Last updated on May 2, 2019
By Lauren Fraine
Volunteer State Community College has announced the launch of a new RN (registered nurse) Nursing Degree program.
The program will award an Associate of Applied Science degree in Nursing and prepare students to apply to sit for licensure as a Registered Nurse. It will be available at the Gallatin and Livingston campuses.
Applications for the RN program will become available March 1. The deadline to turn in the application is May 1. The first cohort will start on June 10.
The RN program will be limited in the number of students accepted, 24 for the Gallatin campus and 24 for the Livingston campus each year.
Students interested in applying will need to have all general education, science and elective courses required for the Associate of Applied Science Degree in Nursing complete or in progress at the time of application.
A 3.5 GPA minimum is required, but it does not ensure acceptance.
“Students who are currently in Pre-Nursing at Vol State are the ones most likely eligible for the nursing program this year, depending on their grades and the classes they have completed,” said Eric Melcher, coordinator of Public Relations and Marketing.
There will be a point system in place to rank each applicant. It is designed to be a 15-month program.
With six semesters, two of those will be general education courses and four semesters in nursing courses.
Summer sessions are included in this program as well.
The program will have a number of affiliates where clinicals will be held, including Sumner Regional, Tennova Healthcare in Lebanon and Hendersonville, and Livingston Regional.
Both the TN Promise for high school graduates and the TN Reconnect for returning adults will be available for use to Vol State students.
On the Gallatin campus, the program is predicted to be in the Betty Gibson building.
Linda Gibson was hired in October 2018 as the dean of nursing. Gibson has 30 years of experience in nursing education.
“Nursing is one of the only jobs where you could graduate Saturday and have a job Monday,” said Gibson.
This associate degree program will give students the opportunity to complete the Vol State A.A.S. degree and work as an RN while finishing their bachelor’s degree.
Many institutions will pay for their RN’s tuition to complete their bachelor degree.
“All of my education has been paid for by institutions,” said Gibson.
Nursing is a field with options of working in a clinic, schools, hospitals, travel nursing, and even missionary work.
Degrees in nursing range from an associate degree up to a doctorate degree. According to nightingale.edu, the average RN salary in Tennessee is $66,175.
A BSN can earn a salary of $77,371.
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