Department of Women, Children and Family Nursing

 

Student participating in skills lab training in Rush University's Simulation Lab alongside faculty member.

The Department of Women, Children and Family Nursing at Rush University College of Nursing prepares nurse leaders and advanced practice clinicians who serve women, children, and families — with a particular focus on the communities most affected by health disparities, including low-income and ethnic-minority families on Chicago's West Side and beyond. 

 

Mission

We drive health equity by transforming healthcare through the education of nursing professionals — combining innovation, science, scholarship, and practice in the care of women, children, and their families. 

 

Vision

We envision a future where every family, regardless of income, race, or circumstance, has equitable access to nursing care shaped by rigorous science and delivered by clinicians trained to lead systems-level change — starting with the families in our own city and extending to national practice standards. 

 

What Sets Us Apart

Peds Acute Care nursing student in Sim Lab

 

Research That Targets Disparities

Our faculty lead nationally funded research addressing the specific challenges facing vulnerable families— not health equity in the abstract. Current and past work includes:

  • The Chicago Parent Program and Building Bridges to Fatherhood, supporting at-risk families in low-income, ethnic-minority communities

  • Research on paternal involvement among non-resident African American fathers

  • Research focused on reducing breastfeeding disparities to improve infant health outcomes

  • Technology-enhanced interventions addressing co-occurring interpersonal violence, mental health conditions, and substance use

  • Youth-informed digital health tools to detect risk and interrupt violence and chronic stress among youth and families, with particular attention to boys, men, and fathers who use and survive violence

This research is funded by the National Institutes of Health, among other agencies supporting leading-edge science. 

 

Practice Programs That Rank Among the Nation's Best 

Our graduates become certified pediatric nurse practitioners (CPNP-PC), neonatal nurse practitioners (NNP-BC), and acute care pediatric nurse practitioners (CPNP-AC), or complete our Transformative Leadership: Systems program to lead change at the organizational level. 

As of U.S. News & World Report's 2026 rankings, Rush's DNP program ranked #3 nationally overall, with the following DNP programs in our department ranking in the top 5 nationally:

USNWR 2026 Badges for Leadership, Administration, Family Nursing, and Pediatric Primary Care programs.

 

A Faculty of Practicing Scholars 

Our faculty are not only researchers but active clinicians, published authors, book editors, and leaders in professional organizations, teaching across our advanced practice and DNP programs. 

This research is funded by the National Institutes of Health, among other agencies supporting leading-edge science. 

Department of Women, Children and Family Nursing Faculty