Margaret H. Rollins School of Nursing celebrates 100 years

In 1921, a local girl named Ruth Mitchell requested a course in nursing at Beebe Hospital. Through the efforts of Dr. James Beebe Sr. and his brother Dr. Richard Beebe, the Beebe Hospital Nurses’ Training School was established.

The school celebrated its centennial anniversary in September, with less fanfare than hoped for due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. A small gathering of alumni, Beebe team members, community members and physicians took tours of the school, including the recently completed third floor. Organizers gave memorabilia to all alumni who attended, and historical pictures of graduates and faculty were displayed on all the screens throughout the building.

Remarks were made by Tom Protack, Beebe Medical Foundation president; Dr. David A. Tam, Beebe Healthcare president and CEO; and Karen Pickard, director of the school of nursing. Each reflected on the past, present and future of the school, as well as the importance of its contributions to the future of Beebe Healthcare.

“It was a special time to celebrate the School of Nursing’s achievements and the achievements of all graduates,” Pickard said. “Not only did we look back at the past, but also at the future. We thank all who continue to contribute to the school, our students, and our faculty to make it the No. 1 nursing program in Delaware.”

The School of Nursing now has more than 1,000 graduates who are practicing their profession in all parts of the country. Many continue their education to obtain higher degrees. The school’s success is not only attributed to the dedicated faculty and support from the Beebe Healthcare board of directors and Beebe Medical Foundation, but also to the local communities whose assistance and interest have contributed substantially to its success and prestige.

The Margaret H. Rollins School of Nursing was recently recognized by the National League for Nursing as a 2021 Center of Excellence in Nursing Education. Centers of Excellence are nursing programs which demonstrate visionary leadership in collaboration, and exceptional faculty who are able to create and sustain educational excellence.

A flash from the past

The directress of nurses at the time of Ruth Mitchell’s request, Olive Lingo, and a hospital resident, Dr. Florence Kline, are credited with developing the program and designing the uniform. Affiliation was in Wilmington at the Delaware Hospital. Through the years, the School of Nursing continued to evolve and grow in both enrollment and reputation; it became nationally accredited in 1977.

After the name was changed to Beebe School of Nursing in 1988, the growth continued, and an expansion was required. Construction of a new school was contingent upon acquisition of the funds to support the project. The Nursing Education Campaign initiated May 2011 brought the new School of Nursing to fruition.

Many community members, Beebe medical staff and the Beebe Auxiliary generously supported the campaign. Thanks to their support and the very generous donation of $3 million from the Ma-Ran Foundation by Randall and Margaret H. Rollins, construction began in 2013. At that time, the school was renamed the Margaret H. Rollins School of Nursing at Beebe Healthcare to honor the Rollins family and their support. A new chapter in the School of Nursing’s legacy began with a new building and a new name.

Construction of the new school was completed in spring 2015. Currently, it houses the latest in nursing education technologies including computerized medical simulation mannequins, modern classrooms with state-of-the-art audiovisual equipment, advanced clinical laboratories, an expanded library, student space and administrative offices. Students began taking classes in the new School of Nursing in August 2015.

Growing for the future

Over the course of the last 100 years, the school has evolved from an apprentice-type curriculum to the present program with well-defined outcomes and a detailed, systematic plan of evaluation. The school is known for its academic excellence and extensive clinical experiences promoting very successful performance on the NCLEX licensure exam and in contemporary healthcare settings. The School of Nursing has been ranked first or second among all nursing schools in the state in NCLEX performance for 20 years. Class size has varied from 2 to 48, with the largest class enrolled in fall 2020. Today, the average class size ranges from 35 to 45 students.

In 2021, and thanks to another generous donation from the Ma-Ran Foundation, the School of Nursing was able to complete construction on the building’s third floor. It now houses an additional simulation lab, a four-bed clinical skills lab, an area for clinical and simulation debriefing, a control room for simulation, and a 40-seat classroom. This area will be used for education of students and hospital team members.