The associate of applied science in nursing program is designed to prepare individuals with the skills and knowledge to provide nursing care to clients, families and groups of clients throughout the lifespan in a variety of settings. It is a non-integrated nursing program.

Graduates of this program are eligible to apply to take the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX-RN), which is required to practice as a Registered Nurse. The Associate of Applied Science degree program in Nursing will prepare students to assume entry-level positions as Registered Nurses. There is a tremendous market for RN’s both locally and statewide. The North Carolina Center for Nursing states that the state is “at the beginning of a nursing shortage that will rapidly grow more severe over the next 14 years. By 2020 the state is expected to need approximately 108,000 RN FTEs, while the supply of RN FTEs is expected to be only about 76,000 – approximately 70% of the expected demand.” The Center bases its prognosis on the current aging of the nursing workforce, the general aging of the population, and the steady increase in the size of North Carolina’s population.

South College’s nursing program will provide students with professional and technical knowledge and skills that are in demand in the current and emerging employment market and that create an awareness of the significant impact of their profession and individual contributions on the community, nation, and the country’s global standing and provide skills essential for personal and professional growth. South college’s nursing program is committed to ensuring that nursing students acquire an in-depth understanding of the principles underlying effective and responsible nursing practice and effective professional judgments.