My Goals and University Vision and Mission

As a nurse for over 10 years and with the advances in technology applied to the health care arena, I have become more interested in the role of a nurse within informatics. My professional goal is to work full-time in the area of nursing informatics. Unfortunately, I knew that obtain this position, I needed to advance my degree. I began
looking into various colleges and universities that can provide me with the education needed to obtain an advanced degree with a focus in nursing informatics.

After several months of investigating, I located Walden University. At first, I was drawn to Walden because it offered the flexibility that I needed. However, as I investigated the university further, Walden’s mission and vision statement resonated with me. I knew I had made the right choice. The College of Nursing vision and mission statements described what I felt and thought yet could not put into words. According to the Walden University College of Nursing (2011a), their vision is for graduates to transform nursing to meet the needs of communities. Technology is transforming health care and the degree I will obtain at Walden will help me to assist my organization with
this transformation.

Another reason I was drawn to Walden University was the high standards they have for all students. The College of Nursing stated in their mission that their program is “academically rigorous…contextually relevant…” (Walden University, 2011a, para. 4). This statement matches my academic goal. I am not looking for just a piece of paper at
the end, I am looking to gain the necessary knowledge that I need to make an impact within my organization.

Incorporation of Social Change
Walden University (2011b) defined positive social change as a “deliberate process of creating and applying ideas, strategies, and actions to promote the worth, dignity, and development of individuals, communities, organizations, institutions, cultures, and societies” (para. 4). I have always had a feeling that I want my life to mean something
and to have an effect on those around me whether it is directly or indirectly. As a nurse, the will to help others is a core foundation of why I got into nursing in the first place. I plan to incorporate social change with the knowledge gained at Walden University by “putting that knowledge into practice” (Walden University, 2010b, para. 3). I plan to
contribute to my field when I graduate by helping lead my coworkers and my organization through the computerized changes and advancement of technology at work. While helping others, I will be part of the clinical informatics team as the team transitions the organization into new computerized programs.

Walden University. (2011a). About the school. Retrieved from http://www.waldenu.edu/Colleges-and-Schools/College-of-HealthSciences/15863.htm
Walden University. (2011b). Vision, mission, and goals. Retrieved from https://catalog.waldenu.edu/content.php?catoid=153&navoid=49950

Discussion: Networking Opportunities

In this module, you begin laying the foundation for your academic and professional success. Your efforts begin with a vision that includes your own definition of success. Your vision may vary from those of your colleagues, but this does not mean you have to take these first steps alone.

Walden University and the College of Nursing also have a vision and mission, which include helping you to make your own vision a reality. Members of your new academic community, such as faculty, support teams, and fellow students, can also be helpful. Current practitioners and other member of the professional community can also help you to clarify your vision.

This Module’s Discussion asks you to consider how the Walden mission and vision as well as the College of Nursing’s mission and vision apply to your professional and academic goals. You will also begin to identify individuals and teams who can help you along the way as you begin designing the “blueprint”—your Academic Success and Professional Development Plan—that will guide you toward your own vision for academic and professional success.

To Prepare:

• Review the Walden and College of Nursing mission and vision statements, Walden’s goals and University Outcomes, and the MSN Program Learning Outcomes presented in this Module’s Learning Resources.
• Reflect on your professional and academic goals as they relate to your program/specialization.
• Consider how the information in these resources fit with your own goals and to your becoming a scholar-practitioner.
• Also consider academic and professional individuals and teams with whom you may collaborate in support of your efforts as a student at the university and as a professional within your organization and career.

By Day 3 of Week 1

Post a brief introduction of yourself to your colleagues. Include an explanation as to how Walden’s vision, mission, goals, and social change initiatives relate to your professional and academic goals and to your becoming a scholar-practitioner. Also include an explanation for how the Walden MSN Program Outcomes and perspectives relate to your professional and academic goals and to your becoming a scholar-practitioner.

By Day 6 of Week 1

Respond to at least two of your colleagues’ posts by suggesting additional individuals and/or teams with whom you wish to collaborate or by offering additional networking strategies.