After spending 15 years in marketing, John Jadia’s passion for service and helping others called him to pursue another career in nursing.
Although nervous about entering a new field, he found invaluable support in Cal State Fullerton’s School of Nursing, where he gained hands-on clinical experience and developed the professional skills he needed to launch his health care career as an emergency RN at Providence Mission Viejo Hospital.
“My time in the School of Nursing gave me the knowledge, confidence and support necessary to pursue this career with purpose and passion,” said Jadia. “The faculty pushed us to think critically, apply our knowledge in clinical settings and provide excellent patient care.”
For 50 years, Cal State Fullerton’s School of Nursing has guided students like Jadia into successful careers and fueled Orange County’s health care workforce. At the March 11 anniversary celebration, CSUF faculty, staff and students came together to celebrate the school’s growth and accomplishments.
What started in 1974 as a singular program with 51 students and four faculty members has since grown into a prolific School of Nursing that has graduated nearly 8,000 nurses who serve in Orange County and beyond.
Today, the nursing school comprises more than 600 students, offering graduate and undergraduate programs that prepare students to succeed in a range of health care settings, including inpatient, ambulatory, community and public health. In the past 10 years, the school has garnered more than $20 million in research and training grants, including a $5 million grant from CalOptima Health to develop the next generation of nursing leaders.
“The impact that the School of Nursing has had on the community in the last 50 years is unmatched,” said Celestina Barbosa-Leiker, dean of the College of Health and Human Development.
University President Ronald S. Rochon spoke to the importance of the nursing profession while celebrating the dedication and hard work of CSUF nursing students.
“To our students, you are entering into a profession of grace, dignity, service and intentionality as you prepare to serve complete strangers. Walk with confidence, courage and understanding that what you’re about to do is not only necessary, but it is truly essential,” said Rochon.
Leading the Way in Nursing Education
Cal State Fullerton launched its first RN to BSN pathway program in 1974, which set the stage for its 1981 national accreditation by Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education.
In 2000, the school launched its first Master of Science in Nursing program, which includes concentrations in women’s health care, nursing leadership and school nursing. Since then, the nursing program has expanded its curriculum to include several pathways for undergraduate students and a Doctor of Nursing Practice program that graduated its first cohort in 2014.
“Our pre-licensure program graduates consistently achieve an average first-time pass rate of 95% on their licensing exam, which far exceeds the 80% benchmark for accreditation,” said Sadeeka Al-Majid, professor of nursing and interim director of the School of Nursing. “Moving forward, we will continue to innovate, challenge our students and provide them with the skills they need to lead their specialties.”
To meet the demands of an evolving health care industry, the School of Nursing has invested in innovative spaces geared at hands-on experience. In the Nursing Simulation Center and Fudge Family Women’s Health Simulation Lab and Training Center, students practice safe intervention techniques on manikin patients while honing their collaboration and communication skills alongside faculty experts.
Students also benefit from the school’s close partnerships with more than 300 organizations like Kaiser Permanente, Providence Health and Services, Children’s Hospital of Orange County, and L.A. General Medical Center.
“Students receive invaluable hands-on experience in acute care facilities, clinics, health centers, community-based agencies, school districts and more,” said Kerri Ruppert Schiller ’82 (B.A. business administration-accounting), senior vice president and CFO of Children’s Hospital of Orange County. “These partnerships exemplify our joint dedication to excellence in nursing education and play a pivotal role in shaping the future of the nursing profession.”