Catholic healthcare

We have all been there, or at least we know someone who has—in a medical facility, helplessly relying on the mercy of God and the quality of health care professionals to see us through. Whether it is during the vulnerable time of childbearing, while battling a sickness or supporting a loved one going through surgery, we all appreciate knowing that Our Heavenly Father “has our back”—and that is what Catholic nurses are for.
            
Knowing what a noble calling the nursing profession is, the University of Mary has developed an authentically Catholic nursing program to prepare students to be at the service of their patients in a holistic way.
            
“Grounded in the Rule of Benedict’s call to 'listen with the ear of the heart' and to place care of the sick above all else, our students learn to practice reverent attentiveness to the needs of both body and soul,” said Dr. Billie Madler, Dean of University of Mary's College of Nursing. “This formation prepares our nurses to serve as a spiritual presence and to offer prayer as they accompany patients, while also providing a well from which they can draw to sustain themselves through the profound human challenges they will encounter across their careers.”
            
The university's outstanding program features numerous undergraduate and graduate options and facets, offered in on-campus and online formats. Through these various means, the program provides a testimony to faith, hope and love amid the culture of death. 
 
As Dr. Madler described, “In today’s healthcare environment, where efficiency, technology and productivity pressures can easily overshadow the human experience, a specifically Catholic nursing program offers a vital and necessary witness. Catholic nursing education insists that every patient is more than a diagnosis or list of tasks in a management plan; each person bears inherent dignity as a child of God. This conviction shapes how nurses are formed to think, act and care, particularly in moments of vulnerability, suffering and ethical complexity.”

Embracing the Catholic nursing experience
 
One of the main goals of the University of Mary's Nursing Program is to foster a profound respect for the dignity of human life. “The Catholic nursing experience begins with a foundation rooted in respect for persons,” remarked Dr. Mary Dockter, Dean of Saint Gianna School of Health Sciences. “At the University of Mary, we hire faculty who embrace this mission and support their ongoing formation in Catholic social teaching.”
            
Through inspirational conferences, ethics education and engagement with Catholic leaders, faculty members in nursing and healthcare education programs, students discover the value of integrating faith and practice.
            
“This creates an environment where students flourish—where care is centered on the patient, and nurses develop the moral courage to lead and transform healthcare,” Dr. Dockter shared.
            
As the program continues to bloom, so does its mission to respect God's greatest gift—the gift of life.
             
“Looking ahead, my hope is to deepen partnerships with healthcare systems that share our values, prioritizing patient over profit,” Dr. Dockter said. “In doing so, we will continue to grow programs that make a meaningful impact on patient outcomes and uphold the sacredness of life.”
 
Significant contributions 
 
In recent years, the University of Mary's healthcare programs, especially in nursing, have grown not only in numbers, but also in the contributions it makes to society.
 
“Our recent growth in enrollment has been a blessing, allowing us to strengthen the healthcare workforce in our region and beyond,” Dr. Dockter said. “In the spirit of stewardship, we’ve worked creatively with healthcare partners to address financial barriers, launching initiatives like the tuition-free nursing academy. This program reflects our commitment to hospitality—welcoming students who might otherwise be unable to pursue their calling.” 
 
Furthermore, all students in the St. Gianna School of Health Sciences live out the Benedictine value of service by providing thousands of hours of pro bono care and community-based learning. 
 
“These experiences not only transform lives but prepare students to lead with compassion and competence,” Dr. Dockter remarked. “Our faculty, lifelong learners and scholars, contribute to their professions through research that is both clinically relevant and ethically grounded.”
 
When asked what her favorite aspect of being Dean of St. Gianna School of Health Sciences, Dr. Dockter said, “What I enjoy most is the privilege of working alongside faculty who embody the Benedictine value of servant leadership. Every day, I witness their unwavering commitment to guiding students not only toward excellence in healthcare but toward becoming professionals who respect the dignity of every person.”
 
She also appreciates the fellowship that students and faculty have with one another.
 
“Our interdisciplinary approach reflects the Benedictine emphasis on community, as students and faculty learn from and with one another, preparing to care for patients holistically—body, mind and spirit. I also treasure the deep conversations we share about the ethical challenges of our time. These discussions ensure our graduates leave with the moral courage to lead in healthcare decisions that honor life and human dignity.”
 
Diocesan chapter of National Association of Catholic Nurses
 
In an effort to thoroughly integrate faith and healthcare, University of Mary's College of Nursing has developed a hybrid diocesan-university chapter of the National Association of Catholic Nurses (NACN)—a national organization with roots dating back to the 1940's. This inaugural hybrid model is chartered in collaboration with the Bismarck Diocese and led through Saint Gianna School of Health Sciences.
            
The Bismarck Diocesan-University of Mary Chapter is a first for NACN, which previously recognized only parish-based or diocesan-based chapters. The chapter's foundation was spearheaded by University of Mary nursing faculty and supported by Bishop Kagan. In years to come, it may serve as a national blueprint for other Catholic universities and dioceses seeking to form spiritually and ethically-grounded nurses. Membership is open to Catholic nurses across the diocese who desire support in honoring the values and teachings of the Catholic Church in their work.
            
There is no question that today's nurses face challenges which test their professional judgment, moral clarity and emotional resilience. The NACN provides a nourishing milieu where Catholic nurses can integrate their vocation with their faith, grow spiritually and find peace in knowing they are profoundly appreciated and uniquely called to serve in Christ’s healing ministry.
 
Recent additions

In recent years, University of Mary's College of Nursing has achieved two landmark developments: an innovative nursing academy as well as a state-of-the-art facility. Thanks to donor contributions totaling nearly $3 million, the College of Nursing constructed a facility which features cutting-edge technology and a top-notch workspace, which prepares students for real-life nursing experiences. Furthermore, to help our nation combat its critical shortage of nurses, the College of Nursing has developed a year-round-campus (YRC) nursing academy which fast-tracks qualified students to a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree. This truly unique program allows them to earn their BSN in merely 2.6 years —free of tuition—through generous scholarships funded by healthcare partners, Sanford Health and CHI St. Alexius Health. Along with the advantages of a debt-free education and guaranteed employment upon graduation, the academy also provides a unique approach to nursing education by integrating rigorous academics with spiritual and ethical formation. 
 
A highlight of the program is a pilgrimage through Europe that deepens students’ understanding of the dignity of human life and the moral foundations of healthcare. Through these efforts and many more, the nursing academy is quickly gaining a reputation of bringing forth morally courageous, profoundly dedicated nurses who seek to mirror the gratuitous love and mercy of Our Lord, the Divine Healer.
 
Recently, University of Mary Chaplain Father Dominic Bouck dedicated time to teaching the nursing academy students ethical and moral concepts. Looking back, he cannot help but rave about his experience. “Teaching ethics to the students in the nursing academy was one of the most powerful moments in my priestly life,” he shared. “The students were very driven. They spent a great deal of time together which bonded them in a common purpose, guided by their goal but bound together in friendship.”
 
When asked what he feels is the role of the University of Mary's Catholic nursing program in today's world, he responded, “A contemporary Catholic university emphasizes ethical guidelines, but even more importantly, care for the entire person and the moral courage to carry it out. The modern Enlightenment-based medical industry seeks progress and forgets the soul. Unbridled materialist optimism created a medical monster, and until more educational programs instill an integrated and spiritual vision of man—made in divine dignity—it will only grow colder and crueler.”
 
Program rankings
            
Multiple times, the University of Mary's Nursing Program has been ranked No. 1 in America by Mountain Measurement bench-marking service. The service's annual report is based on Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) graduates who took the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN) exam. The program has a consistent pass rate of 98-100%, while the national average is around 73%. In spring 2025, it placed number one among 1,425 schools across the nation.

There are several factors that account for the high scores. University of Mary nursing students are thoroughly skill-tested before they even take the NCLEX exam. The personal academic attention that faculty offer to their students enables them to prepare confidently for the exam. Furthermore, the program faithfully follows industry quality and safety standards, which is critical to its success. University of Mary's graduate nursing programs carry outstanding rankings as well. In 2024, program graduates achieved a 100% pass rate on the rigorous American Academy of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) certification exam.
            
For more information about the University of Mary College of Nursing, visit nursing.umary.edu or call 701-355-8030.