The need for professional nurses became acute near the turn of the twentieth century. In response, the Western Pennsylvania Hospital developed a nursing education program. Fifteen students were chosen and the Western Pennsylvania Hospital Training School for Nurses on September 1, 1892, with a two-year curriculum. Ten students successfully completed the program and graduated on September 20, 1894.
Presently, students at West Penn Hospital School of Nursing gain experience in assessing, planning, and administering patient care. Allegheny Health Network’s West Penn Hospital serves as the primary clinical setting for the School of Nursing. Work and study in this dynamic urban hospital environment bring students in contact with professionals from a variety of health care disciplines and institutions.
Other hospitals within Allegheny Health Network and selected agencies in Allegheny County provide opportunities for student enrichment in certain specialty areas.
The Allegheny Health Network (AHN) Schools of Nursing, West Penn Hospital School of Nursing and Citizens School of Nursing, commit to excellence in nursing education by preparing competent, compassionate nurses who provide safe, high-quality healthcare to diverse patients, families, and communities.
The vision of the AHN Schools of Nursing is to develop competent, safe, and compassionate graduate nurses utilizing effective and current educational strategies. We will contribute to the nursing profession through our commitment to quality improvement, communication, collaboration, and evidence-based practice to meet the unique needs of our students and the changing landscape of healthcare.
We, the faculty believe that nursing is a dynamic caring profession that facilitates health promotion, disease prevention, advocacy, and healing for patients, families, and communities. We believe in individualized, compassionate care for patients across the lifespan. The focus on diversity, equity, inclusion, and social determinants of health allows the nurse to optimize the well-being of populations.
Utilizing Knowles Adult Learning Theory and constructivism as a foundation, faculty enhance learning environments to foster student success in their journey to becoming a professional nurse. We believe that student success is achieved through self-motivation, an individual’s lived experience, and ongoing support.
Faculty integrate Tanner’s Clinical Judgment Model across the curriculum to guide a student’s ability to “think like a nurse.” Clinical reasoning and judgment, utilizing a variety of teaching strategies, are introduced early and progress from simple to complex. Faculty believe that it is important to minimize the gap between academia and clinical practice. The development of clinical reasoning in a student allows for seamless transition from graduate to professional nurse.
We believe in building a strong educational foundation that improves the quality and safety of healthcare for a diverse patient population. Utilizing the competencies of Quality and Safety Education for Nurses (QSEN), faculty incorporate contemporary and evidence-based nursing practice into learning environments.
At the end of the program, the graduate will be able to:
In earning your professional RN diploma from the West Penn Hospital School of Nursing, you will meet all the necessary requirements to take the National Council Licensure Exam (NCLEX-RN) and become eligible for licensure as a registered nurse (RN) in the state of Pennsylvania.
Our graduates who have taken NCLEX-RN have been deemed eligible for initial licensure in the following states: Arizona, California, Nevada, New Jersey, Ohio, Virginia, Washington, and West Virginia.
If you plan to practice nursing in a state not listed above, visit nursinglicensure.org for specific state requirements.
Reach out today for more information or to attend an information session.
NCLEX is a registered trademark of the National Council of State Boards of Nursing, Inc. and is used with permission.
