CSUSM School of Nursing Moves to Campus, Celebrates with Open House

On Thursday, February 12, the School of Nursing (SoN) at California State University San Marcos (CSUSM) will host an open house to celebrate its recent move to the main campus on Twin Oaks Valley Road.

Visitors to the open house will have the opportunity to take guided tours and interact with SoN students, faculty and staff. There will be demonstrations in the state-of-the-art nursing skills lab and simulation theater. The event, open to the public and the university community, will be held from noon to 2 p.m.

Since it began accepting students in the fall of 2006, SoN was housed in the Palomar Health building on Craven Drive. A project to renovate the third floor of University Hall to create an on-campus facility began in March 2014 under the stewardship of SoN, the CSUSM Department of Planning Design and Construction, and the architectural firm Harley Ellis Devereaux. The project was completed in December 2014.

The result is an attractive, 12,000-square foot facility with the additional space and enhancements to meet the needs of SoN which has grown rapidly in the last several years to offer bachelor’s and master’s programs with many flexible options. The new facility has a larger nursing skills lab with 11 beds, a state-of-the art simulation theater and four mock exam rooms designed for use by graduate students in the nurse practitioner program. In addition, the project has created eight faculty offices and nine lecturer stations, and an entrance to the school from Palm Court.

Denise Boren, Director of SoN, said the school’s on-campus location would offer many opportunities for greater camaraderie and collaborations with the campus community.

“Our students will have the chance to mingle with other students on campus and use facilities like the Student Union,” Boren said. “Our faculty will get to know the faculty here. Being on campus gives us greater opportunities to collaborate with other departments within the College of Education, Health and Human Services that we are a part of. We are working with faculty from Speech Language Pathology, Social Work and Kinesiology to develop scenarios where our students can work together.”

What: An open house event in celebration of the CSUSM School of Nursing’s move to the main campus. Previously, the school was located on Craven Dr. in San Marcos. Visitors to the open house will have the opportunity to take guided tours and interact with nursing students, faculty and staff. There will be demonstrations in the state-of-the-art nursing skills lab and simulation theater.

Where: The School of Nursing is located on the third floor of University Hall. CSUSM is located at 333 S. Twin Oaks Valley Rd.

A limited number of complimentary parking spots are available to attendees in Lot F.

When: Thursday, February 12 from noon to 2 p.m.

About the CSUSM School of Nursing

Established in 2006, SoN is recognized statewide as an innovative leader in advancing nursing education. SoN prepares students in the bachelor’s and master’s degree programs by offering a sophisticated learning environment that includes a simulation theater with high-fidelity mannequins, a nursing skills lab, opportunities for research, and rigorous clinical experience at local hospitals and other health care facilities. The school also runs four free health clinics in San Diego and Oceanside where nursing students provide care to underserved populations.