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Discussion

BSN accelerated?

Hello all, im new here. Currently i work as a Parole officer with the state of new york. Graduated college with a B.S in Criminology, minor in computer science. Currently i work Part time with an EMS unit that does Critical care Transports. I work in the back as an assistant to a CC-Paramedic. I'm going for a BSN in nursing and was just wondering how wide my options are? About how many credits should i expect to take? Will i be able to get a Job when i graduate? How long will the whole degree take? Would it be worth it if i plan on being an RN part-time? Also just any other general advice anybody has is welcome by me! thank you all!

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    Those are ALL questions that can be answered by calling the admissions office at a institution you wish to apply for your ABSN.

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    Are you specifically interested in ABSN programs? Or are you asking about all the different possible pathways to get through a BSN? I'm a little confused by the wording of your post.

    I'm currently in an ABSN program. It will take 15 months to complete. I take aprox 16 credits a quarter. This doesn't seem accelerated on paper because I took 16 credits a quarter during my first degree. However, these 16 credits typically mean a work load of 50-60 hours per week vs the maybe 30 a week I spend on my first degree.

    Job opportunities depend on location, prior experience, and personal connections as well as how picky you are. It may be super easy to get a job or it may take a while. As for it being "worth it" if only part-time RN that is up to you entirely.

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    Im 95% confident i can get a Job at albany med(know a bunch of administrators and ER Docs/Trauma surgeons there). I'm looking for a fast(ish) way to learn the information i need, and graduate. I don't want to be taking a program that has 85 credits when i need 60. I'm going to be working full time, so i can realistically handle 8-12 credits. Work is paying for it so im not freaking out about the classes (all i have to pay for is books.). Im finishing up my last pre-reqs now, and am just looking to be a part time nurse as a side gig(right now i am an EMT). If im honest with you, i dont 100% the difference between an ABSN and a BSN. OR even an ADN and a BSN. I thought the difference between an ASN and BSN was the lib ed requirements for the degree. And I thought the difference between ABSN and a BSN was also the lib ed requirements(because BSN is usually for student's who are getting their first degree?).

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    • Experts
    Im 95% confident i can get a Job at albany med(know a bunch of administrators and ER Docs/Trauma surgeons there). I'm looking for a fast(ish) way to learn the information i need, and graduate. I don't want to be taking a program that has 85 credits when i need 60. I'm going to be working full time, so i can realistically handle 8-12 credits. Work is paying for it so im not freaking out about the classes (all i have to pay for is books.). Im finishing up my last pre-reqs now, and am just looking to be a part time nurse as a side gig(right now i am an EMT). If im honest with you, i dont 100% the difference between an ABSN and a BSN. OR even an ADN and a BSN. I thought the difference between an ASN and BSN was the lib ed requirements for the degree. And I thought the difference between ABSN and a BSN was also the lib ed requirements(because BSN is usually for student's who are getting their first degree?).

    Accelerated BSN programs take all the nursing-specific content from a traditional BSN (approximately two years of traditional full-time study), including the minimum number of clinical hours required to be eligible for licensure, and cram it into a time span of anywhere from one year to 18 months (depending on the individual program).

    The number of credit hours in any nursing program can be deceiving, because the clinical rotations are typically counted on a 3:1 basis (three hours of clinical = 1 credit hour). Your clinical schedules typically change from one semester to the next, or even within a semester, which is difficult for many jobs to accommodate. And there are other commitments, like required lab times to practice various skills, which are typically not reflected in the credit hour and course description listings shown in school catalogs. Traditional full-time nursing programs are roughly the equivalent of a full-time job. Most accelerated programs are extremely rigorous, fast-paced, and demanding, the equivalent of more than a full-time job (as noted by verene). 50-60 hours a week isn't uncommon. I remember the accelerated students in the school I attended for grad school commenting that their program (one calendar year) was basically the equivalent (when you included the studying they had to do outside of class) of 16 hour days, 6 days a week. The schools advise against working (at all) while you're in these (accelerated) programs, and, although some students manage to do it, being successful in an accelerated program while working is definitely a long shot.

    Have you already completed the prerequisite science courses that most nursing programs require? (Or have you found a program that doesn't require them?)

    Best wishes for your journey.

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    • Author

    Im finishing them up over the winter intersession- all i had/have left is pysch classes. Finishing A&PII current semester. So i have time to think. My job is extremely flexible, because as long as i manage my caseload and theres not a ridiculous amount of my parolees getting taken in, im fine. With that being said it still takes roughly 40-45 hrs a week to do that. What about a "weekend warrior" route. I have found multiple schools that offer BSN's weekends only for 1.5-2 years? what would a typical clinical rotation be counted as? 5:1?

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    If it were me I would contact the schools you are interested in for some additional insight to their individual programs. The schools should have the nursing curriculum laid out so you would know the amount of units and class time necessary. If there is a weekend program that may be the way to go since you can study after work if you work during the week. I have to imagine any ABSN would require a lot of class time and clinical time making it difficult to hold a full time job so you can make it to class (study time not included). Good luck! I hope you find something that fits your schedule

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    Im 95% confident i can get a Job at albany med(know a bunch of administrators and ER Docs/Trauma surgeons there). I'm looking for a fast(ish) way to learn the information i need, and graduate. I don't want to be taking a program that has 85 credits when i need 60. I'm going to be working full time, so i can realistically handle 8-12 credits. Work is paying for it so im not freaking out about the classes (all i have to pay for is books.). Im finishing up my last pre-reqs now, and am just looking to be a part time nurse as a side gig(right now i am an EMT). If im honest with you, i dont 100% the difference between an ABSN and a BSN. OR even an ADN and a BSN. I thought the difference between an ASN and BSN was the lib ed requirements for the degree. And I thought the difference between ABSN and a BSN was also the lib ed requirements(because BSN is usually for student's who are getting their first degree?).

    If you need or are planning to work full-time while in nursing school. I would highly advise against an ABSN program. None of us hold full-time jobs in this program. A few hold very part-time jobs (4-5 hours/week or holiday only), but an ABSN program by design does not leave time for much else besides school, particularly if you have a commute of any real length.

    However, ABSN programs are not the only means to getting a BSN degree. Since you already have a prior degree you only need pre-reqs and nursing coursework, and it seems that you are close to completing the pre-req portion. Once that is done you have a couple options.

    You could enter a traditional BSN program as a post-bach student. Meaning you really only need to take nursing coursework. Class hours are still likely to be during the day/week, but the pacing is slower than an ABSN program and you still have summers off, allowing you to hold down a job as well. You may not be able to keep full-time hours (really depends on job flexibility and your own ability to manage), but many students are able to maintain a part-time job taking this option. Actual time in the BSN would take about 2 years.

    The longest option to BSN would be to start in an ASN program. This has the advantage that you have a higher chance of finding a nights/weekend program that allows you to continue working full time. Depending on your job market/connections you are likely able to start working as a nurse after completing the ASN. A BSN bridge program would take an additional 6 months -year, but these are set up to accommodate individuals who are working full time as a nurse.

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    • Author

    Thank you!

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    Great advice from PPs. Just wanted to add a couple of things. First of all, don't count on the influence of administrators or physicians when it comes to landing a nursing job. Nurses are hired by nurse managers. Name-dropping (I'm a good friend of VP Poobah) has a very negative impact on your chances of being hired.

    New grads are unlikely to be hired into part time jobs... because the transition from student to competent practicing nurse takes time and a lot of support. If you're only working 1/2 time, it will take twice as long; an arrangement that will not be agreeable to the prospective employer. That being said, if you land a gig with 12 hour shifts, your work week will usually be 3 days.

    Best of luck on your career transition.

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    All the PPs advice is very good and anything more would be superfluous.

    So my question to you is: how do I get a job as a Parole Officer in NYS?

    I'm tired of slingin' hash.

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    • Author

    civil service test my friend :p

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    • Author
    Great advice from PPs. Just wanted to add a couple of things. First of all, don't count on the influence of administrators or physicians when it comes to landing a nursing job. Nurses are hired by nurse managers. Name-dropping (I'm a good friend of VP Poobah) has a very negative impact on your chances of being hired.

    New grads are unlikely to be hired into part time jobs... because the transition from student to competent practicing nurse takes time and a lot of support. If you're only working 1/2 time, it will take twice as long; an arrangement that will not be agreeable to the prospective employer. That being said, if you land a gig with 12 hour shifts, your work week will usually be 3 days.

    Best of luck on your career transition.

    Even if the hospital is scraping at the bits to get RN's? i mean i get i wont get my degree for at least a year, but i think its even past the desperation point. What kind of nursing do you suppose i would do part time out of nursing school?
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