Strategic Plan
Nursing Forward Together
MISSION. The UNCG School of Nursing transforms lives and communities through excellence in nursing education, research, practice, and service.
VISION. Forward Together: Transforming the Future of Nursing
We envision a passionate and collaborative community propelled by opportunity, innovation, and social mobility to improve health outcomes for all.
VALUES. Our Values are EPIC!
Extraordinary Outcomes – We are committed to student success, social mobility, and the advancement of nursing practice and science to improve health for all.
Passionate People – We empower students, faculty, and staff to lead and serve with integrity, compassion, and an unwavering commitment to excellence in nursing.
Innovative Practices – We challenge traditional boundaries to create transformative educational experiences, pioneering research, and evidence-informed practice.
Connected Communities – We foster belonging, embrace our community, and advance access to quality healthcare for all.
Pillar One: Student Success
Ensure Success and Upward Mobility for Students from All Backgrounds
Nursing-Specific Goal: Increase access to nursing education and enhance student wellbeing and success to improve healthcare workforce outcomes.
Key Objectives & Metrics:
Increase BSN four-year graduation rates to align with university goals (e.g., 45% by 2030).
- Metric: Four-year and six-year graduation rates of nursing students.
- Metric: Year-over-Year Retention rates in nursing programs.
- Metric: Facilitate participation in wellness and academic support programs.
Expand pathways into nursing and build nursing expertise, including direct entry options and bridge programs for various student groups, including non-traditional students.
- Metric: Number of new or expanded programs, concentrations, certificates, training, or offerings (e.g., pre-nursing pipelines, alternative entry pathways, stop the bleed, disaster preparedness, high-need areas).
Improve NCLEX pass rates and APRN certification rates for nursing graduates.
- Metric: NCLEX first-time pass rate: target: 93%+.
- Metric: APRN certification pass rate: target 95% across all foci.
Pillar Two: Research & Creative Activity
Enhance Research Excellence and Creative Activity to Support Discovery and Societal Impact
Nursing-Specific Goal: Strengthen nursing research, scholarship, and innovation to drive healthcare advancements and community impact.
Key Objectives & Metrics:
Increase Grant Funding.
- Metric: Grant applications of at least $4 million submitted in FY2026 and grow proportionally for the next five years.
- Metric: Number of externally funded nursing research grants.
- Metric: Integrate a system for tracking year-over-year research dollar expenditures.
- Metric: Increase in interdisciplinary collaborative research projects.
- Metric: Develop partnerships to improve health for all and community healthcare outcomes.
- Metric: Number of active community-based nursing projects and initiatives.
- Metric: Enhance and track visibility of SON research.
Pillar Three: Operational Excellence
Achieve Operational Excellence and Responsible Stewardship to Support Our Mission
Nursing-Specific Goal: Sustainably grow and strengthen nursing education through strategic resource management and workforce development.
Key Objectives & Metrics:
Ensure financial sustainability and strategic program reinvestment.
- Metric: Nursing school financial budget efficiently managed (including instructional efficiency).
- Metric: Efficiency in educational cost per degree awarded.
- Metric: Decrease cost to students for controllable factors such as textbooks & other resources.
Recruit, retain, and develop high-quality nursing faculty and staff.
- Metric: Retention rates and satisfaction rates.
- Metric: Number of faculty/staff participating in educational, leadership, and research development programs.
Expand clinical partnerships and workforce training to meet North Carolina’s healthcare needs.
- Metric: Number of new or expanded clinical placement agreements.
- Metric: Number of graduates prepared to enter high-need nursing areas (e.g., mental health, gerontology, rural, long-term care).
- Metric: Track rebranding and outreach efforts and their impact.
- Metric: Growth in alumni and employer engagement in networking and career development programs.
