Clinical Excellence and Christ-Centered Compassion
As I reflect on my first few months as dean of the Buntain School of Nursing, I am encouraged by the impact our graduates are making across the nursing profession. My own journey with Northwest University began as a student and graduate of this program. After serving in a variety of nursing roles, including rural nursing, hospice, and case management, and later returning as a faculty member, it is especially meaningful to now lead a program whose influence I see every day through the faithful service of its alumni.
The Buntain School of Nursing at Northwest University prepares graduates to answer their call to serve God throughout the world and lead others by using their professional expertise as nurses. This mission continues to guide our work and is reflected in the lives and practice of our graduates.
For more than 25 years, the Buntain School of Nursing has prepared graduates to meet the demands of an increasingly complex healthcare environment. Students complete over 700 clinical hours across diverse care settings, gaining the skills and confidence needed for professional practice. Graduates leave Northwest well prepared to enter the workforce, and employers consistently recognize our alumni as competent, compassionate nurses who are ready to contribute from day one.
The strength of our graduates is shaped by faculty who are deeply invested in student development and professional formation. Faculty bring current clinical expertise and ensure the curriculum remains aligned with state and national standards, while also modeling the integration of faith into nursing practice. Students are equipped to care for patients with both clinical excellence and Christ-centered compassion.
A defining part of the program is the required cross-cultural clinical experience completed during the senior year. Since 2002, senior nursing students have provided nursing care and ministry in locations such as Taiwan, Greece, India, Kenya, Kazakhstan, the Philippines, and beyond. Graduates continue to describe this experience as transformative, strengthening cultural humility, adaptability, and a commitment to serving diverse and underserved populations.
I am deeply proud that Northwest University is preparing Christ-centered nurses to enter a profession that desperately needs the hope and healing of the gospel. Our graduates carry their faith into practice through presence, humility, and service. As dean, I am confident the Buntain School of Nursing will continue to prepare nurses who are both highly valued in the workforce and faithful to their calling.
Angie Pursley MN, BSN is the Dean of the Buntain School of Nursing.