Welcome to the Ascension Via Christi - Wichita State University School of Nursing

Our accredited bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral programs—enhanced by our metropolitan setting—prepare graduates for nursing practice across diverse healthcare settings and support long-term career growth. With both traditional and nontraditional options, students can choose the program that best fits their goals and lifestyle.

Our faculty are dedicated and distinguished educators and researchers who are committed to improving community health through innovation and excellence in nursing education, scholarship, practice, and service.

There has never been a better time to pursue a career in nursing!

  • Registered nurses make up the largest health care occupation, with 3.1 million jobs in the U.S.
  • Employment for nurses is projected to grow by 26%, much faster than the average for all occupations.
  • Bachelor’s-prepared nurses are in especially high demand across healthcare settings.
  • A landmark report on The Future of Nursing called for increasing the number of baccalaureate prepared nurses in the workforce to 80% by 2020.
  • A study titled Educating Nurses: A Call for Radical Transformation, calls all RNs to earn a master’s degree within 10 years of initial licensure.
  • As the demand for healthcare providers grows, Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRN)s are increasingly essential to improve access to care by providing high-quality, cost-effective healthcare—especially in rural and underserved areas.

Explore Our Programs

Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) Options:

  • Traditional BSN program – Prepares students for entry-level professional nursing positions in a variety of health care settings and provides a foundation for graduate study in nursing.
  • Guaranteed Placement Program for High School Seniors – A unique opportunity for high school students who begin their college career at Wichita State University to secure a spot in the competitive traditional BSN program. 
  • Pathway to Nursing Program in Manhattan – Offers students a valuable opportunity to earn both a BS or BA degree from Kansas State University, and a BSN from Wichita State University.

Want to advance your career?

CCNE Accredited
 

Accreditation

The Ascension Via Christi - Wichita State University School of Nursing has been accredited since 1973. Currently, the baccalaureate, master’s and DNP programs at WSU are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education.

 

Mission Statement

The Ascension Via Christi - Wichita State University School of Nursing's mission is to advance the health of individuals and communities by empowering excellence in healthcare through innovation in nursing education, scholarship, practice, and service. 

Vision

Transforming healthcare through innovative excellence in nursing.

Values

  • Innovation 
  • Lifelong Learning  
  • Evidence-Based Practice 
  • Collaboration
  • Wellness Advocacy 

Goals

The Ascension Via Christi - Wichita State University School of Nursing will:

  1. Advance practices that ensure all patients and professionals are heard, valued, and treated with fairness.
  2. Enhance Population Health Initiatives 
  3. Innovate Nursing Education
  4. Strengthen Community Engagement in Health Promotion 
  5. Advance Evidence-Based Practice
  6. Foster Interprofessional Education and Practice 
  7. Cultivate Lifelong Learning 
  8. Nurture a Culture of Wellness in Nursing 

Philosophy of the Ascension Via Christi - Wichita State University School of Nursing

The Ascension Via Christi - Wichita State University School of Nursing applies and utilizes Dr. Patricia Benner’s (1984) model of skill acquisition throughout the curricula. This model’s essential concepts include competence, skill acquisition, experience, clinical knowledge, and practical knowledge (Benner, 1984).

In this framework, there are five stages of skill acquisition: novice, advanced beginner, competent, proficient, and expert. In addition, there are 7 domains: the helping role, the teaching-coaching function, effective management of rapidly changing situations, monitoring and ensuring the quality of healthcare practice, and organizational, work-role competencies and the diagnostic and patient monitoring function, administering and monitoring therapeutic interventions and regimens. For graduate nursing, the last two domains are combined into one more reflective of advanced practice nursing, designated as management of patient health and illness status (Brykczynski, 1985). Benner's framework, "From Novice to Expert," emphasizes the nature of nursing practice, specifically how nursing knowledge is acquired and develops over time.