Message from the Dean

A message from the dean

Founded in 1890 by Emily Loveridge RN as the Good Samaritan Hospital diploma program, the Linfield University Good Samaritan School of Nursing is the oldest continuously operated nursing school in the Pacific Northwest.

We offer a high-touch, on-ground Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program in a traditional 15-week format for first-degree students. We also offer two accelerated programs in a 10-week format for students with a previous bachelor’s or master’s degree. One accelerated program terminates with a BSN in only 12 months. The other terminates in a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) in only 15 months.

Online, we offer a nationally ranked RN to BSN program that most students complete in only 12 months. This rigorous-yet-flexible program is designed to meet the growing needs of the health care industry while providing a work-life balance for working nurses.

The demand for nurses is increasing, and our school is growing to meet the demand. In January 2021, we moved to a new, 20-acre, full-service campus in Northeast Portland. It boasts a 700% increase in a high-tech simulation space where both undergraduate and graduate students can engage in complex clinical scenarios that parallel, anticipate and amplify real-life situations. The campus is being designed to support student learning at the highest level and encourage collaboration.

Importantly, our nursing curriculum is grounded in a strong 21st-century comprehensive education. That means we develop lifelong learners with the ability to think critically and creatively, communicate effectively and lead others in complex, diverse environments. We educate nurses who embrace disruptive technologies and demonstrate leadership and curiosity during change.

Thousands of Linfield-educated nurses are working now across the globe. They're helping others, and leading change. If you want to join them, you've come to the right place.

Paul S. Smith
Dean of Linfield's School of Nursing