Founded by the Hospital Sisters of the Third Order of St. Francis, St. John's College opened in 1886 as a Nursing training school for the Sisters. This nursing program, which later became St. John's Hospital School of Nursing Education, was the first Catholic Hospital School of Nursing in the United States and has continued uninterrupted over the last 125 years. The program has changed to keep pace with social and cultural variations, but remains true to its mission of caring and healing and to the philosophy of the Hospital Sisters of St. Francis. St. John's College is unique in that it is an educational ministry within the Sisters’ health care ministry which includes 13 hospitals in two states, a number of physician practices, clinics, care centers, specialized women and children’s services, and rehabilitation and wellness care.
Always on the cutting edge of innovation, the school added liberal arts and science classes to the curriculum in 1927. The College was approved by the Illinois Department of Registration and Education now the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation in 1952, and made the transition to a College with a Department of Nursing in 1991. The College has professional nursing accreditation from the National League for Nursing Accreditation Commission and the Higher Learning Commission. St. Johns graduates can find fellow graduates in almost every country of the world, in a wide variety of clinical situations. Although the College has evolved with the times, its current transformation is designed to continue the rich history of the College by offering programs that prepare graduates for health care in many settings. St. John's graduates will continue to be known for excellence in professional patient care, for caring and for living the healing mission of the Hospital Sisters of St. Francis.
Celebrating 125 years
of Excellence in Nursing Education
St. John's College, Department of Nursing
In 1886, the Hospital Sisters of the Third Order of St. Francis founded St. John’s Hospital School of Nursing. Their mission was to care for the sick and needy of the community in a spirit of joy, respect and commitment to competence. From that day to the present, the values and vision of the Hospital Sisters have underscored and directed the efforts of the faculty and students. Since the first students entered the school, the curriculum and policies have been continuously improved and updated to remain responsive to the demands of a changing educational and health care environment.
Initially the school was created as a two-year diploma program to educate members of the founding religious order. In 1912 the school accepted the first lay women, who are depicted in the timeline below in the uniform of the day. In 1952, when the National League for Nursing (NLN) first began its accreditation program for schools of nursing, St. John’s was among those who came forward to meet this new challenge.
In addition to seeking external accreditation to improve the quality of the program, St. John’s added a liberal arts and science base to support the nursing component of the program. Beginning in 1927, the school affiliated with a variety of colleges, including DePaul University in Chicago, Quincy College (1945) and Springfield College in Illinois (1973). Today, St. John’s College students earn a Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing Degree (BSN). Students may attend a wide variety of colleges and universities to study the arts and sciences prior their immersion in nursing theory and practice at St. John’s College.
St. John’s has been cited as the oldest Catholic hospital based school of nursing in the United States. During our long and rich history, we have undergone many transitions. However, the constant has been dedication to the education of professional nurses whose practice exemplifies excellence in health care.
To view the complete timeline of St. John’s College from 1886 to 2011 click here
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