Nursing Schools in Virginia

Southside Virginia Community College (SVCC) is located in Alberta, Virginia with the second campus being located in Keysville. There are also various off-campus sites where students will be able to seek education. SVCC was founded back in 1970 and it is a member of the Virginia Community College System. Students can seek associate’s degrees, certificates, and diplomas at this school. There are even online class options for those who need more flexible scheduling situations. SVCC is fully accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.

The SVCC nursing program gives students an opportunity to pursue associate’s degrees in nursing or certificates in practical nursing. All nursing students will receive a comprehensive education that will allow them to provide for the needs of patients in many medical settings. SVCC has a robust nursing lab where students can hone their skills and learn. The associate’s degree in nursing program is fully accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN). Both nursing programs are fully approved by the Virginia Board of Nursing.

Shenandoah University is a private institution affiliated with the United Methodist Church. It was established in 1875 as Shenandoah Seminary in Dayton, Virginia. The seminary became a college in 1924 when it began offering two-year degrees. It moved to its current location in Winchester in 1960 after merging with the Shenandoah Conservatory. The campus covers 126 acres near Interstate 81. The Medical Campus is close to the Winchester Medical Center. Shenandoah University includes six schools and one college, offering over 90 different undergraduate and graduate degree programs. The schools include the Eleanor Wade Custer School of Nursing.

Shenandoah University offers traditional BSN, accelerated BSN, RN to BSN, MSN, RN to MSN, DNP, and BSN to DNP programs. The MSN program includes five different specialty tracks including Nurse Midwifery. The programs are accredited by the CCNE. Students who are enrolled in the traditional BSN program begin taking nursing courses during their freshman year. Instead of waiting until the second or third year, incoming freshmen are directly admitted into the nursing program. They also begin their clinical rotations during their sophomore year, offering more time to gain hands-on training. The accelerated program also includes clinical rotations and is intended to be completed in just 15 months.

Liberty University is a private institution in Lynchburg, Virginia. Jerry Falwell founded the school in 1971. Falwell was a famed pastor and is buried in the ground of the university. The university remains a Christian university, requiring students to complete three Bible studies classes during their first year. It is also the largest Christian university in the world, enrolling over 15,000 students at the Lynchburg campus. Liberty University began offering online distance learning, leading to an additional 100,000 online students. The university is structured into 17 colleges offering 297 undergraduate programs, 319 master’s programs, and 32 doctoral programs.

Liberty University has an MSN program and several BSN options. The BSN programs include traditional BSN, accelerated BSN, RN to BSN, and LPN to BSN. All programs are accredited by the CCNE. The traditional BSN program accepts 40 students each summer. This BSN track is a four-year program with nursing courses spread throughout the four years instead of requiring students to wait until their junior year to begin their nursing education. In clinical settings, the school maintains a 10:1 student-to-faculty ratio, providing students with individualized attention. The MSN program is typically completed in two years and the classes are offered entirely online.

Virginia Western Community College (VWCC) is located in Roanoke, Virginia. VWCC is a two-year college that was established in 1966. This school is the third-largest community college that is a part of the Virginia Community College System. VWCC serves over 12,000 students currently and there are various associate’s degree programs and certificate programs for students to take part in. Students at VWCC will also be able to take part in online programs that offer more flexibility when it comes to scheduling. VWCC has been accredited by the Southern Association of Schools and Colleges Commission on Colleges.

The VWCC nursing program gives students the chance to pursue associate’s degrees in nursing. There is also an LPN-to-RN bridge program for students who qualify. The curriculum of this nursing program is designed to prepare future registered nurses (RN) to work in many different medical settings. The nursing program at VWCC has had great success in preparing students for the NCLEX-RN licensure exam. In recent years, students have had greater rates of success on the exam when compared to both the national and state averages. This nursing program is approved by the Virginia Board of Nursing and is also a candidate for accreditation by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN).

Old Dominion University (ODU) is a public research institution in Norfolk, Virginia. It was established as a division of the College of William & Mary in 1930. It has grown to become one of the biggest universities in the state, enrolling over 24,000 students in 2015. The campus is spread over 251 acres around several residential neighborhoods in Norfolk. ODU is classified as a Doctoral University and contributes nearly $2 billion to the local economy each year. ODU currently offers over 168 undergrad and graduate degree programs. They also recently started offering distance learning through online courses.

The ODU School of Nursing offers several nursing programs including BSN, accelerated BSN, RN to BSN, MSN, and DNP. These programs are accredited by the CCNE. The RN to BSN, MSN, and DNP programs include traditional and online options. However, the traditional BSN must be completed on site. All students gain access to virtual training at the Eastern Virginia Medical School through a state-of-the-art simulation center. The MSN program includes six different specialty tracks, including Nurse Administrator and Neonatal Nurse Practitioner. The university does not include clinical rotations. However, students are encouraged to seek internships in the area to receive hands-on training at local clinics and healthcare facilities.

Wytheville Community College (WCC) is located in Wytheville, Virginia. WCC was established in 1963 as a two-year branch of the Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University. In 1967, the school joined the Virginia Community College System. Students at WCC are able to take part in close to thirty associate’s degree, certificate, and diploma programs. Students attending this school can receive various types of occupational and technical training. There are also many transfer programs that will allow students to transfer their credits over to large four-year colleges or universities in the pursuit of higher degrees.

The WCC nursing program gives students the chance to earn associate’s degrees in nursing. Students who have already obtained LPN status may seek advanced placement in this program. The nursing program at WCC prepares students to pass the NCLEX-RN licensure exam. Successful graduates of this program have traditionally gone on to find job placement in the nursing field with ease. The WCC nursing program is fully approved by the Virginia Board of Nursing and is accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN).

Germanna Community College (GCC) is located in Locust Grove, Virginia. GCC was established back in 1970 and it now serves over 13,000 students. This school has many students taking both credit and non-credit courses. As a part of the Virginia Community College System, GCC holds itself to a very high academic standard. Students are able to earn associate’s degrees, certificates, and diplomas at this school. GCC is fully accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.

The GCC nursing programs give students the chance to earn associate’s degrees in nursing or to pursue certificates in practical nursing. Students will be able to seek advanced standing in the RN program if they have already obtained LPN status as well. The GCC nursing program gives students access to a robust virtual hospital. Students will be able to hone their nursing skills using the human patient simulators. The associate’s degree in nursing program is fully accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN).

Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) is a public institution with undergrad and graduate degree programs. The main campus is in Richmond, where it was established as the medical department of Hampden-Sydney College in 1838. The medical department became a medical college before merging with the Richmond Professional Institute to become VCU in 1968. Along with the Richmond campus, VCU operates a branch campus in Education City, Doha, Qatar. The Richmond location includes the Monroe Park campus and the MVC campus. The 90.6-acre Monroe Park houses most of the general facilities while the MVC campus houses the VCU Medical Center and nursing school.

VCU offers a combination of undergrad and graduate degree programs that are accredited by the CCNE. The programs include traditional BSN, accelerated BSN, RN to BSN, MSN, accelerated BSN, RN to MSN, PhD, and BSN to PhD programs. The MSN program offers five areas of concentration including Family Nurse Practitioner and Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner. The courses are offered entirely online. However, students need to visit the campus three times per year. Students completing the traditional BSN, accelerated BSN, or RN to BSN programs are required to complete clinical rotations at local facilities, including the VCU Medical Center and various clinics.