Why Nursing?
Personalized Learning Experience
With small class sizes, you’ll receive one-on-one attention from faculty with a diverse background of experience. The Nursing division team is dedicated to your success. We offer our students curated advising, mentorship, and guidance, ensuring you feel supported every step of the way.
Hands-on Clinical Training
Gain real-world experience through our partnerships with local hospitals, clinics, and community health organizations. From rural healthcare settings to broader urban-based opportunities, our program ensures you’re well-equipped for any environment.
Advanced Simulation Lab
Our state-of-the-art simulation lab is housed just a few blocks from campus at William Newton Hospital and our skills lab is located in the Beech Science Center. The two settings offer space for you to practice critical care techniques in a safe, controlled setting, helping you build confidence and refine your skills before stepping into real patient care scenarios.
Strong Community Ties
Experience the unique rewards of rural nursing, where your impact on patient care is immediate and personal. Our program connects you with local healthcare providers, giving you a deep understanding of the specific challenges and needs of rural health – while offering close proximity to more urban environments.
Holistic Approach to Care
At Southwestern College, we emphasize excellence as we deliver holistic care. You’ll learn to care for not just the physical, but also the emotional and mental well-being of your patients. Compassionate care is at the heart of what we do.
Trans-Cultural Immersion
Deepen your understanding of diverse cultural perspectives, health beliefs, and practices through coordinated travel and academic study. By experiencing different cultures firsthand, students learn to provide more empathetic, culturally sensitive care, which is crucial in today’s globalized healthcare environment.
Experienced Faculty / Mentors
The experience and background of our nursing program faculty are critical to shaping the quality of education we deliver. Southwestern faculty offer diverse clinical expertise and advanced academic qualifications. They bring real-world insights into the classroom, helping students bridge theory with practice. Their hands-on knowledge fosters practical skill development, critical thinking, and evidence-based care, ensuring graduates are well-prepared for the complexities of modern healthcare. Faculty in our program collectively have years of service in a variety of areas and environments including:
- Departmental Leadership
- C-Suite Leadership / Hospital Administration
- Healthcare Executive Coach
- Community Health Educator
Strong Foundational Courses
Courses in the Pre-Nursing pathway offer a strong foundation in biology, chemistry, anatomy, and mathematics. Southwestern College has long history of academic strength in the Natural Sciences and Mathematics – graduating many students who have gone on to have prolific careers in the sciences and health sciences. Interested in what some of our alumni are up to? Check out www.sckans.edu/hof.
Academic and Emotional Support
Deets Memorial Library, the Center for Career and Vocation, divisional tutoring labs, the Office for Student Success, and Campus Life all offer resources that support students’ academic goals and emotional wellness.
Curriculum Designed for Success
Coursework, time spent in the skills and simulation labs, and clinical rotations all work in concert to develop skills and knowledge – while instilling a dedication to service and excellence.
Highlighted Pre-Nursing Courses
HSCI 155 Healthcare Ethics
BIOL 280 PathophysiologyHighlighted Nursing Courses
NUR 302 Promoting Self Care and Wellbeing
NUR 311 Community Health - Health Equity and Reducing Health disparity
NUR 316 Special Populations - Mental Health Across the Life Span
NUR 401 Transcultural Nursing - Immersion Experience
Jinx Student Nursing Organization
Participation in our Jinx Student Nursing Organization (JSNO) expands opportunities for professional growth, networking, and hands-on learning. JSNO is connected to the National Student Nurse Association. JSNO welcomes pre-nursing and nursing students promoting a peer mentor relationship throughout the nursing student community. Students coming to SC have an immediate collaborative network supporting the nursing journey. JSNO fosters a sense of community within the program, allows students to collaborate with peers outside of their immediate cohort, and helps them stay updated on industry trends through the development of a network.
