It is an honor and privilege to serve as dean at the University of Kansas School Nursing. Returning to Kansas City, and KU has been a dream come true. I am truly grateful for the opportunity to lead this amazing school, as part of a remarkable university and with incredible partners at The University of Kansas Health System. 

Throughout this first year, my enthusiasm and excitement for the future has grown. As you read this issue of KU Nursing magazine, I think you will understand why! 

You will learn more about the critical work we are doing through the Kansas Nursing Workforce Center, our statewide initiative that convenes key stakeholders, including schools, employers, associations, government and nurses around complex nursing workforce issues. We will also tell you more about a federally funded project led by Karen Weis which aims to improve maternity outcomes in rural Kansas. 

In 2024, the KU School of Nursing marked its 50th anniversary as an independent school apart from the KU School of Medicine (see page 22). As an alumnus of the KU School of Nursing, I am incredibly proud of everything we have accomplished in our storied history. But I am even more excited about what the next few years will bring.  

My priorities for our school include ensuring our curriculum conforms with the new nursing education standards to meet the future of nursing care; creating a robust faculty-practice model; expanding existing partnerships while also forging relationships with new partners; expanding our research; and expanding simulation learning experiences that provide interprofessional learning opportunities for students. 

Those are just a few reasons why I — along with our faculty, staff and students — are excited about the future of the KU School of Nursing.

I hope you enjoy this issue of KU Nursing and learn more about our mission to advance the well-being of all Kansans. 

Jean Foret Giddens, Ph.D., FAAN  Dean
University of Kansas School of Nursing