School of Nursing

The Sisters arrived in Chicago in 1846 and immediately opened a boarding school for girls, Saint Xavier Academy, and began nursing the sick in their home. In 1852, the Sisters were issued a charter for what was known as Mercy Hospital. As the hospital began to grow, the Sisters of Mercy recognized the need for trained women to care for the patients. To meet this need, the Mercy School of Nursing was opened in 1889 and received its charter in 1892 as the Mercy Hospital Training School.

In 1935, the Sisters of Mercy merged the hospital training program with Saint Xavier College, launching the first baccalaureate nursing program in Illinois. The four-year collegiate program offered students a basic liberal arts education combined with professional nursing experience, culminating in a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN). In May 1940, the Mercy School of Nursing of Saint Xavier College became the only college of nursing in Illinois and the 27th member school to be recognized nationally by the Association of Collegiate Schools of Nursing, which was the first official accrediting body for nursing. Today, SON boasts continuous accreditation by the National League for Nursing and the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education, and in 2020, the nursing program celebrated its 85th anniversary.

Innovative programs and commitment to service have been hallmarks of the nursing program. The University Health Center was developed over a 30-year period, beginning in a small office in the nursing wing. Today, it is housed in the Driehaus Center and is managed and staffed by certified nurse practitioners who provide health care services to students, faculty, staff, and members of the surrounding community. The new Simulation and Integrated Learning Center (SILC) provides students with simulated learning experiences, which are a key component to progress and success in the nursing program. These activities utilize real-life scenarios and safe clinical environments to enhance knowledge and clinical judgement capabilities.

Nursing faculty provide an educational environment that promotes intentional caring with students from diverse backgrounds, preparing students for personal and professional growth and providing a foundation for graduate education in nursing. Through liberal education, SXU graduates are prepared to participate in all types of practice settings. The core of knowledge within the program provides a foundation for thinking in critical and creative ways. The baccalaureate curriculum is designed to prepare the graduate to practice as a generalist independently or collaboratively with other health professionals in the areas of health promotion, risk reduction and illness management.

This program has a long history of producing exceptional professional registered nurses working in all types of practice settings here in Chicago and all across the country, and we look forward to witnessing your journeys as you become the nation's next health care heroes!