Saint Francis Medical Center College of Nursing

What is the history of Saint Francis Medical Center College of Nursing?

Saint Francis Medical Center College of Nursing traces its origins to a nursing school established in 1905 in connection with Saint Francis Hospital in Peoria, Illinois. Its history explains its present-day focus: it developed to educate nurses within a hospital-based health care setting rather than to offer a broad range of liberal arts majors.

The institution now operates as a degree-granting college associated with OSF Saint Francis Medical Center and the Franciscan tradition of OSF HealthCare. Applicants should distinguish the college from the medical center: the hospital is a clinical setting, while the college has its own admissions, academic requirements, tuition, and accreditation.

What are the faculties and departments at Saint Francis Medical Center College of Nursing?

Saint Francis Medical Center College of Nursing is a specialized nursing institution, not a university divided into multiple academic schools. Its academic offerings center on undergraduate and graduate nursing education, including preparation for registered nursing and advanced nursing roles.

That concentration matters when comparing colleges. Students seeking a different major or a conventional first-year experience would need to look elsewhere; students pursuing nursing should compare the college's specific degree pathway, clinical requirements, and intended licensure or career goal. The reported student-to-faculty ratio is 8 to 1, but that institution-wide figure does not establish the size of every classroom or clinical group.

What is the location of Saint Francis Medical Center College of Nursing?

The college is in Peoria, Illinois, in a setting closely connected to OSF Saint Francis Medical Center. Its location places nursing students near a major health care environment, although clinical assignments may involve other approved sites and travel beyond the college.

Peoria is a regional city in central Illinois. Commuting is a practical consideration: approximately 80% of students are reported to commute. Applicants should account for travel time, parking arrangements, and transportation to clinical placements when planning a schedule. General Wayne A. Downing Peoria International Airport serves the area, but a reliable means of local transportation may matter more for day-to-day attendance.

What is the mission and vision of Saint Francis Medical Center College of Nursing?

The college's stated educational purpose is to prepare nurses for professional practice through nursing education grounded in its Franciscan heritage. Its association with OSF HealthCare gives that mission a Catholic institutional context; applicants of other backgrounds should evaluate the academic and clinical expectations rather than assume that religious affiliation determines admission.

In practical terms, a prospective student should look for how the college translates its stated priorities into coursework, clinical learning, professional conduct standards, and service. A mission statement describes institutional intentions; it is not, by itself, evidence of a particular student outcome.