• selection, support, and development of a talented, caring
  faculty and staff dedicated to scholarship and creating an
  open, cooperative, technologically enhanced learning
  environment.
   
• excellence in a learning environment dedicated to serving
  a diverse student body, promoting high levels of student
  achievement, and providing a range of educational and
  student life opportunities and appropriate academic
  support services.
   
• public service through continuing education, economic,
  development, and cultural activities that address the
  needs and improve the quality of life of the region.
   
• continuous improvement in all aspects of its operations
  through the use of inclusive, participatory planning and
  meaningful assessment.

In fulfilling the first core commitment, The School of Nursing employs full time faculty with a minimum Masters Degree preparation. Many of the nursing faculty maintain additional certifications in a variety of specialty areas. These faculty members are dedicated to ensuring student success through team teaching efforts, and a technologically enhanced learning environment using human patient simulators, online course offerings and the use of clinical facilities with electronic medical record systems.

The second core commitment is fulfilled through providing students with exceptional learning opportunities in a wide variety of health care related areas that serve diverse patient populations. Supporting, encouraging, and recognizing the abilities, values, cultural, and gender diversity of the student population are priorities in promoting the success of our graduates.

In fulfilling the third core commitment, a commitment to public service is demonstrated by collaborative efforts with other DSC faculty and staff, local hospitals, agencies and schools. Faculty, staff and students frequently volunteer their knowledge and skills at local events or activities that seek to address health promotion, higher education, or support the mission of Dalton State College.

Every faculty and staff member of The School of Nursing continually strives to ensure fulfillment of the fourth and final core commitment. In order to meet the needs of our graduates and their employers as well as to ensure instruction is current and relevant to health care, data are collected from a variety of areas and evaluated to continually improve the quality of education and instruction. Each member of the nursing faculty serves on various college wide committees involved with planning and assessing the purpose and mission of the college.

In fulfilling the mission of the school and the college, we seek to inspire our students to be active members within the nursing profession. As we look to the future and our place in a competitive, global society, we seek to become more student-oriented and community-centered. Successful completion of the new graduate outcomes enable graduates to realize their career goals and function safely and effectively as beginning nurse generalists.