Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing Facts

Learn. Care. Lead. 

The Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing at Case Western Reserve University is a globally recognized leader in nursing education and research.

Home to the Nation's First:

Leading Research

Collaboration among faculty, students, clinical agencies and communities supports innovative, outcome-based research and the advancement of knowledge. Areas of research and training include Symptom Science, Family/Community Care, Aging Across the Lifespan, Self-Management of Health and Illness and Neuroscience.

Location, Location, Location

Case Western Reserve is located in University Circle, a 550-acre cultural and scientific mecca on the eastern edge of Cleveland, Ohio. Our students have ready access to premier health care organizations, including:

  • University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center
    •  Among the nation's leading academic hospitals, forming the largest biomedical research center in Ohio and one of the top 20 in the country
  • Cleveland Clinic 
    • The second largest medical group practice in the world and the largest hospital in Ohio; one of 10 U.S. hospitals designated "The Best of the Best" by U.S. News & World Report
  • VA Northeast Ohio Healthcare System
    •  Recognized for more programs of clinical excellence than any other VA medical center in the United States
  • MetroHealth Medical Center
    •  A regional referral hospital that is one of only 19 Level 1 trauma centers with a burn unit and a rehabilitation facility specializing in spinal cord injuries

Vast Clinical Experience for BSN Students

Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) students begin their clinicals their third week on campus and clock nearly double the national average of clinical hours during their time at the School of Nursing.

Innovative Academic Programs

Whether you are an undergraduate with an interest in health care, a seasoned nursing professional ready for advancement, or someone looking to transition to a new career, the School of Nursing has an academic program to help you fulfill your educational and professional goals.

Diverse Community of Scholars

Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing and Case Western Reserve University believe in a culture of inclusion that encourages relationships and interactions among people of different backgrounds, enhances human dignity, actively diminishes prejudice and discrimination, and improves the quality of life for everyone in our community. Students of all backgrounds are encouraged to apply for admission, and visiting scholars and faculty from around the globe are perennial constituents of our environment.

Global Health

We offer our students a number of opportunities to Study or Conduct Clinical or Service Projects Abroad.

Service Learning

Our students take part in a number of Required Civic Engagement Projects, not only to expand their worldviews and skill sets, but also to provide accessible health care and critical health education to children and families in Cleveland, across the country and Around the World.

Quality and Safety

The School of Nursing is a leader and innovator in preparing future nurses with the knowledge, skills and attitudes necessary to continuously Improve the Quality and Safety of health care systems.

Centers of Excellence

The School of Nursing's Centers of Excellence offer a wealth of services and experiences, serving students, scholars, the health care industry and the community at large.

Funded by the National Institute of Nursing Research/National Institutes of Health

Faculty Fellows

Many of our faculty members are fellows of the American Academy of Nursing. Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing is also proud to have 15 endowed professorships (and counting)—more than any other nursing school in the country.

Outstanding Alumni

Our Alumni Comprise a Global Network of leading practitioners, researchers and educators. They have served as presidents of all major nursing organizations and maintain leadership positions at organizations and universities across the country and around the world. Their commitment to the School of Nursing has created the largest endowment of any nursing school in the country.

Some of our prominent alumni include:

Proud History

The School of Nursing was endowed in 1923 and is named after Frances Payne Bolton (1885-1977), the first woman to be elected from Ohio to Congress and the first congresswoman to represent the United States in the United Nations General Assembly.

She sponsored the Bolton Act of 1943, which created the U.S. Nursing Cadet Corps.

Learn More about Our History