Accelerated Nursing Programs

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I'm starting an accelerated program in the Fall and I am extremely nervous. It is only twelve months long and from what I hear it is very difficult. Have you done one yourself? Can anyone give me any details as to what I should expect from such a program? I would really appreciate it any advice.

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Specializes in Hospital Education Coordinator.

forget having a life. This will BE your life for one year. You will saturate yourself in the language, culture and knowledge of nursing. It will be stressful. Then, when it is finished, you will be glad you did it. I took a more traditional route, but know others who have done this with success.

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Specializes in Neuro ICU.

I did a one year ABSN.

It was hard. The worst part is really the volume of material and the speed at which you have to learn it.

In my program it was 5 days a week, at least 6 hours a day. There was always something to study and always a paper or three to write.

If you've got a spouse or family your going to have to choose between studying and them at times. If you don't then there will be other choices you'll have to make.

My advice is to go in, make friends with everyone and lean on each other. You're all sharing a life boat. Take care of one another, don't compete for grades and do what you need to do for a year.

If I had to do it again, I would still do my ASBN. But only if I had too.

Good luck.

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Specializes in Critical Care, Education.

Congratulations on beginning such an exciting process!

One of the most common issues I have heard from graduates of accelerated programs is their lack of preparedness for the clinical setting. There just is not enough time to become socialized into the environment - and certainly not enough time to develop clinical skills. Sooooo - if you have any opportunities for extra clinical experience GRAB them. Volunteer to help the staff with the 'scut work' or anything that is permitted by your instructor and let them know that you would like to observe any new procedures. Seize the initiative to wring as much experience as possible out of your clinical practicum.

Position yourself to be accepted into new grad internships. Introduce yourself to the charge nurse & nurse manager on a unit whenever you get a chance to do so. Make sure that you impress them with your intelligence and motivation.

Have fun - It's going to be a wild ride.

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Specializes in Neuro ICU.
Congratulations on beginning such an exciting process!

One of the most common issues I have heard from graduates of accelerated programs is their lack of preparedness for the clinical setting. There just is not enough time to become socialized into the environment - and certainly not enough time to develop clinical skills. Sooooo - if you have any opportunities for extra clinical experience GRAB them. Volunteer to help the staff with the 'scut work' or anything that is permitted by your instructor and let them know that you would like to observe any new procedures. Seize the initiative to wring as much experience as possible out of your clinical practicum.

Position yourself to be accepted into new grad internships. Introduce yourself to the charge nurse & nurse manager on a unit whenever you get a chance to do so. Make sure that you impress them with your intelligence and motivation.

I agree with everything my Texas colleague says. Except for the lack of preparedness and inability to develop clinical skills.

I believe those things are 90% about the individual. Clinical time is mandated by either the state or a governing body like the NLN (I am not sure which). I beleive all ADN, BSN and ABSN grads all have to have a minimum number of clinical hours in order to be allowed to sit for the NCLEX.

If anything it means that an ABSN grad has more recently completed their fundamentals rotation and as a result may in information that is in fact, fresher that students in traditional programs.

ASBN programs are intense and a lot is expected of you. The greatest expectation is that you be able to learn, assimilate and competently demonstrate every skill expected in a graduate nurse. You just get to do it faster than most.

I will tell you that when I did my clinicals I was always poking around the floor whenever I had the chance, looking to see, do and learn anything I possibly could. Even if I was only assigned 1 patient officially, I would take 2 or 3 if the nurse I was following allowed it. I didn't always pass meds or chart for all of them, but I got a lot of time in at the bedside and that's where you learn clinical skills. In clinicals, being nosey is a good thing, as long as your assigned patients are taken care of.

ADN and BSN programs all around the country turn out loads of nurses. Most are average, some are good and some not. In that regards ABSN programs are no different.

LIke I said, the advice above is more than sound. But ultimatley the kind of nurse you become is up to you. Like Kid Rock says- "You get what you put in and people get what they deserve."

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Specializes in PICU.

I did a 16 month ABSN and I felt like I got as much as I could out of clinicals. There are so many things you can't do as a student, that I don't think having more time would have made any difference for me. But I agree, when you are in clinicals ask around and look for learning opportunities. Don't just stand around like so many people do. I also agree with the suggestion to find a good new grad residency program after you graduate, that will be very valuable to you. Nursing school is hard, regardless of the program you do, and I think doing a lot in a shorter amount of time is preferable to dragging it out. But you it will be your life for those 12 months. Just make sure the family and friends in your life know that. If you don't have friends that are nurses them be sure to make friends in school. People who haven't done nursing school, don't always understand why what you're going through is so hard.

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Specializes in Psych, EMS.

i recently completed a 14 month long accelerated bsn program..it was challenging but very doable, i graduated magna cum laude and i'm not that smart lol. the hardest part is not absorbing the content in a condensed amount of time, it is doing the care plans and busywork in condensed time. i was prepared to pass hesi and boards, as well as be a competent new grad clinically. i would recommend it. best wishes.

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i recently completed a 14 month long accelerated bsn program..it was challenging but very doable, i graduated magna cum laude and i'm not that smart lol. the hardest part is not absorbing the content in a condensed amount of time, it is doing the care plans and busywork in condensed time. i was prepared to pass hesi and boards, as well as be a competent new grad clinically. i would recommend it. best wishes.

you are that smart or you wouldn't have graduated an accelerated program magna cum laude! good for you and always know your worth!!:)

op, congrats! i start an accelerated msn program in the fall. i'm freaking out - i know it will be the hardest thing that i have ever done! but remember that others have done it before us, with success, and so can we! good luck and congrats!:yeah:

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Specializes in NICU.

I'm currently in the second semester of an ABSN program, and I agree with one of the other posters that it's not necessarily the quantity of material that you have to learn, its the amount of busy work there is to do! I'm enjoying myself and my family and friends are very supportive, which is so important! Make sure you do make an effort to set aside time to have fun because you'll definitely need time away from all of the studying and a way to destress.

Also, if you haven't already done so I would try and find a volunteer position for this summer so that you'll become familiar with the hospital environment (sights, sounds, and smells!) and start learning the language. I got a job in a hospital while I was doing prereqs and even though I wasn't part of the clinical staff I was exposed to all kinds of terms and abbreviations and acronyms. If I didn't know what something was I always looked it up, and it has defnitely helped.

One more thing...don't let anyone intimidate you! During orientation we kept hearing from faculty, administration, and students in the program that it was going to be incredibly difficult and that we wouldn't have a life at all, etc. It really hasn't been that bad (and I'm getting A's and high B's so far). Just go in with an open mind and the atitude that you can do it.

Good luck to you!

KT

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Thanks for all the advice everyone. I am stoked to hear that it is doable. Please keep the comments going as you see necessary!!

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Specializes in Emergency, Critical Care (CEN, CCRN).

Another ASD-BSN graduate and educator reporting in. My program was 12 months straight through, and while it was probably the toughest year of my life, it was also by far the best.

I'd echo what everyone else has said about the importance of colleague support and seeking out experiences, and also add that time management and life balance skills are a must. The one student I had the greatest respect for in my cohort, wasn't the smartest or the most clinically apt - but his wife is a CCRN on midnights at a major local hospital, and they had a 3 m.o. infant when he started. He had to complete an already heavily compressed study and clinical schedule, reconcile himself to basically not seeing his wife for a year, and accomplish all the tasks of a stay-at-home dad at the same time. He succeeded, and I think that was the greatest challenge I ever saw anyone overcome to become a nurse.

As a whole, just about all of the ASD-BSNs I have known and taught have been singularly intelligent, mature, compassionate individuals, and all have done very well as students and as professionals. I wish you the same degree of success.

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