About the Ascension Via Christi - Wichita State University School of Nursing

The Ascension Via Christi – Wichita State University School of Nursing prepares students for meaningful careers through our accredited bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral programs. Our metropolitan setting, strong clinical partnerships, and flexible pathways prepare graduates to excel in diverse healthcare settings and support long-term career growth. With both traditional and nontraditional options, students can choose the program that fits their goals and lifestyle.

Our distinguished faculty are dedicated educators, clinicians, and researchers committed to improving community health through excellence in education, scholarship, practice, and service.

In August 2025, the School of Nursing proudly announced its new name: the Ascension Via Christi – Wichita State University School of Nursing, reflecting a decades-long partnership between Wichita State and one of Kansas’ leading health care providers.  

This collaboration represents a shared commitment to advancing health care education, strengthening the nursing talent pipeline, and addressing the critical demand for skilled nurses across the state. The naming elevates Wichita State’s national profile and highlights Ascension Via Christi’s role as both a major employer and a key clinical training site shaping the region’s health care workforce. 

Through this partnership, Wichita State and Ascension Via Christi are preparing the next generation of nurses and advancing the quality of health care across the region.

There has never been a better time to pursue a career in nursing!

• Registered nurses make up the largest health care occupation, with 3.1 million jobs in the U.S.
• Employment for nurses is projected to grow by 26%, much faster than the average for all occupations.
• Bachelor’s-prepared nurses are in especially high demand across healthcare settings.
• A landmark report on The Future of Nursing called for increasing the number of baccalaureate prepared nurses in the workforce to 80% by 2020.
• A study titled Educating Nurses: A Call for Radical Transformation, calls all RNs to earn a master’s degree within 10 years of initial licensure.
• As the demand for healthcare providers grows, Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRNs) are increasingly essential to improve access to care by providing high-quality, cost-effective healthcare—especially in rural and underserved areas.

Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) Options:

• BSN program – Prepares students for entry-level professional nursing positions in a variety of health care settings and provides a foundation for graduate study in nursing.
• Guaranteed Placement Program – The Guaranteed Placement Program offers eligible students a direct pathway into the competitive BSN program.The program is open to high school seniors, students completing their first year of academic work at WSU, Nursing ROTC students, and RUDD Scholars. 
• Pathway to Nursing Program in Manhattan – Offers students a valuable opportunity to earn both a BS or BA degree from Kansas State University, and a BSN from Wichita State University.

• RN-BSN Completion Program – Designed for registered nurses with an associate degree or diploma in nursing. This fully online, flexible program allows students to complete their BSN degree anytime, anywhere.
• Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) – Prepares graduates for roles as nurse educators or in leadership/administration.
• Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program
  • Postbaccalaureate (PB-DNP) – Prepares graduates to practice as Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (Family Nurse Practitioners, Acute Care Nurse Practitioners, or Psychiatric/Mental Health Nurse Practitioners).
  • Post Master (PM-DNP) – Designed for practicing APRNs to excel as clinical leaders and scholars in the nursing field.

The Ascension Via Christi – Wichita State University School of Nursing has been accredited since 1973. Currently, the baccalaureate, master’s and DNP programs at WSU are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education.

The Ascension Via Christi – Wichita State University School of Nursing's mission is to advance the health of individuals and communities by empowering excellence in healthcare through innovation in nursing education, scholarship, practice, and service. 

Transforming healthcare through innovative excellence in nursing.

• Innovation 
• Lifelong Learning  
• Evidence-Based Practice 
• Collaboration
• Wellness Advocacy 

The Ascension Via Christi – Wichita State University School of Nursing will:

1. Advance practices that ensure all patients and professionals are heard, valued, and treated with fairness.
2. Enhance Population Health Initiatives 
3. Innovate Nursing Education
4. Strengthen Community Engagement in Health Promotion 
5. Advance Evidence-Based Practice
6. Foster Interprofessional Education and Practice 
7. Cultivate Lifelong Learning 
8. Nurture a Culture of Wellness in Nursing 

The Ascension Via Christi – Wichita State University School of Nursing applies and utilizes Dr. Patricia Benner’s (1984) model of skill acquisition throughout the curricula. This model’s essential concepts include competence, skill acquisition, experience, clinical knowledge, and practical knowledge (Benner, 1984).

In this framework, there are five stages of skill acquisition: novice, advanced beginner, competent, proficient, and expert. In addition, there are 7 domains: the helping role, the teaching-coaching function, effective management of rapidly changing situations, monitoring and ensuring the quality of healthcare practice, and organizational, work-role competencies and the diagnostic and patient monitoring function, administering and monitoring therapeutic interventions and regimens. For graduate nursing, the last two domains are combined into one more reflective of advanced practice nursing, designated as management of patient health and illness status (Brykczynski, 1985). Benner's framework, "From Novice to Expert," emphasizes the nature of nursing practice, specifically how nursing knowledge is acquired and develops over time.