The Nursing Program prepares the student to be a registered nurse: a skilled healthcare professional that promotes restoration of health and well-being. The Nursing Program at Southside College of Health Sciences (SCHS) provides individuals with the knowledge and skills necessary to provide nursing care to individuals and groups of individuals throughout the lifespan in a variety of settings.

An AAS Nursing degree will be awarded to students who enter the Nursing Program and who successfully complete 69 credit hours of coursework. This includes 24 general education credits and 45 nursing credits. The AAS Nursing degree is a terminal degree. This means that it is the highest academic degree needed to secure employment in the field. The AAS Nursing degree does not guarantee full assimilation into a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program. Additional credits, outside of the AAS, may be required to meet the admission criteria of the receiving institution. 

Following graduation from the Nursing Program and verification by the SCHS Nursing Program that education requirements have been met, students are eligible to apply to take the National Council Licensure Examination – Registered Nurse (NCLEX-RN©). Graduates who meet board requirements and pass the exam will be conferred the legal title of Registered Nurse (RN) from the Virginia Board of Nursing. Should a graduate be unsuccessful on the NCLEX-RN©, he or she will have the opportunity to repeat the exam at varying intervals. Employment opportunities include hospitals, long term care facilities, industry, community agencies and physician’s offices.

The Diagnostic Medical Sonography Program prepares the student to be a sonographer: a skilled healthcare professional who specializes in the use of ultrasonic imaging devices to produce diagnostic images, scans, videos or 3-dimensional volumes of anatomy and diagnostic data.

The Diagnostic Medical Sonography Program combines didactic and clinical study that enables the graduate to function in the medical community as a Diagnostic Medical Sonographer. An Associate of Applied Science in Diagnostic Medical Sonography degree is awarded to those students who have successfully completed 67 credit hours of coursework. This includes 17 hours of general education credits and 50 sonography credits. The degree program is designed to be completed in four-semesters, 15 month time-frame of full-time study.