The Margaret H. Rollins School of Nursing at Beebe Healthcare in Lewes Lewes has a long tradition of academic excellence that offers extensive clinical experience. Founded in 1921 as the Beebe Nursing Training School, it is the only nursing school located on the grounds of a hospital in Delaware. The clinical opportunities provided by Beebe Healthcare for the nursing students at the school give graduates experiences that aid them in ways unmatched by others schools in the state. The school name was changed Oct. 1, 2011, to the Margaret H. Rollins School of Nursing to recognize the generous donation of the MA-RAN foundation to honor Margaret H. Rollins.
In 2012, the RN licensure pass rate was 100 percent, the highest pass rate in the state. The RN pass rate for students is consistently above 80 percent.
The school grants a nursing diploma in professional nursing, a three-year program with the first year completed at a community college or university. Graduates are eligible for RN nursing licensure. All students are informed that they will need to earn at least a bachelor's degree in nursing and are provided with contact information for Wilmington University and the University of Delaware. Students who have a degree prior to entering the School of Nursing are encouraged to pursue the RN to MSN option.
Applications to the school each year number 100 to 110. Each nursing class has a capacity of 30 students. In August 2013, a total of 56 students enrolled. Average age was 26. Sixty-three percent of them came from Sussex County, 16 percent from Kent County, 5 percent from New Castle County and 16 percent from out of state. Class makeup was 86 percent female and 14 percent male. There are 620 living alumni with known addresses.
Total operating budget of the Margaret H. Rollins School of Nursing was $1,865,274 in fiscal year 2013. Annual student tuition and fees were $5,400 for first year and $5,700 for senior year. Scholarships awarded in 2013 totaled $40,981 among 19 students. Direct loans awarded totaled $136,379 among 26 students. Pell grants awarded were $111,928 among 26 students.
Accreditation for the Margaret H. Rollins School of Nursing at Beebe Healthcare is by the Accreditation Commission for Nursing Education, approved by the Delaware Board of Nursing.
