Mar 28, 2024  
2019-2020 Employee Handbook 
    
2019-2020 Employee Handbook [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

1. History & Heritage


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AdventHealth University has a vision with a 96-year heritage. The Florida Hospital School of Nursing operated on the current site from 1913 until 1958, when Southern Missionary College (now Southern Adventist University) sent nursing students from Tennessee to Orlando for clinical experience. In 1983, Southern Missionary College opened an Orlando Center, offering an associate degree in Nursing. Florida Hospital founded a School of Practical Nursing on the campus in 1964, and also offered programs in radiography and sonography. 

In 1992, a new school was formed, Florida Hospital College of Health Sciences, which began with the merger of four programs: the Associate of Science degree in Nursing, Radiography, and Sonography and the Licensed Practical Nursing program. The College became a baccalaureate-granting institution in 1998 when it took over the Southern Adventist University Bachelor of Science Nursing Program. Since then, the College has added associate degree programs in Nuclear Medicine, Occupational Therapy Assistant, and Pre-Professional Studies and six baccalaureate programs have also been added: online-learning degrees in Radiologic Sciences, Diagnostic Medical Sonography and Nursing, and on-campus degrees in Health Sciences, Biomedical Sciences, Healthcare Administration, Conductive Education, and Nuclear Medicine. A certificate in Conductive Education has also been developed. 

In 2008, the College began its first graduate program, a master’s degree in Nurse Anesthesia. The second graduate program, a master’s degree in Occupational Therapy, began in the fall of 2011. In addition, in 2009, the university established a Denver site where associate degrees in nursing, radiography, sonography are offered via live Polycom transmission of didactic courses from the Orlando campus.  

During 2012, the College changed its name to Adventist University of Health Sciences and continued to grow the degree programs offered by the former Florida Hospital College of Health Sciences.  A third advanced program, a master’s degree in Healthcare Administration began Fall 2013. The fourth such program, a master’s degree in Physician Assistant, began Summer 2015. The first terminal degree to be offered by the institution, a doctoral degree in Physical Therapy, began Summer 2016. Another terminal degree, a doctoral degree in Nurse Anesthesia Practice, began Summer 2018. The newest master’s degrees offered are the Master’s degree in Nursing (Spring 2019) and the Master’s degree in Nutritional Management (Fall 2019).  

In 2018, the University’s parent company (Adventist Health System) began a rebranding strategy to change its name to AdventHealth. To align with AdventHealth, the university adopted a new name, AdventHealth University. Building on its rich educational heritage, AdventHealth University continues to grow as an institution with a commitment and passion for healthcare as ministry developing professionals who live the healing values of Christ.