The Canadian Association of Schools of Nursing (CASN)’s mission is, and has always been, to promote high-quality nursing education in Canada, and to advance nursing knowledge in the interest of healthier Canadians. That mission was the vision of the small band of university nurse educators who met for 3 days at the Windsor Hotel in Montreal in June of 1942 to “take counsel” with one another. They went home having formed the Provisional Council of University Schools and Departments of Nursing (PCUSDN), which would become the Canadian Association of Schools of Nursing, as we know it today.

Thanks to the vision and passion of the 11 founding schools of CASN, the association has grown to represent 95 schools, and continues to push forward the mandate they set – to advance nursing knowledge and nursing education in the interest of healthier Canadians.

The Evolution of CASN

Humble Beginnings

1919 – 1920: First University Programs in Nursing established at UBC and University of Alberta.

1940: By 1940, only 8 University Programs in Nursing existed in Canada.

Decades to organize

“The crisis of the nursing shortage during the Second World War provided the impetus that finally brought university nursing educators together.” (from Take Counsel with One Another: A beginning History of the Canadian Association of University Schools of Nursing 1942-1992 by R. Kirkwood and J. Bouchard)

1942: Formation of Provisional Council of University Schools and Departments of Nursing.

1953: First Constitution and Bylaws ratified

1967: Re-organization into 4 regions: Atlantic, Quebec, Ontario, Western

Decades to develop a base of programs

1968: First publication of Nursing Papers (later Journal of Canadian Nursing Research)

1971:

First National Research Conference on Nursing held in Montreal
The Association becomes the Canadian Association of University Schools of Nursing (CAUSN)

1972: CAUSN becomes the accrediting organization for University Schools of Nursing

1980: Council adopts a strong position in favor of the baccalaureate degree; the entry-to-practice minimum

Focus on education programs

1982: Collaboration with CNA on policy to establish baccalaureate degree as entry to practice by 2000

1983: CAUSN’s first Accreditation Program is published

1984: CAUSN’s logo is adopted: 3 chevrons representing baccalaureate, masters, and doctoral education going forward

1985: CAUSN National Secretariat opens in Ottawa

1987:

Publication of monograph: CAUSN Accreditation Program
The first undergraduate program accredited at University of Montreal

1988: Ethel Johns Award established

1992: 50^th Anniversary of CAUSN

Focus on data and communications

1994: First National Database of all university nursing programs

1995: First revision of Accreditation Program

1996:

CAUSN officially becomes bilingual
First National Database of international expertise
Université de Québec joins, and CAUSN becomes representative of all university Schools of Nursing

1997:

First National Database of nursing research
A history of CASN and nursing education for the first 50 years is documented by Lynn Kirkwood and Jeannette Bouchard in Take Counsel with One Another: A beginning History of the Canadian Association of University Schools of Nursing 1942-1992

1999: Canadian International Nurse Researcher Database established. First CAUSN Web site.

More expansion

2000:

First National Database of nursing research funding
First CAUSN National Nurse Educators Conference is held in Vancouver, BC
National CAUSN Awards of Excellence established (Research, Academic, Administration, Education)
Begin revision of Accreditation Program (3rd version)

Major changes and more expansion

2002:

60^th Anniversary of CAUSN
CAUSN becomes the Canadian Association of Schools of Nursing (CASN)
New Organizational Structure (5 Standing committees and 5 Task Forces)
Election of New 15-member Board of Directors
Expansion of National Office staff to 5

2003 – 2004:

2^nd CASN National Nurse Educators Conference is held in Halifax, NS from April 24-26, 2003. Theme: Educating nurses in Canada – The Future is Now
Additional Task Forces: Accreditation, Databases, Doctoral, Primary Health Care (PHC)/ Nurse Practitioner (NP), Defining Scholarship, Public Health, Patient Safety, Palliative and EOL Care
National Projects: Canadian Nursing Advisory Committee (CNAC), First Nations and Inuit Health Branch (FNIHB), Canadian Health Services Research Foundation (CHSRF), Association of Canadian Community Colleges (ACCC)
Completion of new Accreditation Program Policies and Procedures
Negotiation of Mutual Recognition Agreement with USA
Expansion of National Office staff to 7

2006: 1^st CASN National Nursing Research Conference is held in Victoria, BC from November 15-18, 2006

2007: 3^rd CASN National Nurse Educators Conference is held in Kingston, ON from November 21-24, 2007

2008:

1^st international Global Alliance on Nursing Education and Scholarship is held in Toronto, ON from October 1-3, 2008. Theme: Educating the Future Nursing and Health Workforce: a Global Challenge.
1^st CASN Nursing Academic Leadership Conference is held in Toronto, ON from May 8-11, 2008. Theme: Nursing Academic Leadership in Action: Strategies for Success

2009:

4^th CASN National Nurse Educators Conference is held in Winnipeg, MB from May 3-6, 2009. Theme: Traditions and Transitions: The Evolving Legacy of Nursing Education Scholarship
2^nd CASN National Nursing Research Conference is held in Moncton, NB from May 4-7, 2009. Theme: Interrelationships between Theory, Research, and Practice: A Systemic Approach in Nursing

2011: 2^nd CASN Nursing Academic Leadership Conference is held in Quebec City, QC from May 2-5, 2011. Theme: Transforming Nursing Education for Evolving Leadership in Practice

2012:

CASN celebrates its 70th Anniversary.
As part of the activities marking its anniversary, CASN developed a history of nursing education in Canada. Ties That Bind: The Evolution of Education for Professional Nursing in Canada from the 17th to 21st Century takes readers through the historic, political, and social events that influenced the health care system and education of Registered Nurses in Canada that led to the development and evolution of the Canadian Association of Schools of Nursing.
3^rd CASN National Nursing Research Conference is held in Toronto, ON from May 7-10, 2012. Theme: Innovation in Research and Knowledge Exchange

2013: 5^th CASN National Nurse Educators Conference is held in Vancouver, BC from June 24-26, 2013. Theme: Collaborative Synergy: Teams, Scholarship and Capacity Building in Nursing Research

2014: 6^th CASN National Nurse Educators Conference is held in Halifax, NS from May 26-28, 2014. Theme: Anticipating and Shaping the Future of Nursing Education

2016: 7^th CASN National Nurse Educators Conference is held in Toronto, ON from May 30-31, 2016. Theme: Expanding Horizons in Nursing Education

2017: CASN launches a new accreditation program: Internationally Educated Nurse (IEN) Bridging Program Accreditation

2018: 8^th CASN National Nurse Educators Conference held in Montreal, QC

2021: 9^th CASN National Biennial Nursing Education Conference held virtually

2022:

CASN celebrates its 80th Anniversary by creating the CASN Milestones 1942-2022 video.
CASN launches a new accreditation program: Nurse Practitioner (NP) Program Accreditation
Expansion of National Office staff to 19

2023:

10^th CASN National Biennial Nurse Educators Conference held in St. John’s NF. Theme: Anti-discriminatory pedagogy in nursing education
CASN launches a new accreditation program: Practical Nurse (PN) Program Accreditation

Advancing Nursing Education for over 80 years

Thanks to the vision and passion of the 11 founding schools of CASN, the association has grown to represent 95 schools, and continues to push forward in a variety of ways the mandate they set – to advance nursing knowledge and nursing education in the interest of healthier Canadians .

There have been new directions within this original mandate as society and health care evolve, including:

Our History