Volunteer State Community College has announced a new nursing degree program that will prepare students to apply to sit for licensure as a Registered Nurse. Approval for the program was given recently by Tennessee Board of Nursing. This new program will award an Associate of Applied Science degree in Nursing. It will be held on the Gallatin and Livingston campuses.
“It is the right time for Vol State to launch a nursing program that serves our entire eleven county service area,” said Vol State president, Jerry Faulkner. “There is a critical and growing need for nurses in Sumner County and the surrounding area. At the same time, surveys showed a substantial need for RNs in the Upper Cumberland. We have offered pre-nursing programs successfully for many years and we’re ready to take the next step. Interest in this full nursing degree program has been tremendous.”
Linda Gibson has been hired as the Dean of Nursing at Vol State. “Not only does this new nursing program prepare students to apply to sit for the RN exam, the courses are designed to fit with university programs, allowing students to continue their studies for a bachelor of science in nursing degree,” Gibson said.
Vol State students will be able to use the tuition-free TN Promise program for new high school graduates or the TN Reconnect program for adults who don’t already have a college degree. Students who don’t qualify for those programs can apply for other financial aid.
Tennessee State University offered a nursing degree program on the Vol State Gallatin campus for many years. The university suspended that program two years ago. Vol State continues to offer a pre-nursing program which includes partnerships with area universities.
The new Vol State Nursing program will be limited in the number of students accepted, and that acceptance is likely to be quite competitive. All general education, science and elective courses required for the Associate of Applied Science Degree in Nursing must be complete or in progress at the time of application with a minimum GPA of 3.5. Any courses in progress at the time of application must be complete before beginning the nursing program. Meeting the minimum requirements does not assure acceptance. A point system will be used to rank each applicant. There will be a cohort admitted to the Gallatin and Livingston campuses each year. Graduates will be eligible to apply to take the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX-RN) for licensure as a Registered Nurse. The program is subject to SACSCOC approval.
The Nursing program application is available now on the web page. It is due May 1. The cohort will start classes on June 10.
“There is a nursing shortage in the Vol State service area,” said Gibson. “Nursing jobs nationally are expected to increase by 15 percent, a much higher rate than most occupations. The pay is also attractive with a median RN salary in Tennessee of $67,490.”
For more information about Vol State Nursing visit the web page www.volstate.edu/nursing
