Limestone University Receives Initial Approval To Begin Offering Pre-Licensure Nursing Program

The South Carolina Board of Nursing recently approved Limestone University to begin offering a pre-licensure nursing program.

As the regulating body for the practice of nursing the state, South Carolina Board of Nursing approval marks a significant milestone in the progress of the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) Pre-Licensure program.

“This initial approval highlights Limestone’s commitment to meeting rigorous education standards. It has been a lengthy process to plan and coordinate resources and community support for a new nursing program,” said Limestone’s Director of Nursing Dr. Amber Williams. “We are grateful for the support and the opportunity to educate baccalaureate prepared nurses for Cherokee and surrounding communities. This will have such a positive impact Limestone and the surrounding communities.”

Limestone has shown sufficient evidence of meeting legal and educational requirements to start a pre-licensure nursing program. Full approval will follow once the first-class graduates and takes the National Council Licensure Examination exam.

Current students who have completed the prerequisites for the pre-licensure nursing program may apply directly to the program this spring. The inaugural clinical cohort will begin this fall.

The University announced in October of 2021 that it would begin to accept students into its new pre-licensure nursing program in the fall of 2022. The program, which received initial approval by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges, provides the educational foundation for students to be ready to work as a registered nurse in their own communities following successful licensure, which is especially important in the coming decade as more than one million nurses are currently aged 50 or older and are nearing retirement.

Limestone’s Nursing Program offers a traditional face-to-face BSN degree program, an online RN-to-BSN completion degree, and online master's degrees, making it flexible and accessible to enhance the education of nurses in an ever-changing healthcare environment.

The University’s new BSN Pre-Licensure program will train students to become nurses through didactic coursework and clinical practice. Traditional undergraduate application and acceptance to Limestone University is the only requirement for admission into the BSN program.

According to Williams, the BSN nurse is well-prepared to meet the demands of today’s dynamic and complex healthcare environment by demonstrating superior skills in critical thinking, information management, leadership, management, health promotion, communication, assessment, cultural sensitivity, resourcefulness, knowledge application, and scientific reasoning. BSN nurses are able to work in a variety of settings including schools, the military, or public health; and in expanded roles including management, health educators, case managers, care coordinators, or patient navigators.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the job outlook for registered nurses is projected to grow nine percent over the next 10 years, which could translate to as many as 194,500 openings projected each year, on average, over the decade.

In 2021, it was announced that Limestone’s RN-to-BSN program had earned its accreditation by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education.

Limestone’s RN-to-BSN program is designed to empower students to take on professional roles in nursing in a wide variety of settings. It allows already licensed nurses to continue their education and complete their undergraduate degrees.

To learn more about the University’s BSN Prelicensure program, or any of its other Nursing programs, visit www.limestone.edu/nursing.