Elevate 2029
Four-year strategic plan will position the college to lead the field of nursing from 2025 through 2029
The College of Nursing is in an exciting moment of transition and development. The induction of Dr. Shakira Henderson as the college’s sixth dean in January 2024 provides the perfect time to re-evaluate goals and strategies and position the college to lead the field of nursing.

Across the state and labor market, there is a high demand for nurses.The U.S.Bureau of Labor Statistics projects a 6% increase in job growth for registered nurses between 2022 and 2032,and a 38% expected growth increase for nurse practitioners — a faster increase than the average growth rate for the whole U.S. job market.
Nursing education also faces opportunities and challenges. The demand for enrollment in nursing programs remains steady for now, but several challenges are impacting the ability to meet this demand. Nursing schools across the U.S. are struggling to keep up with the high number of qualified applicants, largely due to a shortage of nursing faculty and clinical training sites, according to the American Association of Colleges of Nursing.
Nurses are the life force of the health care industry. Studies like Dr. Linda Aiken and colleagues’ that was published in the July 2017 issue of BMJ Quality and Safety point to the direct association between better patient outcomes and a greater proportion of professional nurses at the bedside. To ensure the nation’s health care needs are met, it is essential to address these issues by expanding pathways into nursing, supporting current nurses, and improving the capacity of nursing schools to accommodate more students. The College of Nursing’s mission to train and develop nurses, provide excellent nursing care, and generate groundbreaking research and scholarship is more important than ever before.

U.S. News & World Report has ranked our BSN degree No. 1 in Florida, the RN-BSN degree is No. 2 in the nation, and the DNP is ranked No. 31. Each degree has the potential to increase our national and international standings.
The college boasts exceptional academic programs and is home to the long-standing nurse-led practice UF Health Archer Family Health Care, which has served the community for 24 years averages more than 5,000 patient visits per year. Additionally, the college is part of UF Health— a leading academic health system and the University of Florida’s academic health center. Through these many affiliations, we can reach and serve not only students, but also surrounding communities, making the college’s growth and strategic development uniquely essential.

The College of Nursing has identified tremendous opportunities to boost the support provided for the surrounding community, evolve academic programs, and support groundbreaking nursing research through this four-year strategic plan.

MISSION:
To provide excellent personalized nursing care, generate research and scholarship that have an impact on practice, and advance health equity and prepare graduates who care, lead, and inspire.
VISION:
To be a global catalyst for nursing excellence and transformative health innovation.
VALUES:
Balance, Excellence, Caring, Innovation, Courage, Integration, Curiosity, Learning, Diversity, Respect, Engagement, Service
CARE, LEAD, INSPIRE BOLDLY:
The UF College of Nursing ensures Gator Nurses have the tools they need to care for others, lead the way, and inspire those around them and around the world. Organized around the core tenets of CARE, LEAD, and INSPIRE, the strategic plan will enhance the college’s ability to advance the field of nursing, produce caring, well-prepared nurses and nursing leaders, and find innovative solutions for the field of nursing.
Care for People:
As nurses, our careers are devoted to caring for our patients. Through the strategic plan, the college broadens the concept of care beyond just caring for patients, extending it to caring for our students, faculty, staff, supporters and partners, and the greater community. We will institute practices and policies that ensure all those who are part of and connected to our college are supported and set up for success.

Lead the Way:
The College of Nursing and its many community members are leaders and pioneers. This plan ensures that the college will lead the way in nursing education innovation, evolving and anticipating future health care and student needs. It empowers our faculty to lead groundbreaking research, take on leadership positions in professional and scholarly organizations, and serve as clinical leaders. This plan is designed to ensure our exceptional students and alumni are practice-ready and poised to meet industry demands. By leveraging advanced technology, they will be prepared to be leaders in our field for years to come.
Inspire the World:
Since our founding, the college has inspired nursing professionals and nursing educators to be innovative in our approach to health care delivery, education, and research. This plan will inspire our community of technology-forward care providers and decision-making leaders to catalyze change in practice and leadership that improves care. It will also inspire the broader nursing community in the U.S. and around the world to think creatively about how to tackle the challenges we face in health care in the near and distant future.
Goal: To be a trusted community improving health and well-being.

1. Optimize student support mechanisms and services.
The College of Nursing is committed to preserving and enhancing our compassionate and supportive academic environment. Further, we will ensure that all of our students have the skills, support structures, and experiences needed to thrive as individuals and as nursing professionals. To do this, we will work to improve student satisfaction and well-being, clinical preparedness, scholarly impact, and career outcomes.
2. Develop faculty advancement support.
Our faculty are among the leading nursing experts in the country. Their exceptional teaching talent, clinical experience, and innovative, groundbreaking research and discovery are key reasons the college is positioned to be the best nursing program in the country. To ensure our faculty are supported and able to lead in our field, we will bolster faculty affairs and scholarship support mechanisms.
3. Invest in our staff’s development.
Our staff ensures our college, our students, and our faculty thrive. Their contributions are critical to our success and effectiveness in teaching, service, and research. We, therefore, want to ensure our staff have all the tools they need to be successful in their roles at UF and in their careers. To do this, we must invest in the professional development of our staff and the infrastructure that is required for their work.
4. Expand our community impact.
A critical element of our mission is to advance health equity and, as a public institution, our enduring purpose is to serve our local and state communities. We must make a positive impact on our communities through service and clinical practice. This will require us to be more effectively engaged and embedded with our communities in Gainesville, Jacksonville, and around the state.
5. Maximize stakeholder and supporter engagement.
We are fortunate to have a dedicated, caring, and leading alumni base. To engage our supporters more effectively, we will build meaningful relationships through personalized communication, showcase the impact of alumni and partner contributions, and create opportunities for them to actively engage in our mission.

Gator Nursing BSN seniors continued the college’s commitment to community health and well-being by participating in several FluMist events at Alachua County schools this fall as part of their clinicals for the Clinical Reasoning and Personalized Nursing Care: Women Children and Families course. Under the guidance of Clinical Assistant Professor Sally Bethart DNP, APRN, FNP-BC, PHNA-BC, CNE, nursing students administered FluMist to hundreds of students at 14 area elementary, middle, and high schools, offering the free nasal spray vaccine to protect children and their families from the flu. This initiative, led by the Florida Department of Health in Alachua County, provides free FluMist vaccines to eligible students in pre-kindergarten through
12th grade.
This hands-on experience aligns with the College of Nursing’s new strategic plan, specifically the pillar of “Care for People.” Through this plan, the college is expanding the definition of care beyond patients to encompass all members of its community. By participating in these FluMist events, students not only enhance public health but also demonstrate the college’s dedication to fostering success and well-being for all.

Goal: To be recognized as the model for excellence in nursing education.

1. Launch innovative curriculum initiative.
From nursing shortages throughout the country to shifting population health needs to rapid advancement and novel applications of technology in teaching, research, and care, we must prepare our faculty and students to lead the way. We have an opportunity to truly reinvent and reimagine nursing education to serve the students of tomorrow, prepare students for health care delivery’s most pressing challenges, and infuse innovative pedagogical approaches in the curricula. With this in mind, we will launch a curriculum innovation initiative so that our academic offerings are competency-based and equip students with the necessary skills to lead our field in the future.
2. Grow the college’s geographic footprint.
Increasing our community impact includes expanding the college’s presence in the state, around the country, and throughout the world. We are committed to growing the university’s and the college’s impact in the state while also bringing our expertise to global communities. Therefore, the college will seek to expand its footprint both locally and internationally.
3. Grow professional development program offerings.
The College of Nursing is committed to educating and developing nurses throughout their careers. We will establish the college as a leading destination for continuing education and professional development in the state and around the world. To do this, we will build a suite of educational offerings for nurses who have a variety of professional goals and needs. This will include dual degrees, skills- and topic-based courses, certificates, and pre- and post-licensure offerings.


The College of Nursing’s strategic goal to be recognized as the model for excellence in nursing education aligns closely with the latest standards and recommendations set forth by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing, or AACN, Essentials. Adopting competency-based education through curriculum redesign of the BSN and DNP programs is imperative as the college seeks to provide the highest quality of training and aligns with the evolving standards of the profession. The process to redesign the curriculum will begin in 2025, with a goal to launch the new curriculum in 2026. A faculty workshop kicked off this initiative
in August.
The AACN Essentials provides a foundational framework for nursing education, outlining the competencies and outcomes necessary for nursing graduates to be “practice-ready” and thrive in an ever-evolving health care environment. Competency-based education represents a transformative shift in how colleges of nursing approach teaching and learning. By focusing on mastery of essential competencies, the college will align its programs with the AACN Essentials, ensuring that graduates are not only knowledgeable but also adept at applying their skills in real-world settings. This approach allows faculty to tailor education to meet individual learning needs and prepare students to excel in the diverse and dynamic field of nursing.
While the college’s accrediting body, the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education, or CCNE, supports competency-based education as an effective approach to nursing education, it does not explicitly require it for accreditation. However, the CCNE emphasizes the importance of program outcomes and ensuring that graduates possess the necessary competencies for safe and effective nursing practice.
Goal:To be the catalyst for innovation in research, education, and practice.
1. Establish research areas of focus.
College of Nursing faculty have had several recent successes in securing large federally funded grants and publishing groundbreaking discoveries. To build on this momentum, the College of Nursing will establish key research areas of focus. These areas of focus will align with the college’s existing research strengths, as well as the health care needs of our state. The areas of focus will be interdisciplinary in nature and aim to foster inter-college and cross-campus collaborations. These areas of focus may include:
• Aging Populations & Palliative Care
• Bioinformatics, Big Data, & Data Science
• Maternal and Infant Health
• Patient Outcomes, Quality, & Implementation Science
• Simulation & Nursing Education
• Rural & Community Health Care
2. Catalyze research productivity by investing in new structures.
We aim to be among the most impactful and innovative nursing colleges in the country. To do this, we must increase our support structures and minimize barriers for our faculty, students, PhD candidates, and postdocs involved in research. By creating new structures, we will bolster our ability to perform groundbreaking studies and identify critical advancements in nursing practice.
3. Establish the college as a leader, hub and convener of nursing innovation.
To inspire collective learning and innovation, the College of Nursing will increase its campus, national, and international presence.We will convene nursing leaders with greater frequency. We will empower our faculty to take on greater leadership across professional associations and conferences, lead summits and thought leadership events, and share expertise on a broad scale. We will host research and learning events on campus. Further, we will facilitate and lead cross-disciplinary and collaborative research and innovation endeavors.


Through the college’s new goal to be the catalyst for innovation in research, education, and practice, faculty members prioritize establishing the college as a leader, hub, and convener of nursing innovation. One example of this is through groundbreaking solutions in virtual reality and nursing education conducted by a College of Nursing team. Clinical Assistant Professors Michael Maymi, DNP APRN, CPNP-AC, CCRN, CNE, and Michael Bumbach, PhD, APRN, FNP-BC, CHSE, are revolutionizing the way alternate reality and virtual reality are integrated in nursing education.
Their team is introducing an innovative solution that allows students to practice their skills remotely using this technology. Initially, focusing on communication simulations with competency grading, the long-term vision is to create a complete virtual nursing curriculum platform that will improve competency grading, reduce student attrition, track student progression, and allow students to practice skills remotely.
The team will use avatars at varying levels that integrate artificial intelligence in simulation scenarios, including further data collection and personalized dashboards.
“The implementation of AI in nursing education, health education, and even education in general is inevitable and will open many doors for students in many different ways,” Bumbach said. “The use of AI with augmented and virtual reality has the potential to be cutting edge in nursing education and evaluation.”