Starting accelerated BSN in August

Kensington · Jun 30, 2007

Congrats on getting into the program! I'm working on doing the same, so while I don't have any practical advice, I'd just like to offer my encouragement. I know you will succeed!

What school are you at? I'm interested in finding some of the newer programs out there. . .

Thanks,

K

AR_RN · Jul 1, 2007

I'll be at Arkansas State University in NE AR. This is the first year they've done this and there's going to be a whopping 16 students in the program. I had expected it to take me 3-4 years to get my BSN so getting done and being able to settle into the workforce in a little over a year is perfect for me. Aside from the financial issues and time juggling issues, that is. :lol2: But I really am quite thrilled to have gotten in.

Good luck to you too. What area are you in?

Kensington · Jul 1, 2007

I'm currently in San Francisco, where competition in programs is fierce! I'm really happy that you are moving forward and will be done so quickly! I hope I'm as lucky! :-)

erin1205 · Jul 1, 2007

I don't have any first hand experience to give you either, but I am starting a 12 month accelerated program in October, and have a bit of anxiety about the pace! It helps to remember there are more in the boat with you! Good luck to you.

AR_RN · Jul 1, 2007

Kensington, competition is fairly strong around here, but we're fortunate enough to have several LPN and RN programs within driving distance which helps "thin the herd" a little. Also, the schools here have all done away with waiting lists which helps speed the process a little I think. Everyone has an equal chance of getting in each time, based on GPA or points depending on the program.

Erin, you're right. It does help to remember you're not out here alone. I never used to consider myself a worrier, but I seem to be turning into one these days. :uhoh3: I'm really hoping our little class of 16 gets along well and can help each other through.

Kensington · Jul 1, 2007

Well good job to you two. You are right, competition is tough it seems everywhere, so you both have obviously done something right! :)

smile123 · Jul 1, 2007

Hi, all. I've been generally a lurker on these boards while I did prereqs, but I've finally made it to the starting line. I have been accepted to the brand spanking new 13 month accelerated BSN program at the nearby Univ. I'm a single mom with a 3yo and 11yo and have all the usual concerns about handling everything, but more than anything I'm nervous about the pace of a program that is crammed into such a small space of time. The program is ideal for me in many ways and I prayed hard to get in, but I'm still very nervous.
Is there anyone who did an accelerated BSN program who could give me some idea of how it will be, as far as pace, workload...general doability? I'm not going into this with my eyes closed, but I would like a little reassurance that I'll survive.

Hi there,

Welcome to the world of accel'd nursing programs! I did one back east and it was challenging to say the least. Time management is key. This means your entire family and support group (friends, neighbors, babysitter, etc.) will need to take up the slack. Your laundry, dishes and keeping a spotless house will not be at the forefront. Instead, you'll be absorbed in going to lectures, reading chapters to keep ahead, preparing for clinicals, developing care plans, studying for tests and writing papers. Sleep will be a cherished commodity so if you can cat nap during the day, I would do so. You'll have to be "selfish" about your time. If your kids can understand when mommy has homework time and can not be disturbed, that would be a huge help.

One caution about the amount of info thrown at you. You will feel like you are drinking out of a firehose blasting full throttle. You'll memorize and cram for one midterm; 3 weeks later you'll forget what you learned! No worries though. When you study for the NCLEX and start working on the nursing floor, it will come back to you. You'll also find that you'll be multi-tasking your classes. You may have 1 or 2 midterms in a week, along with a paper due. Get yourself a good daily planner and scope out your classes, exams, papers out by the month so you can see at a glance what is due.

Your social life will change drastically. I was basically a social hermit because I could not go out to parties, see a good movie at the theater or read a pleasure book (my eyes were so tired from reading my text books). Don't get me wrong, I did occasionally go out, but I really had to value my time. I did make room in my schedule to exercise and go walking. I would talk to friends on the phone while I walked around the neighborhood. If you have some sort of exercise routine or can get out into the fresh air, that would be good. If you like to meditate or have some other ways to de-stress, that would be helpful.

Since your cohort is small, I would get into study groups as soon as possible. You'll be given a list of objectives for each class, for different chapters that will be impossible to do by yourself. We split up the objectives and each person would be responsible for the answers. Then we sent them in to our "leader" who put them together into a word doc to send out to the entire study group. It really helped. Otherwise you will fall behind!!!

Keep your health in check. Wash your hands (they tell you this in nursing school over and over), get your flu shot and take some vit C to ward away colds and flu during the winter. (If you get sick, it's difficult to stay focused on studying, so prevention is the key.) Morevoer, if you are ill, they may not let you on the floor with patients. (Sometimes, they may let you on the floor if you wear a mask, but it just depends on the instructor. Due to the accel'd nature of the program, we could not make up clinical time, so it was important to stay healthy!

But the rewards of completing a 4 year BSN in a year's time will be worth it. You will survive. The clinicals were the most rewarding for me. The patients were very appreciative. I felt I was able to make a difference in pateint's lives.

You can do it. The fact they accepted you for their class means they believe you are a stellar student. Good luck!

Megsd, BSN, RN · Jul 1, 2007

Smile gave excellent advice. I will finish my 15 month program in November and time management is definitely the biggest challenge. I can honestly say I have enjoyed my nursing school experience tremendously so far, even though it can often feel overwhelming. Definitely use a planner and mark out your assignments. If you CAN get something done early, DO IT so you're not scrambling to get a bunch of assignments and papers done at the end of the term.

Take advantage of your clinical experiences too. Because the program flies by so quickly, you don't have time to waste. Look for and ask for opportunities to do new skills, or see something you've only read about. I have heard of people who make a checklist of skills they want to get done and run around showing it to the nurses in case they come across something on the list.

Good luck with the programs!

AR_RN · Jul 1, 2007

Thanks to you both, Smile and Meghan. I have already purchased a planner to help me with organization. I suspected that would be key. Working with study groups will be a new thing for me. I've typically been a solitary study-er. But I appreciate the insight on the need for that. It's entirely possible that the 16 of us will live quite far from each other, but I can envision the type of collaboration you're talking about working well.

Social life shouldn't be much of a problem. I moved away from my home of 15 years to come back near my family for the purpose of going to school. All my friends are many miles away, and I talk to them occasionally via phone or email, but my primary social life here with with my family or kids, and they'll adapt. Getting my kids to adjust to my study time will be a bit of a challenge, for the 3yo more than the older one, but they'll be fine. We can do it for a year no prob. And they've done well with my prereqs so far, so I don't think it'll be too unexpected for them.

Thanks for the encouragement, ladies. I feel a bit better about it all now. Nice to know that others have made it through with their sanity.

erin1205 · Jul 1, 2007

Wow! What awesome advice! Thanks for the tips...it sounds like it will be a crazy year, but I think it will be so worth it.