Helene Fuld School of Nursing and its antecedent schools have been educating students to become registered nurses since 1895. Nursing education has evolved from a service oriented, hospital-based, preceptor model to an academic program where science and liberal arts courses provide a foundation for the nursing curriculum.
Today’s employers are requiring baccalaureate degrees for entry-level registered nurses due to changes in the healthcare arena. As a result, the Board of Trustees of HFSN has made a decision to close our hospital-based nursing program. The last class is expected to graduate in December, 2011. It is anticipated that a local university will establish a new baccalaureate nursing program in partnership with Camden County College. This is an exciting opportunity for those individuals who aspire to become registered nurses to be educated in a BSN program in their own community. The College will continue to teach the science and liberal arts courses, while the university will teach the nursing courses in the HFSN building and grant the baccalaureate degree.
As the school moves towards closure, Helene Fuld School of Nursing plans to sponsor a homecoming gathering for all alumni, faculty, and staff in the fall of 2011. We are seeking volunteers to become members of a steering committee to assist in the planning of this event. Our hope is to include historical displays from each decade with participation from all graduating classes. Please contact Cheryl O’Neill, Manager of Marketing & Public Relations, at coneill@virtua.org or 856-481-9085, if you are interested in helping.
Over the years, Helene Fuld School of Nursing has evolved into a high-tech/high-touch environment. Graduates from our school save lives, change lives, and touch lives in all they do. The qualities of caring and compassion that form the foundation of every nurse creates an enduring legacy that will continue long after the school closes.
Sincerely,
Rose Saunders, EdD, RN, CNE
Dean, Helene Fuld School of Nursing