Master of Science in Nursing Program

At Western Washington University, situated on the Salish Sea and the Canadian border, our history is marked by colonialism and racism, and the impacts still affect us today. Our nursing values inspire us to engage respectfully with our environment, communities, and cultures. Together with the university, we are committed to creating a positive impact through academic excellence and inclusivity. We recognize our place within systems of power shaping health conditions. We honor health perspectives and lived experiences of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) communities. Thus, we commit to transform structures, including academia, to promote the health and thriving of all, especially minoritized and marginalized communities. The WWU Nursing Program provides accessible, high-quality education, preparing graduates to offer compassionate, person-centered care, addressing determinants of health, and serving underserved communities. Our graduates lead efforts for health equity, responding to the region's rural and population health needs.

• Courage: Willingness to actively work for greater equity and justice and to defend individual and collective rights. 
• Compassion: Actively centering on the needs of others, being present to them and open to the mysteries of life, suffering, and death that they experience, willing to be affected in heart and mind by those for whom we care. 
• Commitment: Actively dedicating ourselves to intellectual, personal, and professional reflection that leads to the ongoing development of our nursing knowledge, skills, and attitudes. 
• Communication: Intentional in our words and actions, fostering connections that deepen self-awareness and understanding while building deep and enduring relationships that promote well-being. 
• Collaboration: Taking actions that arise from deep respect for all individuals and their unique lifeways, honoring diverse expressions of culture and tradition, and working collaboratively to achieve inclusivity and equitable healthcare.

The primary mission of the nursing program at Western Washington University is to empower graduates to revolutionize healthcare leadership within the nursing field. Our program prepares students to assume pivotal nursing roles while upholding the core values of courage, compassion, commitment, communication, and collaboration. We prepare students to actively address historical injustices while promoting inclusivity and greater healthcare equity and justice. 

To be a passionate community of students, educators, and nursing leaders engaged in innovative and creative practices that enhance the nursing profession, healthcare systems, and communities we serve.

The Nursing Program has adopted Western's Strategic Goals as its own. 

Goal #1: Western's Nursing Program will provide a transformational education grounded in the liberal arts and sciences and based on innovative scholarship, research, and creative activity.

Goal #2: Western's Nursing Program will advance a deeper understanding of and engagement with place.

Goal #3: Western's Nursing Program will foster a caring and supportive environment where all members are respected and treated fairly.

Goal #4: Western's Nursing Program will pursue justice and equity in its policies, practices, and impacts.

Specific to the practice contexts of nurse leaders and/or educators, the graduate will:

1. Integrate personal and professional reflective practice to enhance leadership skills and advancement in the nursing profession.
2. Demonstrate the ability to promote safe, healthy, and sustainable environments across nursing education, leadership, and practice.
3. Demonstrate competency in advanced-level nursing education as defined by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) Essentials and specialty competencies in nursing leadership (American Organization of Nurse Leader’s Nurse Leader competencies) or nursing education (National League of Nursing’s Nurse Educator competencies).
4. Engage in collaborative partnerships aimed at delivering accessible, equitable, and high-quality education and healthcare services.
5. Advocate with rural and other marginalized communities for policies that facilitate equitable health outcomes.