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Fort Sanders Nursing Department at Tennessee Wesleyan University

young female nursing student in scrubs smiling at camera

Nurses are on the front lines of health care, using their expertise and compassion to help heal and save lives every day. The Tennessee Wesleyan Fort Sanders Nursing Department provides a first-rate education for those seeking a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree. Our courses are geared toward pre-licensure and Registered Nurse students. 

The program builds on general education courses in the humanities with emphasis on natural and behavioral sciences. Students can expect profound learning experiences with a strong foundation of Christian values. Upper-division courses evolve from nursing competencies to promoting optimum health, preventing illness, and providing end-of-life care to diverse populations in a variety of settings.

group of nurses in scrubs walking and talking down a hallway in the hospital

Why Should I Attend TWU?

Your nursing program should leave you feeling confident and empowered in your knowledge and ability to provide care in a medical setting. A degree from TWU will do just that. Our graduates are “preferred hires” in the hospital community, with almost 100% job placement before graduation.

Graduates are qualified to work in a variety of nursing capacities, and are also eligible for graduate school or nurse practitioner school.

The TWU Fort Sanders Nursing Department is located at our west Knoxville instructional site, allowing easy access to our hospital partners. It also features a brand new, state-of-the-art simulation lab, giving students the opportunity to prepare for clinical experiences using Lifecast mannequins.

What Makes This Program Unique?

Born from a partnership between the former Fort Sanders School of Nursing and Tennessee Wesleyan University, this program combines a long history of excellence in nursing education with a liberal arts curriculum that is unmatched. Fort Sanders Nursing Department at Tennessee Wesleyan University is committed to higher education for professional nurses, lifelong learning, and professional values.

What is the Objective of the TWU Fort Sanders Nursing Department?

We aim to mold the next generation of nurses into top-tier providers of care. The faculty is committed to teaching the essentials required to master foundational nursing skills. Courses promote high-quality care and prepare students for continuing education and graduate study. 

Low clinical ratios mean that teachers have time to work closely with their students, providing one-on-one support and a personalized education experience.

How Do I Apply to the Baccalaureate Nursing Program at Tennessee Wesleyan University?

Students should apply for admission to upper-division nursing courses in their sophomore year. Students will be chosen for the fall semester during the previous spring. Applicants should be prepared to show impressive academic ability, school transcripts and references, and to complete personal interviews.

How Long Does It Take to Complete the BSN Program?

The Bachelor’s of Nursing program requires 63 hours of general education courses and 64 hours of nursing education courses. This course load is typically completed in eight semesters or four years. General education courses are offered at the main campus of Tennessee Wesleyan University in Athens, TN. 

Alternatively, students can complete their general education at any regionally accredited college or university and transfer to Tennessee Wesleyan for the nursing program.

What Are the Program Requirements?

The Minimum requirements for traditional BSN admission include:

  • Science GPA of 2.75 or higher
  • Wesleyan Essentials GPA of 2.75 or higher
  • Applicants may only repeat science prerequisites once prior to application to the nursing program.

The program has access to clinical sites in Knoxville and the surrounding area, including the facilities of Covenant Health. Covenant Health is one of East Tennessee’s largest and most comprehensive integrated healthcare delivery systems. Other clinical facilities include East Tennessee Children’s Hospital, as well as community health and nursing home sites. The nursing courses will be taught at our west Knoxville location just off Pellissippi Parkway.

How Do I Enter the Online RN-to-BSN Program?

Admission to the RN to BSN program requires the following:

  • Completion of 63 semester hours of general education courses
  • Tennessee Wesleyan University application for admission
  • Official college transcripts
  • Proof of RN licensure and graduation from an NLNAC/CCNE-accredited program in nursing
  • References regarding clinical competence

RN students will be selected in the spring for admission to the summer semester. Transition to Professional Nursing (NU305) must be taken for official admission to the Nursing Department.

RNs entering the program will have their previous work placed in escrow until they have shown competency in the following courses: 

  • Transition to Professional Nursing
  • Pharmacology
  • Health Assessment

The RN’s coursework will then be removed from escrow and assigned 31 semester credit hours. RN-to-BSN students have the opportunity to challenge 12 credit hours (Pharmacology, Health Assessment, Advanced Nursing).

Tuition is discounted for Covenant Health RN employees enrolled in the RN-to-BSN program. The RN-to-BSN degree is offered completely online.

How Long Does It Take to Complete the Online RN-to-BSN Program?

The Online RN-to-BSN degree can be completed in a year or more, depending on an incoming student’s existing college credits and how quickly courses are taken. All college requirements are adjusted for applicants who have completed an Associate of Science in Nursing degree from a regionally accredited postsecondary institution.

Center for Faith Community Nursing

Faith Community Nursing is a specialty recognized by the American Nurses Association and focuses on providing care to the whole person – body, mind and spirit. The Center for Faith Community Nursing at Tennessee Wesleyan University – Fort Sanders Nursing Department will provide continuing education workshops for Faith Community Nurses and others interested in providing spiritual care to patients/clients. A complete Foundations of Faith Community Nursing course will be offered to meet community interest as the need arises. 

For more information, please call the Center at TWU-FSN, 865-777-5100 or reply to Lisa Kirkland, Ph.D., MS, RN, CRRN, at [email protected].

TWU-FSN Honor Society

Tennessee Wesleyan University – Fort Sanders Nursing is a member institution of the Rho Mu Chapter of Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society for Nursing. For more information contact Nancy Hinkle, MSN, RN, at 865-777-5100 or [email protected].

Tennessee Wesleyan University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS), 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, GA 30033-4097, 404-679-4500. The program has received full approval from the Tennessee Board of Nursing, 665 Mainstream Drive, 2nd Floor, Nashville, TN 37243, 615-532-5166 (www.ncsbn.org/Tennessee.htm), and is fully accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education, One Dupont Circle, NW, Suite 530, Washington, DC 20036-1120, 202-463-6930 (www.aacnnursing.org/CCNE).

Contact Us

Tennessee Wesleyan University

Fort Sanders Nursing Department

9845 Cogdill Road

Knoxville, Tennessee 37932

865-777-5100

 

Tennessee Wesleyan University

204 E. College Street

Athens, TN 37303

1-800-PICK-TWC

www.tnwesleyan.edu

Covenant Health