UC Irvine’s Program in Nursing Science has been ranked in the top 5 percent of 200 four-year bachelor’s programs in the western U.S. by NurseJournal.org in its annual survey of America’s best nursing schools. Among comparable programs, it’s 10th in quality, seventh in satisfaction and fifth in value. Overall, it’s the highest-rated nursing program in Orange County. “These rankings reflect the hard work and investment of our program’s dedicated faculty and staff,” said interim director Alison Holman, a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Nurse Faculty Scholar. “We are poised to launch into the next phase of our development with many new, exciting initiatives and programs on our horizon. We have a bright future ahead as we continue to focus on achieving excellence in research and teaching.” Launched in 2007, the program provides academic and professional education in nursing and offers bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees.