Anyone know anything about accelerated nursing programs??

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I am currently still in my undergrad years and I am majoring in something non-nurse related (BS in medical anthropology) and I had suddenly felt a change of mind and heart to fulfill a career as a nurse but everyone keeps telling me it's too late for me. I did some research online and I came across some programs called a second degree nursing program or an accelerated nursing program? Does anyone know much about that and it's competitiveness? I'm not the most stellar student when it comes to GPA (3.0) so would it be worth a shot to apply or is it out of the question? Has anyone gone through this program and like to share their experience (it would be greatly appreciated ? )

Just now, CharleeFoxtrot said:

Oh somehow that posted without my additional comment sorry beekee! I thought I typed that perhaps the mods should merge these threads for continuity's sake.

? I just get tired of the med school wanna be’s who think being a NP is an easy consolation prize.

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Specializes in Med-Surg, Geriatrics, Wound Care.
Just now, beekee said:

 ? I just get tired of the med school wanna be’s who think being a NP is an easy consolation prize. 

While I kinda wanna get more education, I generally remind myself that I do _not_ want to be "the doctor" (or Provider). When I think of my challenging nursing shift, I gotta remember there's a doc somewhere that is caring for like 30+ patients, writing daily updates and being "responsible" for making all the right choices regarding treatments and medications. They see a patient for like 5 minutes, and lots to do with it. Nope. Not me! I prefer being the "last line of defense" ?

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10 hours ago, CharleeFoxtrot said:

Oh somehow that posted without my additional comment sorry beekee! I thought I typed that perhaps the mods should merge these threads for continuity's sake.

No, because that would make starting a third thread basically asking the same question more difficult. The mortar on the brick wall is setting as we speak.

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I'm planning on beginning a nursing program at my local college in January. ASN program. I have to echo some of what prior people mentioned. I have a prior degree in business and was also choosing between an ABSN program and the program at my local college. I decided against the ABSN program for several reasons. Those being... the local college's reputation in my area (highest NCLEX passing rate even when compared to university level programs and every hospital will say they LOVE nurses from this school!), clinical hours (many ABSN programs have less clinical hours because the program is one year only as it is), and COST. The ASN program is 18 months. I'd still have to go into an RN-to-BSN program after, but most of those are online AND my plan is to have whatever hospital I work for pay for that program. In this way, I can minimize student debt, maximize my clinical hours, and still graduate from one of the BEST programs in the area! Downside is I won't be graduating with a BSN so I will have to go back to school and the program I'm attending will be six months longer.

Hang in there! It's never too late and if this is something you really want to pursue, go for it! The time will pass anyway!

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I'm a second career RN who went through an ABSN program. It was a lot of work in a short time, but absolutely worth it for me.

Most of the people in my program were high achievers. There might have been some with less than stellar undergraduate GPAs, but they had either gone back and absolutely aced the prerequisites or had some other skill or experience that made them stand out (or both). Many had graduate degrees in other fields.

Some of the cohort were career changers, like myself. Some of the cohort were relatively new grads who, for whatever reason, didn't do nursing the first time around. I know at least one person was in a similar position to yours in that she was a bio major, wanted to switch to nursing, but the program at her university was soooo competitive that it was almost impossible to get in unless people started as a freshman. She did well in our ABSN program, but I also think she had a higher GPA than yours.

I'm going to echo what PP have said - go ask for particulars at the programs you're considering. In addition to finding out how competitive they are, it would also be useful to find out what their specific prerequisites are so you can make sure to get them done while you're still in your current program, even if that means taking extra credits some semesters or giving up "fun" electives. You might also look at what you can take at your local community college.

Additionally, look at what your state schools have available. You might be able to transfer as an undergraduate, and get going on a BSN now, even if you can't move into the program at your current school. Keep in mind that this might mean taking an extra year to graduate, but it will probably be cheaper and faster than doing an ABSN. If you can do this as an in-state student, it will make the extra year of tuition more affordable.

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Specializes in Nursing Education.
20 hours ago, 4pplepie99 said:

So would my degree just go to waste? 

Nursing is a tremendously broad profession with many specialized areas. You mentioned you’re completing a BS degree in medical anthropology - a program that will dovetail with aspects of your nursing degree in many ways, enhancing your understanding of the nature of human experiences across the lifespan. You also spoke of becoming a nurse practitioner ultimately. Again, the insights you’ll be able to develop as a result of the knowledge from your current degree will enhance your nursing practice.

Once licensed and working as a RN, you may find yourself interested in a specialty such as forensic nursing. You may find the combination of the two separate but complementary fields, nursing and medical anthropology, will lead to extraordinary opportunities as a NP you may not now envision. The broader the basis of learning and experiences you develop on your path to your goal in nursing, the greater the scope of potential practice areas you’ll encounter. Please don’t consider the time and effort you’ve invested in your BS, before considering nursing, to be a “waste”; try to look ahead and consider how you can mesh your unique background in your future practice.

And please, don’t focus on the years it will take to achieve your goal. Aiming for the DNP (your best bet) may seem a distant ambition but once you are licensed as an RN you’ll discover the importance of the experiences of working as a nurse as you pursue higher qualification. That experience may include employer-sponsored aid with the cost of BSN/ graduate degree tuition as well as increased confidence in yourself as a nursing professional. Do your research, prepare yourself mentally, physically and financially for the challenge and go for it! Your potential in this field is not based on a GPA but on how you will use what you have learned.

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Specializes in Pediatric intermediate acute care.

i had a very average GPA in undergrad like yourself and got a 3.5 in a 12 month ABSN! however, i will warn that it was definitely expensive, demanding, and the most challenging year of my life. do not go into it lightly, and get into good study habits right away.

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Specializes in BMT.

ABSN programs are very competitive, and they require high GPAs because they are so intense. My program saw several people drop down to traditional BSN within the first semester or two because of the workload and scheduling. Unfortunately for nursing, any other degree won’t matter but if you have taken the prerequisites within the required time frame in your previous degree, that degree can help. Most NP programs require you to have some experience before you apply, so it does make sense to work for a year or two, figure out the areas of nursing you like and want to practice in and then apply to those programs. If you jump into a direct entry Masters program you still have to go back for a separate degree to become an NP (at least for all of the programs I looked at). That being said, ASN programs can also be very competitive to get into as well. I chose the ABSN route due to time it took, but you have to ask yourself if you can really handle stress and scheduling well.

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I currently have my BS in HIM and graduated with a 2.89 GPA. Originally I wanted to become a nurse but did not realize how competitive it was when I was taking my prerequisite at the time (had B's, some A's and a few C's) so I switched majors. After working in HIM for a few years after graduating, I decided that I was not happy working at a desk job my whole life and am shooting my shots at nursing again. Like everyone said, you should research what is available around you. Originally, I had applied to a community college since I needed to retake my prereqs (after 5 years) but the school I'm applying to accept online courses from Portage Learning. I'm currently taking AP1 and have one more exam to take before my final. You learn on your own pace and you have a year from when you signed up to complete the course. As of right now, I have a 95.13% average! I'm planning to take Nutrition, AP2 and Microbiology next. The only thing is that my school doesn't accept Organic Chemistry from Portage so I'm going to have to take that at a community college for my last nursing prerequisite. Just remember that not all schools accept Portage Learning credit. I was considering on going straight to a community college to get my ADN, and then transition to an RN-BSN program but they didn't take online courses. Now I'm taking my prerequisites to get into an ABSN program.

Just look into different programs, speak to an advisor and see if they're able to take credits from Portage Learning if you plan to take that route. I kind of wished I had taken the courses sooner but I know I will eventually get there. The one good thing about it is that I'm working full-time and am currently 8 month pregnant! If you're determined and work hard on it, you can do it! I use to doubt myself before because I thought I failed after switching majors the first time, but you realize that many of the people who are applying to a nursing program are in the same position. Good luck!

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5 hours ago, Diepster01 said:

I currently have my BS in HIM and graduated with a 2.89 GPA. Originally I wanted to become a nurse but did not realize how competitive it was when I was taking my prerequisite at the time (had B's, some A's and a few C's) so I switched majors. After working in HIM for a few years after graduating, I decided that I was not happy working at a desk job my whole life and am shooting my shots at nursing again. Like everyone said, you should research what is available around you. Originally, I had applied to a community college since I needed to retake my prereqs (after 5 years) but the school I'm applying to accept online courses from Portage Learning. I'm currently taking AP1 and have one more exam to take before my final. You learn on your own pace and you have a year from when you signed up to complete the course. As of right now, I have a 95.13% average! I'm planning to take Nutrition, AP2 and Microbiology next. The only thing is that my school doesn't accept Organic Chemistry from Portage so I'm going to have to take that at a community college for my last nursing prerequisite. Just remember that not all schools accept Portage Learning credit. I was considering on going straight to a community college to get my ADN, and then transition to an RN-BSN program but they didn't take online courses. Now I'm taking my prerequisites to get into an ABSN program.

Just look into different programs, speak to an advisor and see if they're able to take credits from Portage Learning if you plan to take that route. I kind of wished I had taken the courses sooner but I know I will eventually get there. The one good thing about it is that I'm working full-time and am currently 8 month pregnant! If you're determined and work hard on it, you can do it! I use to doubt myself before because I thought I failed after switching majors the first time, but you realize that many of the people who are applying to a nursing program are in the same position. Good luck!

Thank you for sharing! Definitely giving me some hope right now. Everyone’s been telling me I can’t do it and that I won’t make it, kind of discouraging but this is what I want so I’m still going to do it. You have quite an inspiring journey and definitely have given me hope as someone who’s not the most stellar student. I respect all the nurses and to-be nurses for treading through this difficult process! Good luck to you and I hope you succeed! ❤️

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Specializes in Retired.

To the OP: If you are sure nursing is what you want to do, IMHO, I think you should just get into the nursing program by starting on your pre-reqs and any other general required courses you have left. If you could graduate as a nurse in the program where you are, you might only add one year on to your graduation date. I think this would be the quickest, cheapest and most efficient way to get your BSN from the get go. Forget NP until you've worked a couple of years and found out which specialty you are willing to invest in (time and money) in an advanced practice program. Save money for when you are in school so you won't have debt. I read an awful lot of threads on AN about NP's finding their market area saturated and some who work for less than they made in the ICU. By then, you'll be in a better place to make a better decision. Do you love medical anthropology? If you do, you might be able to work out a double major. If you are attracted to becoming an academic, I can see your anthropology be a use in teaching medical and nursing students.

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My undergrad GPA was 2.985 (and lower than that the way Nursing CAS calculates it) and I got into an accelerated BSN program. The highest weight was given to my prerequisite GPA (I went back to school for prereqs and got straight A's). If I hadn't gotten into this program the next accelerated program I was planning to apply for looked ONLY at prereqs and HESI scores - overall GPA didn't matter. I so get the position you're in - you can't go back and undo prior grades. All you can do is do your best from here on out and apply.

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