ABSN Competency

I'll be graduating from an ABSN program shortly, and I believe the reputation of the individual ABSN program is more important than the general reputation for all ABSN programs. My school has a good reputation in our area, and I've been lucky to have really great clinical experiences. I'd look into what the clinical schedule is like - we did 12 hour shifts and started them after only 5 weeks of lecture, and I found the 12hr shifts to be very beneficial compared to some schools which only do partial shifts. Also consider if the programs have preceptorship, mine was a great opportunity to practice more like a "new grad RN" and I learned a ton. I feel prepared (as much as one can coming out of school) to start working as an RN at my first job.

Keep in mind that accelerated means accelerated. I've had no break longer than a week and a half in the past year, and your class/clinical load will likely be much heavier than a traditional program (in terms of weekly hours).

Let me know if you have any additional questions!

the level of competency of RNs who did an accelerated/second-degree BSN program was significantly lower than those who decided to go the traditional route.

As a graduate of an ABSN program, I would have to disagree with that statement. I feel that my ABSN cohort was better prepared than the traditional group. Our scores were higher on the proctored ATI exams and we had a 100% pass rate for NCLEX with half passing at 75 questions.

did you like the ABSN program that you completed? Do you feel that it prepared you for what nursing really is? Did you find it hard to keep your grades up?

Yes, I liked my program. I felt they did a very good job at preparing us for our first nursing job. While the program was challenging, I was able to graduate with a 3.5 GPA.

Each ABSN program is different as is the case for traditional programs. There are good programs and bad programs. I was fortunate to go to a good program that treated us like adults and challenged us to perform on tests and clinicals to the best of our ability. Class discussions were far more interesting because everyone has a previous BS degree and brings the knowledge of their prior education and work experience to the discussion.

Hello asystole4!

What school did you attend? Or, if you're not comfortable answering that question, what state was the program you attended in?