York Technical College Nursing Program Review

Prospective nurses in the northern portion of South Carolina have a variety of options when it comes to choosing a program. Depending on their desired level of education (certificate, diploma, associate degree, or bachelor’s degree), students in the area can choose between studying at York Technical College (YTC, York Tech) in Rock Hill or at the University of South Carolina Lancaster (USC Lancaster, USCL). 

York Technical College, founded in 1964, offers a certificate program for nurse assistants, a diploma program for practical nurses, and cooperating with the University of South Carolina Lancaster, also offers an associate degree in nursing. Besides the associate degree program for nursing, the University of South Carolina Lancaster (founded in 1959) hosts a bachelor’s program, in cooperation with the University of South Carolina in Columbia and Piedmont Medical Center.

York Technical College Nurse Assistant Course

In a variety of different formats, York Technical College offers a training course for prospective certified nurse assistants (CNA). Students may enroll in a daytime course, an evening course, a weekend course, or an online blend course. The training program includes in-class instruction (which can be completed online, if the student opts for the online blend version of the course) and clinical instruction, which is scheduled at a local long-term care facility. The course can be completed in as little as five weeks, and leads to a certificate. Graduates are eligible to take the state certification exam for CNAs. York Technical College offers the program several times a semester, through its Corporate and Continuing Education Division.

York Technical College Nurse Assistant Refresher Course

Also through its Corporate and Continuing Education Division, York Technical College offers a refresher course for graduates of a nurse assistant course who wish to prepare for the state certification exam. This course has a lab component, a clinical component, and culminates in a written exam. The course is offered regularly; dates and times vary.

York Technical College Practical Nursing Program

Graduates of the Practical Nursing program earn a diploma in applied science, and may sit for the National Council Licensing Exam for Practical Nurses (NCLEX-PN). In order to earn the diploma, a student must complete forty-one credit hours, which includes credits for background courses (English, biology, psychology) as well as nursing courses and clinical rotations. The program, which starts in the fall, takes three semesters to complete, and prepares students for work as Licensed Practical Nurses (LPN). York Technical College’s Practical Nursing Program is approved by the South Carolina Board of Nursing and accredited by the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission (NLNAC).

York Technical College/University of South Carolina Lancaster Cooperative Nursing Program – Associate Degree in Nursing Program

Either at York Technical College in Rock Hill or at the University of South Carolina Lancaster, students may complete the five-semester Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) program. This leads to an associate in applied science degree with a major in nursing (AAS in Nursing), prepares the graduate for the National Council Licensing Exam for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN), and prepares the graduate for work as a Registered Nurse (RN). Over the course of the program’s five semesters, students must earn a total of sixty-eight credits. This includes general education courses in anatomy and physiology, microbiology, English, college algebra, and psychology. The course sequence begins in the fall, and includes one summer semester. The ADN program at York Technical College/University of South Carolina Lancaster is approved by the South Carolina Board of Nursing and accredited by the NLNAC.

York Technical College/University of South Carolina Lancaster Cooperative Nursing Program – Associate Degree in Nursing Program – LPN/ADN Transition

A graduate of a practical nursing program can complete her associate degree in nursing through the LPN/ADN Transition option. If she enrolls in this program, she will receive fifteen advanced placement credits, which allow her to skip the first three semesters of nursing courses. She must take a transition nursing course (unless she is a graduate of the York Technical College Practical Nursing program). This transition course is offered in the summer and fall semester. After completing this, she can begin the upper-level nursing coursework along with the traditional ADN students in the fall, and graduate in the spring. 

University of South Carolina Lancaster/University of South Carolina/Piedmont Medical Center – Bachelor of Science in Nursing Program

Although the University of South Carolina Lancaster is a two-year school, it cooperates with the University of South Carolina in Columbia and Piedmont Medical Center to provide a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program. Students in the BSN program can complete all their coursework on the campus in Lancaster, via a combination of classroom instruction and distance learning. The program takes four years to complete, and requires 122 credits in total. A graduate of the BSN program is eligible to take the NCLEX-RN. The BSN program is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) and approved by the South Carolina State Board of Nursing.

Contact:

York Technical College
452 South Anderson Road,
Rock Hill, SC 29730

University of South Carolina Lancaster
476 Hubbard Drive,
Lancaster, SC 29720