Do I need clinical experience to be accepted into an ABSN program?

[gopats1234]

Hi everyone!!

I am a recent college graduate pursuing accelerated nursing programs in Boston. Right now I have no clinical or hospital experience, besides some PCA hours. I've worked in special education for most of my life. I am wondering - am I less qualified as an applicant because i have no clinical experience? I've been told before that these programs are designed for people like me, but I still feel like I have the short end of the stick.

I've applied to three programs so far and I'm starting to get nervous that I won't be accepted into any. Even just from reviewing old threads where people note their stats and past work/volunteer experience, I'm starting to feel discouraged. Please let me know your thoughts...

[adventure_rn, MSN, NP]

It completely depends on the schools you're applying to; some will require it and others won't. Nursing assistant experience is a bonus, but not required by most places. I think your experience in special ed will be a huge asset, and it will really help you to stand out amongst other applicants.

In your application personal statement, I'd highlight your special ed background and what you will bring to the nursing profession (i.e. a passion caring for developmentally-delayed individuals, teaching techniques to get through to people of varying competencies, etc.)

I completed an ABSN at one of the top 10 nursing schools in the US (according to US News and World Report), and one of the people in my cohort had literally been a lumberjack. We also had a realtor, an actor, a history professor, a professional flutist, and a guy who worked at Home Depot, and not all of them had nursing assistant hospital experience. Trust me, your experience is far more relevant than some.

[verene, MSN]

As above poster stated it depends on the school and their specific admission criteria. In the ABSN program I attended we had a mix of backgrounds some had heavy experience as CNAs, MAs, or EMTs before nursing school - others had never set foot in a hospital aside from patient/guest status. We had individuals who'd barely finished their bachelor's degree who had only held "college student" jobs before the ABSN program and those who brought 20+ years in prior careers.

I would definitely highlight your special ed experience - so many of the experiences and skills you've developed working with that population translate well to nursing and will help you stand out from other applicants. These programs (at least in my experience) value the diversity of previous professional experience students bring.

[onemoreday, BSN, RN]

I agree with what's been said here already. It depends on the program. But I think your experience in special ed will be a great boon.