accelerated "fast track" BSN program

Phillip1988 · Jan 20, 2012

I was wondering the same thing. I want to do the fast track but I'm not sure how much time it will require. I work a lot and I wasn't sure if I could handle it or not. I was looking into the Valencia/UCF fast track program.

canenurse · Jan 21, 2012

i completed one at miami and to say it was hell is an understatement. they told us to say goodbye to our friends/families and significant others on the first day and that was not a scare tactic, it was honest and good advice. it is impossible to have a job while in an accelerated program. it is very doable but you have to have your head on straight and literally nothing else to focus on during the next year of your life.

Phillip1988 · Jan 22, 2012

How many classes do you have to take every semester to finish a fast track program on time?

caliotter3 · Jan 22, 2012

I have read generalized statements that some people have had to back down to traditional programs because they could not handle the accelerated program. This seems to be a frequent problem, and is something that should be thoroughly researched and considered before making the decision.

Phillip1988 · Jan 23, 2012

That's why I think I'm going to look at the plan of study for the program. I don't want to start it and then have to back down to the regular program because I couldn't handle it.

noahsmama · Jan 23, 2012

I did a 12 month accelerated BSN program and, unlike a previous poster, I found that for me it was NOT the hell on earth, say- goodbye-to-your-friends-and-family-for-a-year experience that I was told it would be -- thank goodness! In fact, at the beginning of the program one of the biggest sources of stress for me was being told how stressful the program would be! I found it to be quite do-able as a single mom of a then 5 year old child. I did spend a lot of time in clinicals or studying, but still had time to do things with my son. I did not have a job during that year, but some people in our program did manage to keep part time jobs. I even know of one who somehow managed to work a full time job, but he did not have kids and must not have ever slept! I do think you should assume you won't be working much if at all while going to school.

Our program was set up in 5 week segments, and during each segment we took 2 classes. Each was the equivalent of a semester long class but crammed into 5 weeks, so there was a lot of material to cover. Also, starting with the second 5 week segment, we had clinicals 24 hours a week (usually 3 8-hour shifts but sometimes 2 12's, depending on the clinical site). The last five week segment was a 125 hour preceptorship in a hospital, ideally in the type of unit we hoped to work in after graduation (I did mine in NICU).

It was intense but do-able and for me, was NOT the hardest educational experience I ever had (that would be the 5 years I spent getting a PhD in science a bazillion years ago).

Compared to a commmunity college associates program, it has the advantage that you finish sooner and end up with a BSN instead of an ADN, which can be a plus in today's job market. It has the disadvantage that it's waaaaay more expensive.

Good luck with whatever you decide!

Phillip1988 · Jan 24, 2012

I did a 12 month accelerated BSN program and, unlike a previous poster, I found that for me it was NOT the hell on earth, say- goodbye-to-your-friends-and-family-for-a-year experience that I was told it would be -- thank goodness! In fact, at the beginning of the program one of the biggest sources of stress for me was being told how stressful the program would be! I found it to be quite do-able as a single mom of a then 5 year old child. I did spend a lot of time in clinicals or studying, but still had time to do things with my son. I did not have a job during that year, but some people in our program did manage to keep part time jobs. I even know of one who somehow managed to work a full time job, but he did not have kids and must not have ever slept! I do think you should assume you won't be working much if at all while going to school.
Our program was set up in 5 week segments, and during each segment we took 2 classes. Each was the equivalent of a semester long class but crammed into 5 weeks, so there was a lot of material to cover. Also, starting with the second 5 week segment, we had clinicals 24 hours a week (usually 3 8-hour shifts but sometimes 2 12's, depending on the clinical site). The last five week segment was a 125 hour preceptorship in a hospital, ideally in the type of unit we hoped to work in after graduation (I did mine in NICU).
It was intense but do-able and for me, was NOT the hardest educational experience I ever had (that would be the 5 years I spent getting a PhD in science a bazillion years ago).
Compared to a commmunity college associates program, it has the advantage that you finish sooner and end up with a BSN instead of an ADN, which can be a plus in today's job market. It has the disadvantage that it's waaaaay more expensive.
Good luck with whatever you decide!

Thank you for the different opinion noahsmama. I just want to know how many hours I can work while in the program. I'm young, single, and live on my own so I have to work to support myself while in school. This route will allow me to be done with school faster. If I worked my current job and went to school for the next four years that would be pure hell. Either way it'll be rough. My job now wouldn't work with my school schedule for 4 years.

noahsmama · Jan 24, 2012

Thank you for the different opinion noahsmama. I just want to know how many hours I can work while in the program. I'm young, single, and live on my own so I have to work to support myself while in school. This route will allow me to be done with school faster. If I worked my current job and went to school for the next four years that would be pure hell. Either way it'll be rough. My job now wouldn't work with my school schedule for 4 years.

The problem will be that your schedule will change every few weeks, so whatever kind of work you're doing will have to be very flexible to fit around your school schedule. Also, the hours any given person needs to study to succeed will vary from person to person.

Our schedule was arranged so that we had 3 clinical days of 8 hours each (or in some cases 2 12's) plus 2 additional days a weeks of class. The class days weren't full days -- I think we had maybe 3 or 4 hours of lecture on each of these days, generally in the morning, with afternoons available for studying. We were always given 2 full days a week with no class or clinical, but these 2 days were not always on the weekend, and not always consecutive. We were never assigned to night shift for clinicals, with the exception of the final preceptorship (and even for this only by choice).

Of course, the program you're in may have a completely different schedule -- your best source of info will be grads of the specific program(s) to which you're applying.

umartin · Jan 25, 2012

I am attending an accelerated BSN program now and I must say that it is tough, VERY TOUGH!! The first semester I thought that I could continue to work (under the radar) and attend school because I consider myself driven and motivated. Haaaa!!!!! I almost failed out!!! So, i quit my job and rented my home. At orientation they said, "Resolve that you'll be married to nursing for one year" and they did not lie!!! I spend about 18 hours on nursing (class and studying), I sleep about 4 hours a day and about an hour traveling to and from school. So that leaves me 1 hour to do what I want, lol.... My boyfriend and I live about 15 minutes from each other and I see him once a week (for a couple of hours)....

I am not trying to discourage you, just giving my perepsective... You can do it!!!! Just know that it is definitely a life-altering experience...

Quickbeam, BSN, RN · Jan 25, 2012

I am a second degree, accelerated BSN grad. This was 25 years ago, so things have changed. There would be no way to work a regular job during my program. but as tough as it was, I did find time to get married and take vacations. It isn't prison. But it is intense and I'd say far more so in terms of time than a traditional program.

MsKayleigh · Jan 26, 2012

I am currently in an accelerated BSN program, and I don't find that I have had to say goodbye to my family--except that I moved nearly 1600 miles to go to school. So I don't see my family, and I don't see my fiance, except on Skype. I do get to talk to them on the phone quite a bit, so I feel grateful for that.

I find that I have plenty of time to get my homework done, as well as have a few hours of downtime (depending on if finals are upcoming!). Consider, though, that you have exams every week, usually, and sometimes there are two or three exams in some weeks.

There are a few of my classmates who still work very few part-time hours (might even be on-call). I agree with a previous poster that you would have to have a pretty flexible job to accommodate your ever-changing schedule. Your class and clinical schedule, depending on the program, will vary every so often, and then you want to set aside some time for open lab practice and check-offs--which are done on your own time, in addition to having time to study and do assignments.

I am currently half-way through this program, and I think we are on the down-hill side of things. Term 1 was 8 weeks, Term 2 9 weeks, Term 3 is 12 weeks, Term 4 will be 9 weeks, and Term 5 will be 12 weeks classifying this as a 12-month program. At the beginning, they told us term 2 would be the most time intensive (and they weren't kidding), but that term 4 will be the most academically challenging.

Please let me know if you have any more questions!! I'm happy to share any of my experiences!