Averett School of Nursing History
Averett University is a private school located in the rolling hills of southern Virginia, a few miles from the North Carolina border. Established in 1859 as a school for young women, Averett grew to a fully accredited, co-educational, four-year college in 1971. Today the university more than 1,500 students from 26 states and 24 countries, and offers undergraduate and graduate degree programs on ground and online. Affiliated with the Baptist General Association of Virginia, Averett welcomes students from all faiths or no faith backgrounds.
In 2010, Danville Regional Medical Center’s (DRMC now SOVAH Health) School of Health Professions (established in 1898) partnered with Averett to close DRMC’s Registered Nurse program and initiate a BSN degree program at Averett. Textiles and tobacco play an important role in the history of Danville, and the School of Nursing is located in the historic downtown Riverview district on the second floor of the fully renovated headquarters of Dimon Tobacco Company. Funding to convert the space and establish a state of the art nursing education facility came from generous benefactors, including the Danville Regional Medical Center (DRMC now SOVAH Health).
This location hosts all School of Nursing faculty and staff offices, as well as a state of the art Simulation Lab. The facilities also include classrooms, two nursing labs, four private exam rooms, a computer lab and a student lounge/break area. Additional classroom space is located on the first floor and used as needed. The Department of Graduate and Professional Studies is also located on the second floor of the Riverside building, in the west wing.
The first BSN students began their nursing classes in Fall 2013, and BSN students graduated in December 2015. Averett received full approval from the Virginia Board of Nursing (VBON) for the BSN program in February, 2018.
In Spring, 2019 the University received approval from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges to launch the MSN degree program with a Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) specialization, and the Emergency Nurse Practitioner (ENP) Post-Masters Certificate. The first MSN students began their classes in January, 2020.
In June, 2020 the University launched its Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing program. Students interested in the ABSN program can graduate in as few as 16 months.
