Miss Thoburn came to Cincinnati in late 1888 and found that the Gamble family had provided a house and funds to begin her work. The endeavor was named The Elizabeth Gamble Deaconess Home Association in honor of Mrs. James Gamble, who had dedicated her life to serving the needy of the city. The eleven-room house would soon become home to ten deaconesses who joined Miss Thoburn in her work of running a soup kitchen, ministering in tenement homes and assisting pastors.

Within a few months, the association became involved in health care, when Miss Thoburn encountered a desperately ill woman crying on the street. The woman had been told at the City Hospital that she had cancer but could not be treated there because she was from out of state. Miss Thoburn took her to the Deaconess Home and cared for her in her own room. This kindness convinced the association of a need; they opened a ten-bed hospital, named Christ's Hospital.

Between 1889 and 1901, the Association trained only deaconesses as nursing students but soon recognized the need for enrolling other qualified young women. By 1901, young women were accepted for training as nurses whether or not they intended to become deaconesses. This paved the way for formation of The Christ Hospital School of Nursing in 1902.

From those small steps at the turn of the century, The Christ Hospital has grown to include 550 beds, as well as four state-of-the-art intensive care units, cardiac catheterization labs, endoscopy labs, dialysis facilities and the most advanced radiological equipment, including two magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanning units. The hospital is the only one in the tri-state area with positron emission tomography (PET) scanning capabilities. And the School has kept pace with the hospital, growing in size and sophistication to meet the hospital's changing needs. In the years since 1902, the school has graduated over 5,300 registered nurses.

The Christ Hospital is now part of The Health Alliance of Greater Cincinnati. Formed in 1994, this regional integrated delivery system includes The Christ Hospital, The University Hospital, The St. Luke Hospitals, The Jewish Hospital, The Fort Hamilton Hospital, and Alliance Primary Care. The Alliance benefits the community in terms of increased quality of health care, reduced costs, and improved operational efficiency.

As a major teaching and regional referral center, The Christ Hospital has strong programs in medicine, oncology, obstetrics and gynecology, behavioral medicine, surgery and surgical subspecialties-- all of which make this a great hospital for educating nurses.

During all this growth and innovation, one thing remains the same: dedicated people serving the needs of others.

Several large corporations, as well as a wealth of smaller enterprises, have their headquarters in Cincinnati. Culturally, Cincinnati has much to offer, including the symphony and opera at Music Hall, ballet and a touring Broadway series at the Aronoff, and a wide variety of popular, rock and folk artists at Riverbend Music Center. Our area is also known for its museums, parks, historical sites and amusement parks. And we are home to the Cincinnati Reds, winners of baseball's 1990 World Series, and the Bengals professional football team.

And when it comes to food, you'll love what Cincinnati and the tri-state area offers. Whether you are looking for a five-star dining experience at the famous Maisonette, a quick stop for Cincinnati chili, or a riverfront dinner at the river's edge with boats and barges for company, you can find it all within minutes of The Christ Hospital.

Come enjoy Cincinnati! It doesn't take long to feel at home in our wonderful city.

The faculty and administration draw on their diverse backgrounds and experiences to prepare you for the challenging profession of nursing. And much of your education will take place at the hospital chosen as the premier adult hospital by Greater Cincinnatians.

Your non-nursing courses are conducted by Cincinnati State Technical & Community College. Courses are designed to integrate knowledge of specific fields with actual application to patient care. You begin gaining clinical experience during the first quarter, with guidance and supervision from faculty members.

When completed, the program leads you to a diploma in nursing. After receiving this diploma at The Christ Hospital School of Nursing, you are eligible to sit for the state examination for licensure as a registered nurse.

Our graduates have the opportunity to complete their Bachelor of Science degree using one of several local colleges or universities.