Mission Statements and Students' Professional Identity

Dr. Katie Clark (Augsburg University), Dr. Becky Davis (Creighton University), Dr. LeAnn Holmes (University of Nebraska Medical Center), Dr. Joyce Miller (Augsburg University), Dr. Margo Minnich (Creighton University), Mariana Ballesteros (BA in Health Administration and Policy), Alexandra Schultz (student in Medical Anthropology) and I published an article in Nurse Education Today (Vol. 134, March 2024, 106096): "The Role of Doctor of Nursing Practice Programs' Mission, Vision, and Values Statements in the Development of Students' Professional Identity: A Qualitative Study." We argue that mission statements guide students to develop a professional nursing identity that transcends clinical care and is centered on (1) being citizens engaged in social, democratic, and political processes, (2) building caring relationships and communities, and (3) addressing health inequities. Such priorities are explicitly aligned with the mission and values statements of the programs that participated in the study on which this article is based.