Established in 1941, for over eighty years Queen's Nursing has dedicated itself to advancing health science and nursing scholarship through the education, research and clinical pursuits of students, faculty, and alumni of the school.
Guided by Queen's Health Sciences' vision of Radical Collaboration for a healthier world, the School of Nursing centers on three pillars of foci: nursing care and practice, wellness, and equity, diversity, inclusion, Indigeneity, and accessibility (EDIIA). Through these pillars, we are dedicated to continuing our legacy of providing a person-centred education that empowers nurses and demonstrates the strength and potential of our profession.
The School of Nursing was established shortly afterwards, in response to the growing wartime demand for nurses.
The proposed 'course' consisted of two academic years and two summer sessions on Queen's campus, followed by 32 months training at Kingston General Hospital
In May 1947, two graduates received the first bachelor in nursing science degrees from Queen's University.
Nursing faculty member Dr. Ruth MacKay and Dr. David Alexander (department of pediatrics) receive funding to conduct a study examining the role of advanced nursing practice. Our faculty continue this legacy of interprofessional collaboration and research excellence today.
While training in advanced practice nursing took place at Queen's throughout the 1970s and 1980s, the master of nursing science degree launched in 1994. Since then, Queen's Graduate Nursing Programs have developed a doctoral program in nursing (PhD), a master of nursing primary healthcare nurse practitioner program (MN-NPHNP) and a primary healthcare nurse practitioner diploma program (PHCNP).
Queen’s Faculty of Medicine joined with the Schools of Nursing and Rehabilitation Therapy to come together as one faculty. In 2022, QHS celebrated 25 years of collaboration and togetherness.
Created in collaboration with the Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, Health Quality Programs became the first of their kind in Canada, specializing in linking theory and practice in health quality, risk, and safety. In September 2018, the Doctor of Philosophy in Health Quality (PhDHQ) launched, the first doctoral program in Canada to specialize in the field of health quality and safety.
To celebrate eighty wonderful years of educating and supporting nurses from all capacities and specialties, the School of Nursing hosted a year-long campaign that reflected on how the profession has changed, and how we have changed with it.