Scholarship Model & Research Priorities

The LSU Health New Orleans School of Nursing faculty considers the Scholarship Model as central to academic life, and integral to individual, institutional, and the discipline of nursing's advancement in knowledge. The Scholarship Model is depicted as four nested circles, sharing the same center point, the promotion of human health. Circles symbolize an overall approach of wholeness, inclusivity, and cyclic movement. Circles convey a visual representation of processes and layers of meanings and interrelationships.

In the Scholarship Model, the central focus is promoting human health. Health ultimately depends on the ability to successfully manage the interaction between the physical, spiritual, biological and economic/social environment.

While the promotion of human health resides innermost, it is next to the circle that contains priority areas of the SON faculty in the promotion of human health. Largely driven by events in the 2000's, this circle contains the focal points of urgency, requiring the attention of nurse researchers, scientists, practitioners, educators, and administrators:

• Improving overall population health, in concert with key stakeholders;

• Research that delineates the social determinants of health in our region, and how best to intervene and ameliorate detrimental aspects;

• Addressing the underserved, vulnerable populations, and their health disparities;

• Engaging in disaster preparedness and relief activities in this coastal area; and

• Assuring competency and excellence in the preparation of healthcare administrators to coordinate all levels of healthcare activities for quality and efficiency.

The School of Nursing is committed to excellence in the endeavors of education, research, service, and practice in the promotion of human health. This nested circle encompasses the essential mission of the institution and the SON in the provision of interprofessional healthcare education, service, research, and practice. This circle, layered over the priority areas, provides part of the framework that addresses the identified priority areas, deemed essential for the promotion of human health in our region.

The outermost nested circle provides the foundation from which all strategies to implement the Scholarship Model are grounded: institutional and SON Mission, Core Values, Vision, and Strategic Initiatives. The Mission links leadership in education, practice, service, and research; while the Vision strives to achieve national and international eminence in these same areas. The SON Core Values underlie and frame all of the work in education, practice, service, and research. The SON Core Values articulate the stewardship, organizational citizenship, nursing innovation, caring, professionalism, respect, integrity, diversity, and excellence exhibited by the faculty, students, and staff of the SON. The Strategic Initiatives organize and define specific activities that support the Mission and Vision, and help achieve the priority areas in the promotion of human health.

We believe this model will forge unique initiatives foundational to the development of novel teaching, practice, service, and research endeavors that meet the health care needs of our community. As such, they will shape the future of nursing care and distinguish the faculty and graduates of the LSU Health New Orleans School of Nursing as local, national, and international leaders in nursing education, practice, service, and research.