St. Elizabeth College of Nursing (SECON) was established in 1904 as a single purpose three-year diploma program in nursing. It was registered by the New York State Education Department (NYSED) as St. Elizabeth Hospital School of Nursing and graduated its first class of seven in 1907. The nursing program was a natural outgrowth of the tradition and mission of St. Elizabeth Medical Center (SEMC) which was to care for the sick and helpless.
On October 29, 2023, the Mohawk Valley Health System and its two acute care hospitals – St. Elizabeth Medical Center (SEMC) and Faxton-St. Luke’s Healthcare (FSLH) – began a new chapter in their provision of healthcare to the Mohawk Valley and surrounding communities. As part of New York State’s “Oneida County Health Care Transformation Program,” Mohawk Valley Health System was able to build the new state-of-the-art Wynn Hospital. When the Wynn Hospital opened its doors, the acute care services of SEMC and FSLH were consolidated into the new Wynn Hospital building under MVHS, Inc., the former FSLH. MVHS, Inc became the new parent of the College. MVHS, Inc will continue to maintain the strong traditions and excellence in clinical experience that have made the College what it is today, but will offer a rare and unrivaled experience of providing clinical teaching in a brand new state-of-the-art facility.
The College now offers an Associate in Applied Science (AAS) degree in nursing, fully integrating theoretical learning with clinical experiences within a caring environment.
The nursing courses include direct patient care that is planned and supervised by a faculty member with expertise in a particular nursing area. One of the strengths of the program at St. Elizabeth is its clinical component that combines the theory learned in class with actual nursing practice allowing for immediate transfer and application of knowledge.
