practicing medicine. They also provide courses such as “Care of Vulnerable Populations” and “Nurses in the Community; Nursing the Community” that focus on providing care for the more vulnerable people in society.
In all its programs, HCU incorporates the school’s initial mission as envisioned in The 10 Pillars. They call for an academic institution that incorporates faith, learning and a strong foundation in the liberal arts. The school strives to provide professional behaviors and personal characteristics that lead to life-long learning and service to both God and the community.
All this is appealing to those who seek a faith-based RN-to-BSN program. It’s a path worth taking for those who want a top-notch education that also is faith-based.