Am I stupid for not doing the ABSN?

Destin293 · Jun 15, 2013

No, you're not stupid for deciding against the ABSN. I was just accepted to an ABSN program and I'm feeling like I should have went the traditional route (in fact, I was hoping I wouldn't be admitted to the ABSN and would be offered a seat in the traditional program instead). There's nothing wrong with taking your time!! You're apt to do better, you'll have more sanity, and really be able to focus on your classes. When ABSN students are completing classes in the summer, you can do an internship and work on connections. When ABSN students are taking classes over their winter break, you can collect yourself and enjoy the holidays.

When I was taking pre-req's, I decided to do it slow in order to do well. Everyone else was taking all their pre-req classes in 1 shot in order to get done faster (I can't tell you how many people were taking A&P 1 along with microbiology!). I was 28 when I returned to school and felt like I was doing the wrong thing by taking it slow and really focusing on doing well. It took me 4 semesters and a summer session versus 2 semesters, but at the end, I had the 3.95 GPA, they had just above a 3.0.

Three years will go by very fast and you're still young -- you won't even be 30 by the time you finish!!

Esme12, ASN, BSN, RN · Jun 15, 2013

About a year ago after I graduated with a previous bachelors degree, I decided to go back to school for nursing. To most people, it would seem obvious that I would have wanted an ABSN program.
Instead, I applied for a traditional 3-year BSN program and got accepted. I was beyond happy with getting in, but I kept hearing this voice of doubt and insecurity in the back of head. I'll be 24 when I start NS and 27 when I finish. I could have been done at 25.
I currently don't work and I have no kids. It seems like a foolish idea that I decided to pick the longer route. A second career older person in my chemistry class last semester confronted me. She asked me why I just didn't do the ABSN like she was doing. She had kids and a job. I felt like I couldn't remotely justify an answer. If she could do it, why couldn't I?
Am I stupid for not wanting to rush something like this?

My simple answer to that person....."Well, bless your heart. I took this route Because I wanted to......it suits me....besides there is more than one way to skin a cat." and ended the conversation

Do what is right for you.....((HUGS))

what I wouldn't give to be 27.

Esme12, ASN, BSN, RN · Jun 15, 2013

What's an absn?

Some who already has a college bachelors degree in something can get a bachelors in nursing in 1-2 years, depending on the program.

They get their nursing bachelors degree at an "accelerated rate" 1-2 years (depending on the school) versus 4 years for a traditional bachelors degree.

So...... they go to school "only" as long as it takes if you went to a traditional ASN/ADN degree....2 years.

Esme12, ASN, BSN, RN · Jun 15, 2013

Maybe that is true in your situation and the ABSN programs may be sub par, but it not the case in my situation. ABSN students are far more dedicated than the traditional students. We are paying for our own schooling so we want to get our moneys worth.
Exposure/acculturation to healthcare: As a group, the amount of patient care experience coming into the program far exceeds the traditional students.
Poor clinical preparation: We have the same amount of clinical hours per class as the traditional classes except ours are twice a week instead of once a week. We participated in an immunization clinic for low income families put on by the school this summer. Since we are the only nursing students taking classes during the summer they asked us to participate. That experience wasn't suppose to occur until Spring semester. At which time we will participate again. In fact in the fall semester two of the classes are with the traditional students. So we have more clinical hours than the traditional students. We also have an opportunity to travel on a medical mission to Haiti with a local doctor during spring break.
"not fitting in" with the other new grads. What is that suppose to mean? That we come better prepared to start a nursing job. That the hospitals want us over the traditional new grads. The nurse recruiter for a local hospital is already begging our instructors to convince us to stay locally when we complete our degrees. Nursing managers are impressed by the first 2 cohorts when the ABSN students came to the hospital for their clinicals and is expecting the same from us.
We have an intense summer classes and then 2 regular semesters (fall and spring) then another intense summer session. We finish 9 months earlier than the traditional students we will be with during Fall and Spring and they started 5 months before us. It is not as bad as people imagine. One class is the whole summer, 2 classes started 5/15 and ended last week, last class started Monday and ends 7/15. You are constantly doing homework or studying for quizzes or tests. You just don't have a social life until the summer is over but it is highly manageable.

Each and every individual school have pluses and minuses. There are good schools and bad schools. I wish we as nurses would stop arguing about our education and where we went to school.

There are ABSN programs that are a year long and frankly that bothers me as a seasoned nurse. I find that it would be improbable to find the knowledge necessary to be an RN in 1 year but that is me. I think it is entirely possible to become a nurse in 2 years as any 2 year ADN grad does.

I don't think one type of grad is hired over another, except the ADN on some parts of the country which is ironic that is exactly the same "classroom time" for an "accelerated" program, as it depends on the reputation of the school and program.

I think everyone essentially pay for their college education in one form or another .......if there is a way to get it free....please let me know I need it for my children.

cubrnjvm, MSN, RN · Jun 15, 2013

About a year ago after I graduated with a previous bachelors degree, I decided to go back to school for nursing. To most people, it would seem obvious that I would have wanted an ABSN program.
Instead, I applied for a traditional 3-year BSN program and got accepted. I was beyond happy with getting in, but I kept hearing this voice of doubt and insecurity in the back of head. I'll be 24 when I start NS and 27 when I finish. I could have been done at 25.
I currently don't work and I have no kids. It seems like a foolish idea that I decided to pick the longer route. A second career older person in my chemistry class last semester confronted me. She asked me why I just didn't do the ABSN like she was doing. She had kids and a job. I felt like I couldn't remotely justify an answer. If she could do it, why couldn't I?
Am I stupid for not wanting to rush something like this?

No, you are very smart!! don't worry about what other people think...I went back to college to nursing school older than you are because I, like you, had another Bach degree, in my case I also had the opportunity of doing the accelerated program and refused because first it was not a big difference on time ( may be a semester) and second why will I be taking life in such a hurry when there are possibilities to take it on my own and comfortable way....I also has and had at the time two children, a husband and a house and I don't regret of have done it on a traditional way....I hope you are not taking all the classes for the " general education" part but if so....believe me does not matter, stop thinking about what the others think about your decisions, remember that have of the world talk about the other half and.....not very good hough...enjoy your time in school and be happy, life is short!!

ruby1989 · Jun 15, 2013

Wow, this thread sure got heated!

I've been rushing to get my pre-reqs done. I've taken just about all of them at an accelerated pace in half the time they would have normally taken. It's made me rather stressed out. I've managed to get all A's, but sometimes I feel like I go overboard with the amount of studying I do. I try to compensate for the lack of time by going nuts and doing nothing but studying. Everyone says that the pre-reqs are the easy part- just wait until you get to nursing is all I hear.

I simply don't feel like the added stress is worth it. Sometimes it bothers me that I'm essentially giving up 2 years of salary, but then I remember that I have my whole life ahead of me. When I was kid, time seemed to pass so slowly. Somewhere in my 20's I realized that time won't slow down enough. In retrospect, three years will pass in a blink of an eye.

I'm the type of person that drives the speed limit. I think I inherited this annoying trait from my dad, but it's a trait that echoes like a metaphor throughout my life. I just don't rush things. It's not in my nature, even with tons of caffeine, to get things done just for the sake of getting things done.

If 2 years of extra time makes me less stressed out, allows more material to soak in, and allows me to find a job during the off-summers, then that seems like a good decision to me.

ABSN's probably work for some people, but I just don't feel like I'm one of those people.

WideOpenHeart · Jun 15, 2013

Basically, I just think it's a great thing that there are so many paths available, so that people with varying commitments, needs, etc., can find a good fit.

allnurses Guide · Jun 15, 2013

Basically I just think it's a great thing that there are so many paths available, so that people with varying commitments, needs, etc., can find a good fit.[/quote']
Unfortunately, multipath entry creates lots of problems.

KelRN215, BSN, RN · Jun 15, 2013

OP, why do you care what strangers think about a decision YOU made concerning YOUR life?

I've long since lost track of the number of decisions I've made in my life that people judged as wrong or crazy or stupid... and 11 years later, I still get questioned on some of these decisions on a regular basis. It doesn't bother me because I know that only I can make these decisions for myself.

You did what you thought was right for you. Who cares what anyone else thinks?

ruby1989 · Jun 15, 2013

OP, why do you care what strangers think about a decision YOU made concerning YOUR life?
I've long since lost track of the number of decisions I've made in my life that people judged as wrong or crazy or stupid... and 11 years later, I still get questioned on some of these decisions on a regular basis. It doesn't bother me because I know that only I can make these decisions for myself.
You did what you thought was right for you. Who cares what anyone else thinks?

You're absolutely right, but for whatever reason I let that woman that confronted me get inside my head. My mom will sometimes say things that I don't appreciated too like, "It's too bad you didn't realize that you wanted to go into this sooner. Just think, you could have been a RN already." I don't think she realizes that she's coming across as cruel, but it does affect me and I wish I could learn how to turn off my emotions.

Maybe I just needed to vent. Okay, I did need to vent. A year ago I was just starting my pre-reqs. Now I'm going to start nursing school in the fall, so there's no need for my victory to be clouded by what is probably just other people's insecurities.

This is easier said than done, of course.

KelRN215, BSN, RN · Jun 16, 2013

You're absolutely right, but for whatever reason I let that woman that confronted me get inside my head. My mom will sometimes say things that I don't appreciated too like, "It's too bad you didn't realize that you wanted to go into this sooner. Just think, you could have been a RN already." I don't think she realizes that she's coming across as cruel, but it does affect me and I wish I could learn how to turn off my emotions.
Maybe I just needed to vent. Okay, I did need to vent. A year ago I was just starting my pre-reqs. Now I'm going to start nursing school in the fall, so there's no need for my victory to be clouded by what is probably just other people's insecurities.
This is easier said than done, of course.

Moms do that... and ALWAYS will. Even if you'd realized sooner and were already an RN (I went to nursing school straight out of high school and was an RN at 23) she'd find something else to comment on.

NewYorkerGirl · Jun 16, 2013

Edit: I meant to quote "There are ABSN programs that are a year long and frankly that bothers me as a seasoned nurse. I find that it would be improbable to find the knowledge necessary to be an RN in 1 year but that is me. I think it is entirely possible to become a nurse in 2 years as any 2 year ADN grad does."

****

I don't understand the argument that ABSN's aren't as prepared as ASN's. I'm in a 14 month ABSN. I could have done the 24-month ASN, but the only difference was the ASN takes summers off. So it's the same amount of schooling, it's just spread out much longer. Plus, in my area, you NEED a BSN to get a job in a good hospital. ASN's are quickly becoming outdated.