Since its establishment in 1948 as the first collegiate nursing program in South Florida, the SONHS has evolved into a world class program, educating students in nursing and health studies at the bachelor’s and master’s levels preparing them to provide compassionate, quality care to communities locally, nationally and internationally. At the doctoral level, we educate nurse clinicians to be leaders in transforming health care, and we prepare nurse researchers to build the science for reducing health disparities, and to address these and other health challenges with innovative solutions.
This proud history of our school is due, first and foremost, to the amazing talent, hard work and call-to-service of our students and faculty. What sets our students and faculty apart is a willingness to commit to a process of lifelong learning for the well-being of individuals, families, and communities. If you are not already a student in one of our programs, consider joining us and contributing your unique skills and strengths to our school. My faculty and I are here to mentor, empower and help you grow academically and professionally.
The SONHS is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education, and the Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Education Programs. Curricula are continuously updated to meet the evolving needs of the national and global healthcare arenas. Visit our Academics web pages to learn more about our nationally ranked diverse educational options for those seeking healthcare careers.
SONHS students graduate with “proven experience.” Rigorous academic and clinical preparation is evident in SONHS graduates’ achievement of both NCLEX (state nursing licensure) and nurse practitioner certification first-time pass rates that are the highest in South Florida and well above national averages. Graduates of our health studies programs go on to successfully attend graduate programs in public health (MPH, DPH) physical therapy, occupational therapy, pharmacy, medicine, etc.
The SONHS’ outstanding network of 250+ clinical, community, and global partner sites provides our nursing and health studies students with mentored clinical practice, community outreach, and research experiences in Miami, Australia, Brazil, Chile, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Haiti, India, Mexico, Spain and Taiwan. Miami based world class healthcare partners include the University of Miami Health System, University of Miami Hospital, which is Florida’s only university-owned and operated teaching hospital; Jackson Health Systems, including Ryder Trauma Center, the only ACS Level I Trauma Center in South Florida; and Nicklaus Children’s Hospital, the only free-standing pediatric trauma center in the state.
The school’s International Academy for Clinical Simulation and Research is one of the first simulation centers in the nation designed exclusively for nursing and health sciences education. This year, we take our Academy to the next level by opening a five-story, 41,000-square-foot facility designed to replicate fully functioning hospital, clinic and home health care environments. This state-of-the art facility offers unparalleled opportunities for our students to practice their clinical skills in a safe, simulated environment, and for our faculty and students to be a part of developing innovative and cutting edge health care technology. Come and join us. Be a part of this transformative new era in education and research. Together we will create advances in patient safety and disaster preparedness, and work with industry partners to find innovative solutions to tomorrow’s health care challenges. I look forward to meeting you.
Anne E. Norris, PhD, RN, FAAN
Interim Dean and Professor
Associate Dean for the Ph.D. Program
University of Miami School of Nursing and Health Studies
