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Educating Nurses.
It's everything we do.

St. Elizabeth School of Nursing, in cooperation with the University of Saint Francis, delivers an immersive nursing education to develop highly-prepared graduates. Beginning in their first year, our students are provided with hands-on clinical learning experiences. We are the only diploma school of nursing in the state of Indiana. Graduates can earn a Diploma and Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) and are highly-trained and prepared to meet the challenges of a twenty-first century nursing career.

St. Elizabeth School of Nursing, in cooperation with the University of Saint Francis, delivers an immersive nursing education to develop highly-prepared graduates. Beginning in their first year, our students are provided with hands-on clinical learning experiences. We are the only diploma school of nursing in the state of Indiana. All graduates earn a Diploma and Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) and are highly-trained and prepared to meet the challenges of a twenty-first century nursing career.

Our Mission

Preparing Nurses to Continue Christ’s Healing Ministry

St. Elizabeth School of Nursing, a private Roman Catholic post-secondary institution, has entered into an agreement with the University of Saint Francis (USF) to offer a Cooperative Nursing Program of study that stimulates learners, preparing to practice professional registered nursing as diploma/bachelor’s prepared graduates, to think analytically, pursue independent learning experiences, and develop a greater awareness of and sensitivity toward themselves and others. This is accomplished by the synthesis of knowledge obtained from the nursing, arts, sciences, and humanities through the visions and values of our Catholic identity and Franciscan traditions. Our purpose is to:

  • Prepare graduates to practice proficiently with compassion as nurse generalists in a variety of care settings for clients across the lifespan.
  • Promote an environment which values life-long learning of individuals who are confident in confronting the issues and complexities of delivering quality care today and in the future, with intelligence, faith, service, and stewardship.
  • Prepare graduates to assume leadership roles giving witness to the Franciscan values.

Our History

Founded by Six Sisters

In 1875, six Sisters of St. Francis of Perpetual Adoration traveled from Germany to the United States. They arrived in Lafayette, Indiana, where they founded St. Elizabeth Hospital.

For more than 120 years, countless lives have been touched by the compassionate care carried like a lamp of hope by the graduates of St. Elizabeth School of Nursing.

For generations, the lamp and its light have represented the nursing profession. In 1897, that light shown upon the Lafayette community when the Sisters of St. Francis opened St. Elizabeth School of Nursing to train members of their order. By 1937, the community’s need for nurses had grown so great that the school began admitting lay students.

Academic Programs

St. Elizabeth School of Nursing offers a Diploma-Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) Cooperative Nursing Program in collaboration with University of Saint Francis with a curriculum that prepares graduates to become eligible to take the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurse (NCLEX-RN). Ninety-five (95%) percent of our graduates in 2015 and 2016 passed the NCLEX-RN on the first attempt.

After successful completion of the examination, the graduate is licensed to practice as a Registered Nurse. To practice in any other state, the nurse must apply for licensure by endorsement and meet the requirements of that state.

Our rich legacy continues with you. Discover your own light.

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