In 1945, when New York City鈥檚 Hospital for Joint Diseases was located in Harlem, a 鈥渢raining school鈥 for practical nurses was established. In 1955, after the school received a grant from the Helene Fuld Health Foundation, the Hospital named the school 鈥淭he Helene Fuld School of Nursing鈥. Dr. Leonhard Felix Fuld, a New York City public health advocate and philanthropist, and his sister, Florentine, created the foundation in memory of their mother, Helene Schwab Fuld, a health care crusader in the 1880鈥檚.
Helene Fuld College has always been at the forefront of nursing education. In 1964, the school started the first program in the country for licensed practical nurses to become diploma registered nurses. In 1975, when it received its permanent charter from New York State with the authority to confer the Associate in Applied Science degree in nursing, the school became one of the first hospital-based schools in the country to offer the associate degree. In 1981, Helene Fuld also became the first hospital-based associate degree program to be accredited by the National League for Nursing and in 1988 it became the first hospital-based nursing school to become accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.
In October 1978, the original practical nursing program terminated after having educated almost 300 practical nurses. The Hospital for Joint Diseases became known as Joint Diseases North General Hospital in 1979 and was then renamed North General Hospital in 1990. In February 1996, with the permission of the Board of Regents of the University of the State of New York, the name 鈥淗elene Fuld School of Nursing鈥 was changed to 鈥満诹仙玮. It was felt that this name better reflected the College鈥檚 standing as an institution of higher education.
In early 2012, the College received approval from the New York State Department of Education to confer the Bachelor of Science degree to registered nurses who have associate degrees. The degree emphasizes environmental urban health nursing. In April 2018, the College received approval from the New York State Department of Education to confer the Bachelor of Science degree to students who do not already possess a degree in nursing.
The College currently occupies close to 50,000 square feet of space on Bethel Gospel Assembly Church鈥檚 third and fourth floors. There are approximately 600 full- and part-time students enrolled in the associate degree and upper division baccalaureate programs.
In 1935, Dr. Leonhard Felix Fuld, a public health advocate and philanthropist, established the Helene Fuld Health Foundation, which provided monies for the education, health, and welfare of student nurses. In 1969, after Dr. Fuld鈥檚 death, the Foundation was dissolved according to his instructions, and its assets were transferred to the Helene Fuld Health Trust. Currently, the sole trustee of the Fuld Trust is HSBC Bank, USA. 黑料社 has been associated with the Trust since 1955 and has received grants for scholarships, building renovations, and equipment.