Our Mission Statement
The mission of St. Joseph School of Nursing reflects the mission of St. Joseph Hospital: As part of a Catholic health ministry, our mission is to educate students, allowing them to go forth and provide healing and care for the whole person, in service to all in our communities.
Our Values
St. Joseph School of Nursing is built upon the core values of St. Joseph Hospital and our parent organization, Covenant Health. Our core values are:
- Compassion
- Excellence
- Integrity
- Collaboration
- Stewardship
Major Milestones in Our History
St. Joseph School of Nursing has a long legacy of evolving, enhancing and expanding our educational offerings and programs to provide our students with the very best education possible. While the milestones listed below are noteworthy and formative to who we are today, they can’t begin to capture the tens of thousands of decisions, improvements and investments that have made us who we are today.
- 1906: Louis de Gonzague Parish, under the leadership of Father Henri Milette, begins construction of a 78-bed hospital on Kinsley Street.
- 1907: The Sisters of Charity of Montreal, also known as the Grey Nuns, contract with Father Milette and Bishop Guertin to operate the new facility.
- 1908: Joseph Hospital officially opened its doors to patients. At the same time, a school for “professional” nursing is established. The program was 2 years, 3 months in length.
- 1910: First class, made up of four young women, graduates from nursing program.
- 1916: The school receives official approval to operate as a school of nursing from the State of New Hampshire Board of Nursing. It continues as such until 1963.
- 1938: Ownership of St. Joseph Hospital and the School of Nursing is transferred from St. Louis de Gonzague Parish to the Grey Nuns.
- 1964: The school reopens as a Practical Nursing school and later adds a Health Occupations Program.
- 2005: The school establishes an Associate of Science in Nursing (ASN) degree program after studying community needs.
- 2007: The school graduates its first Associate of Science in Nursing degree class of 25
- 2009: The school receives accreditation from Accrediting Commission of Career schools and Colleges (ACCSC) along with program approval from the New Hampshire Board of Nursing and Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN).
- 2013: The school closes its practical nursing program in Nashua and Keene
- 2022: The school receives approval to offer Medical Assisting, Nursing Assistant, and Phlebotomy training programs.
- 2023: The school receives $2.9 million in funding from Congress to modernize the existing physical infrastructure at the school to improve energy efficiency, upgrade the HVAC system, and renovate the auditorium.
Looking Ahead
We believe the pace of change in healthcare will continue to accelerate and the need for compassionate, well-trained healthcare professionals will only increase. In fact, preparation is well underway for a paramedic training program that we hope will launch in September of 2024. We are also working hard on planning to launch a new ASN to BSN program soon after – opening even more doors to opportunity and success for our students in the coming years.
Without a doubt, healthcare will continue to change. What will not change is our unwavering commitment to collaboration and partnership with our hardworking students, talented faculty and our communities to meet the needs of our region for decades to come.
