Are accelerated programs fair?

MikeyJ, RN · Aug 26, 2007

I hope this question doesn't seem too juvenile or simplistic...
Do you all think accelerated BSN programs are fair? :imbar I'm in a traditional BSN program and was complaining about how long summers were, and how we could have completed a semester of school in that time. Out of curiosity, I did a search for accelerated BSN programs (not all are second degree programs as I previously thought), and I found some as short as 12 months. I'm sure it is an intense 12 months, but for some reason I don't think this is fair. I was looking at a school that had both a traditional and an accelerated BSN program, and the traditional program had extra pre-requisites and extra classes in the actual BSN program. I would post the website, but I don't want this to look like an attack on any particular school. Will someone please tell me why they think this is fair/not fair?

Not sure if you trying to imply that some accelerated BSN programs "cut corners"? If so, they typically do not due to accreditation reasons. If the program you are looking at is accredited and their students are passing the NCLEX, then there should be no reason to question the programs integrity.

I am in a 14-month accelerated BSN program, and our program does not require that you have a previous degree. I can assure you that our program does not cut any corners and in fact requires 3 years of pre-req work and is very very intense during the actual program.

caro3334 · Aug 26, 2007

Oh, I didn't think they were cutting corners, but I did notice that they had some extra classes for the traditional program. I wish I would have known about these programs before. I guess I'm just jealous because it is going to take me 4.5 years (2.5 actual nursing) to complete my degree instead of 12-18 months. :)

CHATSDALE · Aug 26, 2007

many of the acclerated programs are for adn nurses..all of these programs are very intense, nobody gets a a degree handed to them

i amsure that you will find some benefits in the course of study that you have chosen

RNsRWe, ASN, RN · Aug 26, 2007

When one of my kids starts in on "but it isn't fair!" I tell them, "Life isn't fair. Get used to it!"

Seriously, all these programs that are accredited have to keep to a certain curriculum / criteria to keep that accreditation. And to have their students be able to sit for (and pass) the NCLEX exam, they have to educate them appropriately.

If some can do it faster than others, so be it.

MikeyJ, RN · Aug 26, 2007

Oh, I didn't think they were cutting corners, but I did notice that they had some extra classes for the traditional program. I wish I would have known about these programs before. I guess I'm just jealous because it is going to take me 4.5 years (2.5 actual nursing) to complete my degree instead of 12-18 months. :)

Well, as my school it stills takes students 4 years to complete their entire BSN. We take 60 hours of pre-req's and then an additional 60 hours in the accelerated nursing portion. I know of some students who completed the entire BSN curriculum in just over 3 years, but they were taking intense summer semesters during their pre-req's.

HM2VikingRN, RN · Aug 26, 2007

I can assure you that there are no corners cut for academics either prerequisites or nursing school classes. There are double theory and double clinical classes for semesters 2 and 3. Double theory classes for semesters 1 and 4.

I am in a Mn accelerated program and it is an intense 16 month program. 13/16 classmates are accomplished in their previous careers and it is a pretty fast school of fish to swim with. Accelerated students are students who have "learned how to learn" and that is why the programs can pick it up a notch. I understand why you would want to take classes in the summer but part of the problem is finding instructors who are willing to teach in the summer months.

We did have some RN to BSN bridge students in our public health rotation this summer. I don't want to sound huffy but as an accelerated student I had to wait 10 months after acceptance to start my training. 12/15/07 is my pinning ceremony!

caro3334 · Aug 26, 2007

when one of my kids starts in on "but it isn't fair!" i tell them, "life isn't fair. get used to it!"
seriously, all these programs that are accredited have to keep to a certain curriculum / criteria to keep that accreditation. and to have their students be able to sit for (and pass) the nclex exam, they have to educate them appropriately.
if some can do it faster than others, so be it.

i figured someone would say that, i said the same thing to myself. :)

its not only the “doing it faster” that had me feeling like i was taking the long road. some of the accelerated programs have fewer classes. we all get to the same destination in the end, but as a person having over 100 college credits, i sure wish i would have known about this route before. i always assumed it was for people with degrees, but some of the programs are pretty flexible.

http://www.uu.edu/programs/nursing/bsn/accelerated/acceleratedbsn.pdf

http://www.uu.edu/programs/nursing/bsn/traditional/traditionalbsn.pdf

i know some of the programs are for rns, but i'm referring to programs for first time nursing students. thanks for the responses! :)

woody62, RN · Aug 26, 2007

I hope this question doesn't seem too juvenile or simplistic...
Do you all think accelerated BSN programs are fair? :imbar I'm in a traditional BSN program and was complaining about how long summers were, and how we could have completed a semester of school in that time. Out of curiosity, I did a search for accelerated BSN programs (not all are second degree programs as I previously thought), and I found some as short as 12 months. I'm sure it is an intense 12 months, but for some reason I don't think this is fair. I was looking at a school that had both a traditional and an accelerated BSN program, and the traditional program had extra pre-requisites and extra classes in the actual BSN program. I would post the website, but I don't want this to look like an attack on any particular school. Will someone please tell me why they think this is fair/not fair?

The programs I am familiar with require a high degree of motivation, an ability to learn and work independently and a large number of students just can't do it. The three programs of generic BSN's I know offer theory classes during the summer so students do not have to take them during the regular semesters. And again you have to be motivated to get thru them successfully.

And I agree with another poster, sometimes life is not fair.

Woody:balloons:

NursingAgainstdaOdds · Aug 26, 2007

The accelerated program I am interested in requires a lot of prerequisites :

-ADN

-RN w/ at least 1 yr experience

-One year of English comp

-One year of bio

-One year of Inorganic Chem

-A&P w/ lab

-Microbio

And admissions is really competitive, so you better have done well at all those things! Additionally, they require letters of rec and an interview. I am applying for next year's program, and am currently working on prereqs for this program and another I intend to take after it. This semester I'm taking physics and english lit, next semester is a doozy with the 2nd half of bio, inorganic chem, and 2nd half of physics. :uhoh3: (My ADN only required one semester each of bio and chem, and I took the courses aimed at bio majors, not nursing students, so that it'd transfer to other academic work.)

Yeeeah. If I hadn't just gotten home from work after an overnight, I'd be studying RIGHT NOW.

NightOwl0624 · Aug 26, 2007

The accelerated programs around here all require previous degrees.

However, I can't imagine how one program could require less classes. Don't you need 120 credits for a Bachelors of Science degree?

nurz2be · Aug 26, 2007

I hope this question doesn't seem too juvenile or simplistic...
Do you all think accelerated BSN programs are fair? :imbar I'm in a traditional BSN program and was complaining about how long summers were, and how we could have completed a semester of school in that time. Out of curiosity, I did a search for accelerated BSN programs (not all are second degree programs as I previously thought), and I found some as short as 12 months. I'm sure it is an intense 12 months, but for some reason I don't think this is fair. I was looking at a school that had both a traditional and an accelerated BSN program, and the traditional program had extra pre-requisites and extra classes in the actual BSN program. I would post the website, but I don't want this to look like an attack on any particular school. Will someone please tell me why they think this is fair/not fair?

I am in an accelerated (18 month) program. Cutting corners is no option. We go to school all year long, 5-6 hours a day (Class time) and we go 5 days a week. We had RIGOROUS testing before we were even offered a seat. We took 3 intro tests, just to get an interview. One of the tests we took, the NET test, we had to score a minimum of 80 overall on. They don't want students who struggle with basic academics, as the nursing program is extremely fast-paced. We had to have at least a 3.0 with pre reqs. We have to maintain a 3.0 (if you fall below you ONLY have the next exam/clinicals to repair your grade, plus every 3 months there is an assessment test that we must make a 90% on, and a calculations test that you must score 100 on. If the requirements are not met, you are asked to leave the program. We have 24 students and 8 instructors. Our first time NCLEX pass rate is 98-99%. We are nationally certified so our instructors are insanely persistent about getting it the first time, no time to "dilly-dally." It is good for me because I am that kind of learner. Highly-motivated and don't fluster too easily. I have found, by asking, my instructors, that A LOT of students who get into our program are ones who "Get bored easily." To say that traditional schools would make most of us go bananas, because of summers off and not being at school most of the time. I love it, I am falling more in love with nursing with each turning of the page.