Get a Nursing Degree in Tennessee and Launch Your RN or LPN Career

Explore ASN, BSN, and MSN Degrees

Since Tennessee is projected to fall further and further behind in the nursing numbers, expect the state to ramp up proactive educational efforts to counteract these doomsday projections.

This is great news if you’re a prospective student nurse. Here are a few of the possible strategies you could see in place while you’re checking out nursing schools in TN:

  • Increased numbers of online nursing degree programs: many Masters and Doctoral level programs lend themselves very well to a distance education format. These innovative educational options offer convenience and flexibility to working RNs. A good example of an online effort is the Tennessee Board of Regents nursing program.
  • Accelerated degrees, such as Accelerated BSN and A-MSN degrees, that appeal to nursing students who already hold a degree in another unrelated field. These aim to appeal to motivated career changers. Time from beginning of program to job has been condensed—puts qualified nurses in jobs faster.
  • Push to urge more RNs to pursue advanced degrees in Nursing Education, thereby creating more teaching jobs. This allows nursing schools to increase enrollment and pull more prospective nursing students off waitlists.
  • Urging baccalaureate and graduate level nursing programs to increase enrollment capacity. BSN degrees are gaining ground as the preferred entry-level degree and many community college Associates programs are overrun with prospective students, while BSN and MSN programs remain wide open for the most part.
  • Encourage more RNs to pursue Advanced Practice Nursing degrees such as Nurse Midwife, Nurse Practitioner, and Nurse Anesthetists; urge RNs to pursue other graduate level studies to fill vacancies in administration and nursing leadership positions where increasing numbers of experienced nurses are wanted and needed.

Tennessee Board of Nursing: Your Go-To Resource

The Tennessee Department of Health: Board of Nursing is the primary agency responsible for driving the business of nursing. You’ll become acquainted with the BON early on in your nursing degree. Information and resources you’ll need include:

  • List of BON approved LPN and RN schools including NCLEX pass rates
  • Requirements for continuing competencies
  • Licensure for RNs and LPNs
  • Licensure and certification requirements for APRNs
  • Nurse Licensure Compact information
  • and much more

Financial Incentives in Tennessee

The Graduate Nursing Loan Forgiveness Program was launched to lure motivated RNs to pursue MSN and Doctoral degree programs in Nursing Education. Qualified candidates may earn total student loan forgiveness in exchange for 4-years of teaching service in a TN school of nursing.

List of Accredited Campus-Based Nursing Schools in Tennessee

  • Aquinas College
  • Austin Peay State University
  • Baptist Memorial College of Health Sciences
  • Belmont University
  • Carson-Newman College
  • Chattanooga State Technical Community College
  • Cleveland State Community College
  • Columbia State Community College
  • Cumberland University
  • Dyersburg State Community College
  • East Tennessee State University
  • Jackson State Community College
  • King College
  • Lincoln Memorial University
  • Lipscomb University
  • Martin Methodist College
  • Middle Tennessee State University
  • Milligan College
  • Motlow State Community College
  • Roane State Community College
  • South College
  • Southern Adventist University
  • Southwest Tennessee Community
  • Tennessee Board of Regents
  • Tennessee State University
  • Tennessee Technological University
  • Tennessee Wesleyan College
  • Trevecca Nazarene University
  • Union University
  • University of Memphis
  • University of Tennessee-Chattanooga
  • University of Tennessee-Health Science Center
  • University of Tennessee-Martin
  • University of Tennessee-Knoxville
  • Vanderbilt University
  • Walters State Community College

Explore Your Nursing Degree Options Today!