A Nice View

Sincere congratulations to the top-ranked schools of nursing on U.S. News & World Report’s Best Graduate Schools list for 2016. It is exciting to find ourselves among you once again, and we look forward to remaining so as the rankings move from an every-four-year event to an annual survey.

For our part, this is an acknowledgement of all the hard work of our students, faculty, academic leaders, alumni, and staff that makes the Johns Hopkins School of Nursing what it is.

We are driven by a mission to improve the health of individuals and diverse communities locally and globally through leadership and excellence in nursing education, research, practice, and service.  The school’s academic programs are recognized for educating innovative nurse leaders who set the highest standards for patient care. We provide students and faculty with interprofessional opportunities and resources unparalleled in scope, quality, and innovation.

Not #1, you say?

Now, we won’t pretend for a moment that being #1 for four years hasn’t been enjoyable, and will be for another 10 months. And yet, while the rankings are important, we must be mindful that they do not paint a full picture of the high-quality education, research, mentoring, and leadership going on here. Our current ranking changes nothing about any of that.

The Hopkins Nurse is exceptional and shall remain so. That is our mission, our pledge to those who entrust their education to us.

It’s an exciting time in nursing. Changes in the U.S. health care system and in the demographics of providers are opening more and more doors to the critical thinkers and leaders we nurture. These are nurses who are ready and able to practice at the top of their licenses, to take a seat at the decision-making table and stay there.

We are proud of the Johns Hopkins School of Nursing and of our ranking among our peers. (We won’t call them competitors.) Together, we are changing health care, and for this we offer heartfelt best wishes for continued success.

Besides, sour grapes and spilled milk can so easily be wine and cheese.

I celebrate the great achievement of my colleagues and remain wholly and totally committed to the vision that nurses can change the world for the better and am proud to lead Hopkins nurses.