REDDING, Calif.—Simpson University’s Betty M. Dean School of Nursing is listed as the seventh best nursing program in the state, according to Nursing School Hub’s 2020 rankings.

“Simpson University is one of the best schools for nursing in California, with its focus on faith-based nursing education and curriculum,” Nursing School Hub states. “The core value of the Betty M. Dean School of Nursing program is caring, with personalized faculty mentoring, hands-on experiences, small classes, simulation labs, and engaging discussions.”

The rating comes as the School of Nursing graduates its spring 2020 cohort of 22 four-year students during the extraordinary circumstances of COVID-19. As the university shifted to remote course delivery, nursing faculty and staff created online coursework and helped students complete their required clinical hours through small-group sessions in the university’s state-of-the-art simulation labs.

While completing coursework, many of the nursing students also stepped up when Shasta County Public Health asked for help in fielding phone calls from the concerned public as the coronavirus spread. The students were trained to answer calls from medical providers in addition to answering health-related questions from community members.

“Our students earn a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree that provides an opportunity for them to be employed by governmental health agencies such as the public health department,” said Misty Smith, dean of the School of Nursing. “This opportunity meets community need and promotes student achievement of our program learning outcomes.”

The spring 2020 graduating cohort of Simpson University’s Betty M. Dean School of Nursing

The Betty M. Dean School of Nursing has consistently earned high ratings by nursing school ranking agencies. In 2019, it was listed as one of the best nursing schools in the country and No. 8 in California by RNCareers.

Nationally accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE), the School of Nursing has a three-year average of a 96.5 percent pass rate on the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX), the nationwide exam for the licensing of nurses in the U.S. and Canada.

Named after Dr. Betty Dean, a longtime Simpson University trustee, former nurse and former Butte College president, the School of Nursing has graduated more than 205 four-year bachelor of science in nursing students since the BSN program began in 2011. In addition, more than 175 students have graduated from Simpson’s RN-BSN Track, designed for registered nurses who want to obtain their bachelor’s degree.

“The need for bachelor-prepared nurses is great, and the Betty M. Dean School of Nursing administration and faculty are committed to helping our students grow spiritually and professionally for success in their professional roles,” Smith said.

In addition to its CCNE accreditation, the Betty M. Dean School of Nursing is also accredited by the Western Senior College and University Commission and approved by the California Board of Registered Nursing. Learn more at simpsonu.edu/nursing.

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Simpson University, a Christian university founded in 1921, moved to Redding 30 years ago and will celebrate its centennial in 2021. In addition to offering 25 majors in its traditional undergraduate program, the university has graduated more than 4,000 North State adults from its ASPIRE degree-completion program, and nearly 3,000 from its School of Education. It has a No. 7-ranked School of Nursing, a seminary, and master’s programs in counseling psychology and organizational leadership. Simpson University is listed in U.S. News and World Report’s Top 100 Regional Universities West and recognized nationally by Colleges of Distinction. The university is launching new programs in digital media, computer information systems, and engineering, and recently added athletics programs in track and field, swimming and diving, women’s wrestling, and men’s volleyball, as well as a bass fishing team. The university is also working to better serve transfer students from community colleges through its commitment to Associate Degree for Transfer agreements. Learn more about Simpson University at simpsonu.edu. Follow university news at simpsonunews.com.