Help and care for others with compassion

As a nursing student, you will learn to approach the patient and their family with compassion, to treat and care for him or her using all aspects of a Saint Mary’s education. The rigorous nursing classes and clinical instruction you’ll take as a nursing student emphasize relationship-centered nursing care with individuals, families, groups, and communities informed by professional nursing standards.

You will be prepared to care for patients in a variety of settings — hospitals, doctor’s offices, schools, and community organizations. There are no limits to how you can use your nursing degree. A Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree is high in demand and the nursing department at Saint Mary’s will provide you will the knowledge and skills to take the NCLEX-RN licensure exam and earn those five letters after your name: BSN, RN.

See our new state-of-the-art nursing science facility

In fall 2021, a spacious new healthcare training facility opened its doors to offer nursing students an ultra-realistic clinical experience, with the feel of actual hospital and exam rooms. The Center for Healthcare Education features multiple simulation labs, high-tech medical mannequins, observation rooms, and more. This new facility provides best-of-class training, developing both undergraduate and graduate nursing students as next-level clinicians in healthcare delivery.

In 2020, Nursing Schools Almanac named the Saint Mary’s nursing program in the top three nursing schools in Indiana. And, in 2021, U.S. News and World Report ranked it in the top 26% of undergraduate nursing programs in the nation. With this new facility, Saint Mary’s becomes the premier nursing program in the region.

Study or work as a nurse abroad

You can accomplish your dreams of becoming a nurse, and broaden your perspective by traveling part of the world. The rigors of nursing school often don’t allow students to venture abroad, but at Saint Mary’s, we will work with you to make your dreams a reality. The nursing department makes it possible for students to study abroad in the fall semester of their sophomore year.

If a traditional semester program isn’t the best fit for you, there are many summer options including a nursing specific program in Africa. Our close relationship with the Sisters of the Holy Cross provides a unique partnership with the Sisters located in Uganda. Each summer, nursing students travel to Uganda to work in clinics and conduct research.

• 91% of graduates one-year-out are employed or enrolled in graduate school
• 8 students in a clinical rotation
• 95% of 2017 graduates passes the NCLEX-RN licensure exam

Serve our local community

Saint Mary’s student nurses complete clinical hours during their junior and senior years in two local hospitals — Memorial Hospital and Saint Joseph Hospital — as well as many sites in the community including the Center for the Homeless, Hope Ministries, local schools, and more. Student nurses are recognized for their navy blue uniforms and respected for the knowledge they bring to the places they serve. In small clinical groups of eight, student nurses learn valuable skills in a hands-on setting with a variety of patients.

Become a well-rounded nurse

An education in the liberal arts tradition means that you become more than just a nurse. It means that you examine a variety of perspectives and areas of study that make you a well-rounded person with excellent communication and critical thinking skills. Along with specialized classes, it’s why so many Saint Mary’s graduates have leadership roles within their chosen career paths.

In order to be able to have the most impact, communication is key. For this reason Sister Maureen Grady, CSC, teaches a communication course to nursing students to help enhance their communication skills with patients and their families. Compassion is at the heart of caring for others and a strong value of the Sisters of the Holy Cross, the sponsors of Saint Mary’s.