For 130 years, the Cochran School of Nursing graduates have aspired to fulfill our school’s mission to influence health for the better, for all people. Cochran’s program of study integrates science with practice, within a framework of social justice, addressing the disparities in health that persist both here in the United States and around the globe.
Nursing is a calling – an art as well as a science and one of the most rewarding careers one could choose. The challenges the profession of nursing faces have a multitude of factors. Emerging diseases (COVID, being the most recent), transformation in the healthcare sector, cyclical and on-going staffing shortages, social factors that affect health status and other factors, all impact the care nurses can provide. I am committed to ensuring our graduates are prepared for these challenges, while reinforcing the reasons why we chose this vocation and how vital nurses are in this ever-changing landscape.
Here at Cochran we are dedicated to educating and inspiring students to become compassionate healers who demonstrate integrity, innovation, caring and excellence. Our graduates consistently exceed state and national averages for passage rates on the NCLEX and can move seamlessly from student to professional when they begin employment at our parent institution, St. John’s Riverside Hospital. Students who choose to seek employment at other organizations are recognized for the outstanding education they received at Cochran School of Nursing.
The variety of settings, patient demographics, and roles (bedside nurse, public health nurse, educator, researcher, infection control, advanced practice, administration, etc.) will present those who successfully master the educational requirements for practice with an inherently rewarding career with endless possibilities.
I hope that in reading this message, you are inspired to join us and explore those possibilities here at the Cochran School of Nursing.
Dr. Sandra Davé
Dean