Clemson University Center for Research on Health Disparities

The Clemson University Center for Research on Health Disparities, led by School of Nursing faculty member Veronica Parker, Ph.D., advocates for the development, advancement, and dissemination of research on population health and health disparities with the vision of being transformational health research leaders improving quality of life and well-being. Learn more here.

"The Clemson University School of Nursing is a nationally recognized program focused on equipping students to make a tangible difference in health care. As we prepare nurses for professional practice and advance nursing scholarship, we are shaping the future of nursing and health care — and advancing health and quality of life in South Carolina, the nation and beyond.

The core of nursing is represented  by who the nurse is, what the nurse knows and how that is put into interactions with persons and communities to promote well-being and improve health outcomes. Nurses and other healthcare professionals have to explicitly acknowledge that race as well as racism factor into the provision of health care to individuals and communities. Implicit bias and structural racism perpetuate health disparities. The cumulative trauma of systemic/structural racism and poverty are social determinants of health that nurses must know and act on in their nursing practices. Nurses everywhere are called on to actively promote healing in times of injustice. It is the essence of human caring. We must do our part! 

The School of Nursing is currently working to help eliminate health disparities through research in the Center for Research on Health Disparities as well as in individual faculty research projects. We are continuing to grow our commitment to reducing the effects of health disparities."
— Kathleen Valentine, Ph.D., Chief Academic Nursing Officer & Director School of Nursing

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National Center of Excellence

Clemson is one of 16 whose School of Nursing received recognition this year by the National League for Nursing as a Center of Excellence in Nursing Education. This is the second such recognition for the School of Nursing, which has been a Center of Excellence since 2014. Read More  

Clemson Nursing Students and Families:

I know these are incredibly difficult times, with everyone feeling the effects of COVID-19 nationally and worldwide. I am writing to let you know that the University's priorities are, and continue to be, the safety of the Clemson community, and ensuring academic progress and on-time graduation for all students. Currently, we know that we will be offering courses online this summer and that it is the University's goal to resume operations on campus August 8, per president Clements' most recent communication.

The leadership and faculty within the School of Nursing are working to keep students engaged with high-quality online education and virtual clinical experiences. As this method is being used across the nation, we continue to provide an excellent education. Continuing remote education is not our desire; however, we will continue to do so if it means keeping our students safe, on track, and progressing toward graduation.

There are schools of nursing who have decided to stop the progression of their students until hospitals open back up to students. Unfortunately, there is no timetable to use to determine when hospitals will allow students to return to the clinical sites for the summer semester.

The National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) has been working to ensure those who graduate during the COVID-19 pandemic are not at a disadvantage upon graduation. They have taken steps to modify/shorten the NCLEX Exam and successfully implemented its use with great psychometric success keeping the rigor of the exam to ensure those who pass are safe generalist nurses, just as the exam was previously.

There have been questions about moving cohorts to possibly gain hands-on experience when the moratorium is lifted so they can have hands-on clinical experiences. That is not an option as the space for main campus seats is already filled with other nursing students. There have been requests to look at other universities to see if there was an opportunity to do clinicals within their areas; again, this is not possible as many are under the same circumstances and restrictions as we are experiencing in South Carolina. Hospitals, nurses, health care providers, and staff are experiencing tremendous stress and an increased workload to care for all their patients, those with a myriad of other health conditions as well as COVID-19.

For financial concerns, the University has directed us to refer you to the finaid@clemson.edu email.  They have personnel ready to assist youand they can work with you to address financial concerns. Another resource for students is Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS). CAPS offers individual and group therapy and support using telehealth. We encourage you to visit www.clemson.edu/caps for updates and online resources. 

We greatly appreciate your patience and understanding as we all navigate these unprecedented and ever-changing times. We will continue to keep you updated as additional information becomes available. We hope you continue to stay safe and healthy.