The history of nursing education at GW spans more than 100 years. Each chapter in GW nursing history reflects the changing times of the nation, as well as the changing needs of the community.

The first nursing school at GW, established by Superintendent Minnie Paxton in 1903, closed after nearly 30 years of operation burdened by the effects of the Great Depression. But, all was not lost forever. Through the commitment of several nursing leaders, including Mary Silverman and Diane Guida, nursing education at GW resurfaced in 1972. Working in close proximity to the operations of the GW Health Plan, a family nurse practitioner program was started. Students in this program shared many courses with both medical and physician assistant students. The commitment to inter-professional education continues to today.

In 1983, continuing the tradition of innovation, the GW nurse practitioner program partnered with Catholic University of America (CUA) to allow students to take nurse practitioner courses at GW and earn a masters of science in nursing (MSN) degree from CUA. After two years of this collaboration, GW moved to partner with George Mason University (GMU) in 1986 and this partnership continues today.

In 2002, Jean Johnson, PhD, RN, FAAN, then senior associate dean for Health Sciences, met with the nursing faculty to assess GW’s capacity to create GW’s own degree programs. The faculty moved forward to develop a MSN in the GW School of Medicine and Health Sciences with programs in adult nurse practitioner, family nurse practitioner, nursing leadership and management, and clinical research administration. The first MSN class was admitted in 2004.

Meanwhile, approval was also obtained to develop a Department of Nursing Education. As the first and only chair of the department, Ellen Dawson, PhD, RN, ANP, led the MSN program to accreditation in time for the graduation of the first class in 2006. In addition, she spearheaded the development of both the doctor of nursing practice (DNP) program and the Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program. The first classes for these degrees were admitted in 2007 and 2009, respectively.

In 2010, the GW School of Nursing (SON) was established as the University’s 10th academic institution, with Drs. Jean Johnson and Ellen Dawson as the founding deans. Though nursing education at GW has always adapted to national and local needs, this new status gave the nursing program the recognition needed to reach for its full potential. In fact, as we celebrated the first anniversary of the school in 2011, the results were already impressive as US News & World Report ranked GW among the nation’s top 50 nursing schools.

In 2012, US News & World Report has recognized GW SON as an “honor roll” school for online graduate education in nursing. Only five schools of nursing received this recognition.

Early this year, GW SON established an innovative dual BSN/MSN (ADN to MSN) program that targets entry-level nurses in rural and underserved communities, and will prepare them to be nurse practitioners—a role with greater clinical breadth and responsibility. GW SON is partnering with Dabney S. Lancaster Community College to create a cohort initiative to help meet the healthcare needs of that region’s rural and underserved communities.

Also, in response to national and local healthcare needs, GW SON recently developed three specialty options in the DNP program. The new palliative care option addresses the increasing need for this nursing expertise due to the aging of the American population, increasing the number of individuals with multiple chronic illnesses, and improved treatments for major illnesses and traumatic injuries—all of which are increasing the longevity and complexity of care for these individuals and families. The new health care quality option focuses on quality and patient safety leadership, management, and research. This responds to the expanding need for this nursing expertise in order to grow and sustain a culture of continuous improvement in health care organizations. The new advanced family nurse practitioner responds to the escalating primary care needs of patients, families, and communities.