Greenville University nursing program earns approval from Higher Learning Commission
Published: June 23, 2022
Greenville University is pleased to announce the approval of its new nursing program by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC). The four-year program leading to a bachelor of science in nursing comes as the result of a partnership between Greenville University and St. John’s College of Nursing in Springfield, Illinois.
Currently, Greenville students complete their pre-nursing courses at Greenville University, then go to St. John’s College of Nursing to complete the final two years of study in Springfield, including clinicals at HSHS St. John’s Hospital.
The Higher Learning Commission (HLC) has now approved a second pathway for Greenville University students allowing them to complete their pre-nursing coursework at Greenville, then enter the St. John’s College of Nursing program on Greenville’s campus. The clinical experiences will take place at HSHS Holy Family Hospital, Greenville and other HSHS hospitals in the southern part of the state. With this HLC approval, students will be admitted through this pathway in fall of 2022.
GU President Suzanne Davis has long championed the partnership with St. John’s and collaboration that will add nurses to the local workforce.
“We are so pleased to bring an outstanding nursing degree program to Greenville, Illinois,” she said. “I am grateful for St. John’s College and HSHS and excited for what we will do together to benefit both students and this region. I think it’s going to be transformative to our community.”
In addition to classroom instruction, students learn via a mobile simulation center on GU’s campus. The simulation provides students with risk-free, hands-on experience in patient care using programmable manikins. A permanent simulation center is already in place at Holy Family Hospital in Greenville.
“We are thrilled that we will now be able to offer St. John’s College of Nursing courses for Greenville University students on their campus,” said Charlene Aaron, chancellor and professor at St. John’s College of Nursing. “This will offer area students a chance to attend nursing school and meet their educational goals in a more efficient manner, saving them both time and money as they complete their degree.”
HSHS Holy Family Hospital President and CEO Kelly Sager shared her excitement at welcoming nursing students as a clinical site. “This offers many area students a chance to experience health care in a rural setting, while also growing our own future nurses. I’m confident that many may choose to stay in our rural hospital setting to care for family, friends and neighbors, another way we are continuing to keep care local,” she said. “For those who move on to any number of health care settings, we will have given them a great learning environment to provide high-quality compassionate care anywhere.”
A groundbreaking ceremony recently took place on Greenville University’s campus for the future site of classrooms and dormitories for the nursing instruction program at the University. The building will be named Kaufmann Hall in recognition of Dr. M. Kenneth Kaufmann and family for their extraordinary generosity, hospitality, and service to Greenville University.
To learn more about GU’s bachelor of science in nursing program, contact GU’s Director of Undergraduate Admissions Victoria Clark by sending an email to victoria.clark@greenville.edu or visit www.greenville.edu/programs/nursing.
About St. John’s College
St. John’s College, a department of St. John’s Hospital, in Springfield, Illinois, the oldest Catholic hospital-based school of nursing in the United States. In 1886, the Hospital Sisters of St. Francis founded St. John's Hospital School of Nursing. Their mission was to care for the sick and needy of the community in a spirit of joy, respect and commitment to competence. Initially the school was created as a two-year diploma program to educate members of the founding religious order. In 1912 the school accepted the first lay women. St. John's School of Nursing transitioned into St. John's College in 1991. Today, St. John's College students can earn a Bachelor or Master of Science in nursing degree. During our long and rich history, we have undergone many transitions. However, the constant has been dedication to the education of professional nurses whose practice exemplifies excellence in health care.
About Hospital Sisters Health System
Hospital Sisters Health System’s (HSHS) mission is to reveal and embody Christ’s healing love for all people through our high-quality Franciscan health care ministry. HSHS provides state-of-the-art health care to our patients and is dedicated to serving all people, especially the most vulnerable, at each of our physician practices and 15 local hospitals in two states
