Welcome - Nursing Faculty Handbook

Dear Nursing Faculty,

Welcome to the Donnelly College Nursing Program. You are joining a team committed to equity, transformation, and compassionate service. We believe every student deserves the opportunity to develop both their professional competencies and their intrinsic human worth.

At our mission-driven Catholic college, your role extends beyond instruction. You will mentor, support, and educate students as they navigate the challenges of becoming nurses. We strive daily to be the most accessible and transformative Catholic college through our relationships and the positive impact we have on students’ lives.

Our program is grounded in Roy's Adaptation Model, which conceptualizes each individual as a holistic, adaptive system responding to various challenges. This framework emphasizes that growth results from change, and as nurse educators, our responsibility is to facilitate student adaptation in four key domains: physical health, self-concept, roles, and relationships. In each domain, you guide students toward resilience and a sense of wholeness.

Many of our students balance academic responsibilities with work, family, and other life commitments. Supporting them requires both clear expectations and empathy. Draw upon your expertise to guide them, recognize their evolving needs, and demonstrate compassion as they adapt.

Whether you are in the classroom, clinic, or simulation lab, remember that your contributions are significant. Your leadership will demonstrate to students that nursing is a science of care, a practice of responsibility, and a ministry of healing.

Thank you for choosing to teach. I look forward to witnessing the ways you will support our students, advance our profession, and contribute to the continued success of the Donnelly College Nursing Program. May God bless your work with our students and with each other.

With gratitude and anticipation,

Dr. Gina M Taylor, DNP, MSN, RN

Director of Nursing
Donnelly College