CSULB's School of Nursing marks 60 years of shaping health

If you've been in a Long Beach-area hospital over the past decades, the likelihood that you were under the care of (or in a department supervised by) a graduate of Cal State Long Beach's School of Nursing is pretty high.

Since 1965, The Beach's School of Nursing has produced hundreds of health care professionals who are impacting the health of the community, one patient at a time.

"For over 60 years, we have empowered students to become nurses and help to heal the world," said School of Nursing Chair Michael L. Williams. "Our alumni work in all types of settings - hospitals, public health, clinics, schools - and function as clinicians, scholars and leaders in healthcare. We continually review and improve our programs to meet the ongoing and emerging needs of patients, families and communities.

"Nurses continue to be in short supply and in high demand," he added. "Our mission is to prepare students to be nurses and improve the health and well-being of others. For over 60 years, we have met this challenge - innovating and adapting to the rapid changes in healthcare while maintaining our commitment to care."

In recognition of National Nurses Week, May 6-12, we offer some facts you may (or may not) know about the School of Nursing:

Setting the trend

The first chair of the then-Department of Nursing was Dorothy Walsh, RN, who served from 1956-1970. In 1959, as the only nurse faculty member in the college, she dove in to propose a basic nursing curriculum. The program received full approval in March 1964 and full accreditation in December. Walsh's nursing reputation preceded her. The Columbia University double graduate, who served in the U.S. Army Nurse Corps as chief nurse captain during World War II, was instrumental in the accreditation of four nursing institutions before she came to The Beach.

Community-focused from the beginning

In January 1971, the School of Nursing was highlighted in an "American Journal of Nursing" article featuring The Long Beach Free Clinic - staffed in part by CSULB nursing students and faculty members. The School of Nursing's longstanding relationship with the community continues to this day through community clinics and on-the-job training at MemorialCare Long Beach Medical Center.

The stats speak for themselves

The School of Nursing is consistently top-ranked:

• No. 1 Best Nursing School in California, 2024 (rncareers.org)
• Top 10 Best Nursing Schools in California (nurse.org)
• Near-100 percent pass rate in NCLEX-RN, a required examination for the licensure of nurses