The mission of the College of Nursing is to develop a diverse community of nurse leaders who advance interprofessional, equitable, and ethical care. We do this through excellence in teaching, implementation science, strong partnerships, and service to others.
Our vision is to build a nursing workforce to meet the demands of an evolving healthcare landscape while advancing health equity and holistic well-being for Lake County, the nation, and the global population.
Lake County, just north of Chicago, Illinois, is home to several major healthcare systems, a large public health department, a Federal Health Care Center and the corporate headquarters of major biopharmaceutical companies. But it’s never had a college of nursing — until now, that is.
RFU’s College of Nursing is the result of several years of planning and building relationships with various strategic local partners. Of particular importance are the healthcare systems that need nurses in the ER, for critical care, pediatrics, maternity, mental health and many other areas of service. These include Northwestern Medicine, Ann and Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago, NorthShore University Health System, the Lake County Health Department and the Captain James A. Lovell Federal Health Care Center.
Academic partners also include neighboring Lake Forest College and the College of Lake County, in addition to business, government and community organizations from across Lake County. Community partners include Lake County Partners and Lake County government, among others.
Goal 1: Create multi-entry options and innovative pathways to create access to our programs that generate revenue, serve our interprofessional mission, are feasible and sustainable, and provide growth through both degree and non-degree offerings. (RFUMS Goals 1.1, 1.5, 1.6, 3.4)
Goal 2: Use best-practice learning/teaching approaches to achieve excellent student outcomes. (RFUMS Goals 1.1, 1.2)
Goal 3: Increase faculty grant productivity and other scholarly work. (RFUMS Goal 1.1)
Goal 4: Create safe and inclusive work and learning environments that focus on the wellness and resilience of all. (RFUMS Goal 2.1)
Goal 5: Actively foster an organizational culture that provides equitable access, honors unique contributions, and creates a sense of belonging among students and alumni, faculty, and staff. (RFUMS Goal 3.1)
Goal 6: Promote access through financial support of students in high need. (RFUMS Goals 3.5, 2.6)