Author(s)

Catherine P. Corrigan, Andrea N. Kwasky

McAuley School of Nursing, College of Health Professions, University of Detroit Mercy, Detroit, USA.

This article will discuss the unique way in which nursing education at one Catholic University is distinctively value-driven with a focus on the meaning of Mercy and Jesuit traditions and how these philosophies translate into professional nursing practice. An innovative approach to a value-driven education that incorporates the philosophy of the Mercy and Jesuit traditions in a professional nursing role is fostered with the teachings of Catherine McAuley and Ignatius Loyola and infused through the act of service-learning and reflection on the service-learning experience. Nursing students are educated from a perspective of historical tradition, spirituality, social justice, reflective thinking and a value-centered professional education, enriching their self-awareness toward the development of leadership behaviors. Linking the service-learning experience to nursing concepts within the Mercy and Jesuit traditions has demonstrated a deep sense of self-awareness, a high level of understanding of caring and the concept of nurses as leaders amongst the students at our university.

Service-Learning, Mercy, Jesuit, Self-Awareness, Leadership

Corrigan, C. and Kwasky, A. (2014) Utilizing Service-Learning to Promote a Value Based Professional Nursing Curriculum. Creative Education, 5, 1848-1855. doi: 10.4236/ce.2014.521206.