Beebe Healthcare completes $10 million expansion to nursing school 

Lewes, Del. — The Margaret H. Rollins School of Nursing at Beebe Healthcare has completed its $10 million expansion and modernization project and will welcome students to the 2015 school year in August.

The new and expanded facility offers the latest in nursing education and educational technologies to its students that want to advance in their fields of expertise, clinical experience at the adjacent Medical Center. Through partnerships with the University of Delaware and Wilmington University, students have the opportunity to earn bachelor’s and master’s degrees in nursing.Nurses with master’s degrees are able to seek advanced practice certification and function in their clinical specialties, providing patients with a higher level of care.

“We are proud of the Margaret H. Rollins School of Nursing and how it has continued to advance education and clinical experience in order to prepare nursing students for the growing needs of patients and for the ever-increasing demands of today’s complex healthcare environment,” said School Program Administrator Karen Pickard.

The Margaret H. Rollins School of Nursing is the only hospital-based nursing program in Delaware. It will celebrate its 95th anniversary next year.

The new, three-story, 18,000-square-foot building includes the latest in nursing education technologies such as high-fidelity medical simulators that come in the form of computerized manikins. The expanded facility also includes modern classrooms with state-of-the-art audiovisual equipment, advanced clinical laboratories, an expanded library and student space, seminar rooms and administrative offices. It also has doubled the capacity of the school so that enrollment can increase over time.

“Just as our healthcare system continues to evolve, the need for well-trained nurses in our community has also grown. Not only do we see a need for more nurses in the hospital, but we also see a need for more nurses for our Population Health initiatives, in our Beebe Home Care program, and to become nurse practitioners to help offset the shortage of primary care physicians,” said Jeffrey M. Fried, president and CEO of Beebe Healthcare.

The school began as Beebe Hospital Nurses’ Training School in 1920. By 1921, it was officially accredited by the Board of Examiners for the Registration of Nurses for the State of Delaware (now the Board of Nursing).

The Beebe Medical Foundation officially kicked off the Nursing Education Campaign in 2011.  In July 2011, the Ma-Ran Foundation, established by R. Randall and Margaret Rollins of Atlanta,  gave a $3 million gift to name the Margaret H. Rollins School of Nursing.

“We are honored to have the nursing school named after Peggy Rollins who is a proud Beebe baby, worked at Beebe as a teenager and served on the Foundation’s Board.  Peggy has shared that Beebe holds a special place in her heart.  The Rollins family’s generosity no doubt inspired others to donate to complete the campaign and to help us make the school a reality.  We are grateful for the other lead donors including the Beebe Medical Center Auxiliary, Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Hudson, and the Schell family,” says Judy Aliquo, president and CEO of the Beebe Medical Foundation.

The school’s new facility is adjacent to Beebe Healthcare in Lewes and an open house for the public is scheduled for July 25 with tours from 9 a.m. until noon.