Jefferson College of Health Sciences Nursing Program Review

Jefferson College of Health Sciences (JCHS) was founded in 1914 by Dr. Hugh Trout Sr. in an effort to increase the number of trained and qualified nurses in Southwest Virginia. At the time, the school was known as Jefferson Hospital School of Nursing and quickly became recognized by theAmerican Hospital Association in 1926 after being approved by the American College of Surgeons and the American Medical Association in 1923. Over the years, major renovation has improved the school’s capacity to receive more students and offer different types of programs geared towards the health care sector. The nursing programs include:

Bachelor of Science in Nursing: Pre-Licensure Track

This program is offered in a collegiate setting. Students are trained to undertake a professional career in nursing. They are also given the opportunity to work in an interdisciplinary forum to better understand the healthcare system. After completion, they can take the NCLEX-RN examination for RN licensure.

Bachelor of Science in Nursing: Post-Licensure BSN Track

This program is designed for registered nurses that want to be trained for professional leadership while obtaining their bachelor of science in nursing. Students that have a sound academic foundation can challenge credits or present acceptable credentials for advanced placement. This is a distance learning course that uses an individual approach while building on the knowledge and experience of each student. This gives each student more flexibility to pursue professional ascension while securing a sound academic background in the process. Students that have an Associate Nursing Degree or Diploma will benefit from the content of the program. Class sizes a relatively small to ensure that the professor-teacher ratio is acceptable and that every aspect of the learning process if fully capitalized.

Bachelor of Science in Nursing: Accelerated Pre-Licensure Track

This is an intense full-time program that gives students the opportunity to get a BSN degree in 16-months. It is offered to those that have a bachelor’s in a non-nursing field. Both classroom instruction and clinical practice are used throughout the course.After successful completion, students can sit the NCLEX-RN examination for RN licensure.

Master of Science in Nursing

There are currently two programs being offered to students that want to get their Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) degree: Nursing Systems Management and Nurse Clinician Educator specialty.The programs adopt a flexible approach by using both classroom and online settings to deliver the content of the curriculum. There are both full-time and part-time options available to students. The former can complete the program in 2 years. The program accepts registered nurses (RN) with a bachelor degree in nursing (BSN) or those with a BSN in another field. Students that do not have a BSN must complete 2-3 leveling courses. They must also have completed and passed college level statistics course with a C or higher and have a Current Registered Nurse Licensure to work in any state of territory of the USA.

The Master of Science in Nursing Program is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education. Upon graduation, individuals can apply to take the American Nurse Credentialing Center certification exam, as either a Board Certified Nurse Executive or a Board Certified Nurse Executive Advanced. After two years working in nurse education, individuals can take the National League for Nursing examination in order to be certified as a Nurse Educator.

Financial Aid

Students can tap into Federal and State financial aid to cover costs towards their education. There are also local healthcare organizations that provide tuition support for attendance. The following financial aid sources are being offered by the State of Virginia:

1) Tuition Assistance Grant Program, (VTAG)

2) College Scholarship Assistance Program (CSAP) administered by the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia

3) General Assembly Nursing Scholarships administered by Community Health Services, Virginia State Health Department

For Federal assistance, students can choose from the following:

1) Federal Pell Grant

2) Federal Supplemental Education Opportunity Grant (SEOG)

3) Federal William D. Ford Direct Lending Loans (Subsidized and Unsubsidized)

4) Federal Parent Loan for Undergraduate Students (PLUS)

5) Federal Work Study (FWS)

Some scholarships available include:

1) Debra Kimmel McNamara Nursing Scholarship

2) Stanley Kamm Memorial Nursing Scholarship

3) James Sublett Nursing Scholarship

4) Dr. Fredrick Louis Troxel Nursing Scholarship

Contact:
Jefferson College of Health Sciences
101 Elm Avenue, SE,
Roanoke, VA 24013