Our mission is to generate, advance, and disseminate knowledge for excellence in nursing; to create an academic environment which encourages creative and critical inquiry; to prepare competent practitioners grounded in the principles of Primary Health Care; and to provide leadership to a changing system of health care. Nursing is a unique health profession which integrates studies in the social sciences and the life sciences. Its practitioners must be competent in critical thinking, problem-solving, and psychomotor skills. Their practice is based on research findings and the fundamental beliefs of caring, and is guided by a code of ethics. The goal of nursing is to promote wellness and to provide health care for individuals, families, groups, and communities.