From the Office of the Director

photo of directorWelcome to the Arthur Labatt Family School of Nursing. The School has come a long way from its original public health roots at Victoria Hospital on South Street and has securely established itself as a highly regarded leader in provincial, national, and international nursing education arenas.  We take pride in the fact that Western offered the first Canadian nursing master’s program, and established the first fully online peer reviewed journal in nursing education, The International Journal of Nursing Education Scholarship. We also take pride in being the first international charter chapter of Sigma Theta Tau International, a prestigious nursing honor society.

On May 12, 2008, Florence Nightingale’s birthday, and the Canadian Nurses Association’s centennial year, the School of Nursing was officially named the Arthur Labatt Family School of Nursing.  On this day, our rich 88-year history was punctuated by a generous $10 million gift from Arthur and Sonia Labatt. The future is bright indeed.

The school has signature research-driven programs that are known nationally and internationally for their quality and rigor. Our faculty have a voice at senior academic leadership tables, and in provincial, national, and international arenas. We have faculty who are evolving their research and teaching trajectories in creative ways.  For example, the Arthur Labatt Family School of Nursing is home to the first (of two) Distinguished University Professors, Heather Laschinger, and two faculty scholars, Carol McWilliam and Cheryl Forchuk. Helene Berman, in collaboration with the Faculty of Education, holds the Scotiabank Chair in Research on Violence Against Women and Children, and Marilyn Ford-Gilboe is the T.R. Meighen Family Foundation Community Nursing Professor. As well, Carroll Iwasiw is leading, with colleagues from other disciplines, a CIDA-funded initiative focused on rebuilding the health of people in Rwanda by establishing a baccalaureate nursing program in Kigali (http://www.fims.uwo.ca/olr/mar806/Rwanda.html).

The School currently depends on upwards of 120 part-time faculty for support in offering our programs through limited duties appointments. Their commitment to our academic endeavors is second to none.  The School is also proud of the many casual faculty, clinical partners, community leaders, and preceptors who contribute to the School’s successes. They move forward the School’s collective vision with confidence, resilience, and vitality.

Six programs are offered in the School at graduate and undergraduate levels to approximately 1150 students. These students are the lifeblood of the institution and, more importantly, future caregivers. The School’s alumni are many; they return to their alma mater with spirit to share in our successes and they carry the school’s good name and reputation around the world.

Our undergraduate collaborative baccalaureate program with Fanshawe College received 7-year accreditation in 2007 and our graduate programs are approved by the Ontario Council of Graduate Studies.  The School proudly celebrated the achievements of our first PhD graduate, Tom Gantert, in 2007. His supervisor was Carol McWilliam. In 2007, students from the newly established Compressed Time Frame Program graced the stage of alumni hall for the first time.

The energy harnessed from its many accomplishments makes evident that the School has made and continues to make incredible contributions to the nursing profession. Collectively, we are moving forward into the 21st century with pride and conviction.

I encourage you to take a moment to reflect on why you chose this profession, or why it has chosen you.  Each day of daily practice, through the multitude of roles we assume as part of a global community of nurses, we have the opportunity to influence someone’s life and reciprocally, to influence our own. As you explore the world of nursing, and think about beginning or enriching your professional careers, remember that being a nurse is a gift.

Faculty in Western’s nursing programs will share with you the ingredients to get you started on a professional career path or help you discover new professional avenues to enhance your knowledge and skills.  We have a commitment to make strong your professional roots and wings, and to see you soar with confidence.   Let Western’s Arthur Labatt Family School of Nursing be a part of your dream and let us help you make the dream a reality.

Sincerely,

Mary-Anne Andrusyszyn, RN, BScN, MScN, EdD
Professor and Director
Arthur Labatt Family School of Nursing

Western provides the best student experience among Canada's leading research-intensive universities.