Acc. BSN Students: What's your typical daily schedule?

[Toby's mum]

Accelerated BSN students:

Would you please give us an idea of your typical schedule during the week ie how early do you begin if doing clinicals and what time do you finish versus class room days. Just trying to figure out what to expect with an accelerated program.

Also trying to get an idea of how many hours you study each night. I'm debating whether to go traditional BSN or accelerated (this will be a second degree). I've read the acc. programs are intense by nature, but really have no idea of the time involved. Your response will be very helpful. (I also have a little dog and have to consider his needs while I'm in either program.)

Thanks, Stephanie

[MisterArnold]

I am in a traditional BSN program. I would not want to do an accelerated program. On Monday and Wedneday I have my nursing classes. Usually 3 or 4 hours of class time. Each Monday and Wedn. I have to go to the local hospital and find out who my pt is for the clinical time, get all of their pertinent information, and then go home and spend approximately 2 hours preparing a care plan and writing up the patho of their disease or injury. On Tuesday and Thursday I get to the hospital around 7:30 and finish at 12:45. I actually spend very little time with the patient, I do a quick assessment, am responsible for bathing and changing linen, and give morning meds. If I push any IV meds the clinical instructor is with me. I'm allowed to give PO meds by myself. Spend 45 minutes charting info on the computer. On an average I spend 2 hours studying each night. Don't go to school on Friday so that helps. My semester fly by. Hope this was helpful.

[PennyLane, RN]

I just finished my 1st semester of an accelerated BSN program. I took 18 credits last semester, will take 20 this semester. It's not that bad, but it also depends on what else is going on in your life. Thankfully, I don't have any responsibilities other than my pets, so I did fine. But I really didn't have any sort of life outside of school.

At my school we don't start clinicals until our 2nd semester, but I volunteered for a mini clinical to get my feet wet. My schedule was Monday night 6-9 lecture, Tuesday 11:30-2 lecture, Wednesday 11:30-1:30 lab, then a 3-hr lecture, Friday 9 am-12 lecture, 12-2 lab. The mini clinical was Monday mornings for only 3 weeks.

I didn't study every night, just before exams and on weekends. All in all I prob. did about 10 hrs of work/week at home, and ~2 hours/week in the lab (outside of regular lab time).

Next semester I'm taking 3 clinical courses and two other classes. I'll be in lecture Monday and Tuesday and clinicals Wed, Thurs, and Friday.

Over the summer they squeeze Med/Surg into 8 weeks, which is apparently quite a killer class.

[PennyLane, RN]

Oh, I'd also like to point out that at my school the traditional students carry the same load the first semester, minus one theory class. They also have the option of taking two electives, I believe, where we don't have any electives available to us (although I know of one or two people who are adding one on anyway).