The School of Nursing at McGill University has been a leader in nursing education, research and practice since its founding in 1920. It is recognized globally for the excellence, creativity, and rigour of its academic programs. Graduates of the School have made remarkable contributions to the development of the discipline and to the delivery of health care in Quebec, Canada and internationally.
The relationship of the School and its network of hospitals and community health agencies is unique in North America. There is a longstanding history of mutual respect and understanding between the School and its practice partners that developed in the context of a joint university/clinical appointment system initiated in the 1970's. This joint appointment system brings university and clinically based faculty members together to develop the curricula of our educational programs and to share in the teaching and evaluation of students. In turn, students at bachelor's, masters and doctoral levels contribute to the development of evidence-based practice in their clinical practice environments. As part of a very dynamic nursing and health services community, students have the opportunity to learn from experts in both the academic and clinical environments. They also have the opportunity to become involved in cutting edge research conducted by teams of faculty and practitioners.
A significant phenomenon that binds the School and of its clinical partners in the McGill network is a set of shared beliefs about how to work with people around health care issues known as the McGill Model of Nursing. This model or philosophy of care has been the basis for the development of our undergraduate and graduate programs, and has been adopted by hospital and community centers in the McGill network. It is also widely known in Canada and recognized internationally. The McGill Model incorporates ideas of health promotion, patient and family-centred care and collaborative practice that are so critical to health care delivery in today's world. It goes beyond treatment and prevention of disease to focus on promoting health during illness as well as during times of normal development. It highlights the importance of the family as the focus of nursing care and puts the emphasis on working with strengths that exist within individuals and groups. It calls for collaboration as the essence of nurse-client interactions as well as a part of interprofessional practice.
The McGill Model of Nursing is combined with teaching-learning approaches that place emphasis on the student as a self-directed learner who integrates the skills of life-long learning. Throughout their studies, students are encouraged to re-examine traditional practices, to question and to think critically before acting. They are encouraged to develop innovative approaches in every dimension of health care. We believe these are the skills they require to make a difference in the lives of the individuals and communities with whom they will work.
The approach to nursing is but one distinguishing feature of our programs and graduates. We invite you to examine the nature of our programs at the baccalaureate, master's and doctoral level. We offer a distinctive 3-year program leading to a Master of Science degree in Nursing specifically tailored to university graduates with a BA or BSc and no previous preparation in nursing – the only one of its kind in Canada. We have opened the first program for neonatal nurse practitioners in Quebec. Through FERASI and GRISIM we offer programs to support nursing administration research and nursing intervention research. We invite you to learn more about the School's strong clinical linkages, to read about the Canadian Journal of Nursing Research (the first peer-reviewed nursing journal in Canada), and to meet the committed educators, researchers and practitioners who, with the students, make up this very progressive and productive McGill nursing community.
Dr. Hélène Ezer
Director, School of Nursing
Associate Dean, Faculty of Medicine
