Accelerated BSN Programs at South Carolina Nursing Schools
South Carolina is facing a nursing shortage, much like the rest of the U.S., due in part to the large number of older retirees living in the area. To help fill nursing jobs, many South Carolina and online schools are now offering accelerated BSN programs for qualified students. These programs have become very popular, and are recognized as a valuable way to address both the lack of enough nurses in the workforce and the lack of nurse educators.
To find out which Fast Track BSN program may be best for you, start by requesting information from the featured schools below. These schools offer convenient options for online nursing study, combined with local clinical courses. Feel free to contact as many schools as you like, keeping in mind that the more you know, the better prepared you may be to find the nursing school that can meet your needs.
Prospective BSN students in South Carolina have many programs they can choose from. If you learn better in a traditional classroom environment, you can try one of the traditional accelerated BSN programs. If, however, you prefer to do your coursework when you have free time, an online degree might be a better option for you. The staff of BestNursingDegree.com has taken the time to provide you with a full listing of all of your options, which saves you valuable time and effort as you begin your search for nursing schools.
Accelerated BSN Curriculum in South Carolina
To be eligible for an accelerated BSN program, you must have completed a Bachelor’s degree in another field. When you start an accelerated BSN program, you can expect to spend about 12 to 18 months in school. This type of intense program prepares you for work in almost any healthcare setting. Because you get credit for the coursework completed while you earned your first degree, you should be able to complete your degree much more quickly than traditional BSN students.
The majority of courses in your nursing program are intended to teach you how to be a nurse. As such, you will be required to have completed the prerequisites before moving into nursing courses. Prerequisite courses may include English, Speech, Microbiology, Chemistry, and Anatomy & Physiology.
An accelerated program can be intense—you have to learn in 18 months what other students have four years to learn, but your educational experience may be an advantage you possess over traditional nursing students.
In addition to learning basic nursing skills that are required in all healthcare facilities, you also learn about specific nursing techniques and regulations in specialty fields. These classes include obstetric nursing, pediatric nursing, nursing communication, and health assessment. You will also take courses that are not part of other entry level nursing programs, such as an Associate’s degree program. These courses may include:
- Nurse Leadership
- Nursing Research and Evidence Based Practice
- Nursing in Vulnerable Populations
- Health Policy
You may begin to feel confident in your nursing skills once you get into the final part of your nursing program—clinical rotations. In clinical practice, you will have the opportunity to practice the skills you learned in the first part of your program. You do this under the supervision of a clinical instructor, who will help you integrate your nursing knowledge into your practice and techniques.
Nursing Career Outlook in South Carolina
The eclectic makeup of South Carolina makes it an excellent state for new nurses to get their start. There are a number of retirees who need specialists, young families in need of pediatricians and obstetricians, and many other types of people in South Carolina. The wide range of employers in South Carolina reflects the diversity of the state. Some of the largest nursing employers in South Carolina include Pediatria Healthcare for Kids, Agape Post-Acute Care Center, Agape Senior, and Gentiva Health Services.
Nursing jobs are anticipated to enjoy growth in the future, as O*Net predicts that the amount of available nursing jobs is expected to grow 26% by 2020. This will create approximately 1,850 new jobs per year (O*Net, 2012). When you start out in your nursing career in South Carolina, you can look forward to a good salary range. The median salary for nurses in South Carolina is $57,700 (O*Net, 2012).
Nursing Licensing Considerations in South Carolina
Nurses that have completed an approved nurse training program and passed the required NCLEX-RN exam can earn their license by examination in South Carolina. Once you have completed the NCLEX-RN and received your scores, you can apply for licensure through the South Carolina Board of Nursing. Graduates can also learn about Registered Nursing career opportunities in the South Carolina government via the Board of Nursing. South Carolina is part of the Nursing Licensure Compact, which allows nurses with a South Carolina nursing license to work in other compact states.
As nurses, it’s important to keep up on legislation regarding your field. The Advanced Practice Committee of the South Carolina Nurses Association has recently come out in favor of advanced practice registered nurses. This information is being used to create legislative changes in state government. You are encouraged to join the South Carolina Nurses Association to be part of legislative changes.
