St. John's College of Nursing Partnership w/Greenville University Approved by Higher Learning Commission

St. John’s College of Nursing and Greenville University have announced that the Higher Learning Commission has approved their partnership offering Greenville University students a four-year path to earning a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree on the Greenville campus.

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.

“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, PhD, RN, 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, MHA, RN, FACHE, 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.”

During the clinical portion of the program, participants can gain experience in areas ranging from general medical, surgical care, cardiac care, obstetric, wound care, cardiac rehab, home, health and hospice. A mobile simulation unit on Greenville University’s campus and a simulation laboratory available at Holy Family Hospital will feature exam rooms and patient rooms that resemble the real thing.

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 Ken Kaufmann and family for their extraordinary generosity, hospitality, and service to Greenville University.

Suzanne Davis, J.D., MBA, president of Greenville University, shared, “This program is the result of a partnership that began months ago between likeminded, missional organizations who desire to see qualified nurses of character graduate to serve people – many in this very region. We are so pleased to bring an outstanding nursing degree program to Greenville, Illinois. 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,” she said.

Those interested in pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree on the Greenville campus can learn more at https://greenville.edu/programs/nursing.