Has Anyone done the Athabasca LPN- BSN bridge?

Fiona59 · Nov 14, 2010

I've had a few friends do it. Some have whipped through it in roughly three years others are approaching the seven year mark.

Are you a good independent learner? Can you commit yourself to a self-imposed/guided study schedule? I've done a few out of general interest and some of the course instructors have been great and others I thought had left the country they were so slow in answering questions.

One friend has run into a wall when it comes to clinical time. Some sort of glitch.

It helps if you have the electives done ahead of time because once accepted into the programme you have seven years to complete the reduced load.

lilaclover · Nov 14, 2010

I think I would be able to dedicate myself to self study easy enough.. I always felt like I teach myself better anyway..

However I have also been accepted into a real life (not online)bridge program in BC. The problem is I have another year on the waitlist. Once in the program itself is 3 years with the first year being only part-time.

I am trying to debate which route I should take.

I would prefer to move to Alberta (which is where I need to be for the clinicals for the Athabasca online program). I would obviously rather participate in the actual classroom learning program, however I will be 30 when I start the program and my husband and I would like to have children someday.... That means I wouldn't be done and free to have kids until I am 33.... If I went the online route I could have some more flexibility in this regard.

Fiona59 · Nov 14, 2010

Hey, 33 isn't ancient. I had my first at 34.

lilaclover · Nov 20, 2010

Anyone??

Fiona59 · Nov 21, 2010

Anyone??

I think some posters are just tired of the question. There are load of previous threads on this topic.

oryxandcake · Nov 21, 2010

As the aforementioned poster said, the program really leaves your success up to you. If you have the discipline, you can definitely finish in three years.

It looks like in class and distance will equal about the same time so I think you just need to balance needs vs desires and then make your decision.

Having children in between will definitely make it more difficult to complete but not impossible. I knew people who had kids during my nursing program, came back a year later and finished. If you have support, its feasible.

The other thing is you can work while in the athabasca program which is a bit more difficult when you're attending classes.

lilaclover · Nov 21, 2010

As the aforementioned poster said, the program really leaves your success up to you. If you have the discipline, you can definitely finish in three years.
It looks like in class and distance will equal about the same time so I think you just need to balance needs vs desires and then make your decision.
Having children in between will definitely make it more difficult to complete but not impossible. I knew people who had kids during my nursing program, came back a year later and finished. If you have support, its feasible.
The other thing is you can work while in the athabasca program which is a bit more difficult when you're attending classes.

Thank you for your response.

I am still giving it all some thought but I think I am going to end up taking the Athabasca route. I just wanted to hear if anyone has had any really bad experiences with it or anything.

kenrika · Jul 6, 2011

Hi, I just wanted to find out if anyone is done with program. I also have a question though. Someone told me that in order to pass the practicums one has to have hospital experience, is this true? She also told me that two of her friends failed the practicums because of lack of hospital experience; this information has scared me quite a bit since I don't have any hospital experience as I have been working in the community, specifically pediatric home care. My question is, did you have any hospital experience before taken your praticums? if not, did it affects how you performed at the practicums? Also, do the perceptors expect you to know quite a bit about the hospital settings? Please provide me with what ever information you have because I don't want to think that I am wasting my time since I wouldn't be able to pass the practicums due to lack of hospital experience, Thanks a lot

Pediatric Critical Care Columnist · Jul 6, 2011

Hi, I just wanted to find out if anyone is done with program. I also have a question though. Someone told me that in order to pass the practicums one has to have hospital experience, is this true? She also told me that two of her friends failed the practicums because of lack of hospital experience; this information has scared me quite a bit since I don't have any hospital experience as I have been working in the community, specifically pediatric home care. My question is, did you have any hospital experience before taken your praticums? if not, did it affects how you performed at the practicums? Also, do the perceptors expect you to know quite a bit about the hospital settings? Please provide me with what ever information you have because I don't want to think that I am wasting my time since I wouldn't be able to pass the practicums due to lack of hospital experience, Thanks a lot

Kenrika, you have now posted this exact same post 5 times here today, 4 times within the space of a few minutes this morning in another thread and now here. Perhaps you're thinking that this site is a chat room but it's not. It's a discussion forum where members pop in and out as their busy lives allow. The people whose posts you've been responding to may not visit this site again for several days, so reposting the same thing over and over isn't going to get you anywhere. Eventually they'll read your post and reply accordingly, IF they have the answers to your questions. Repeated identical posts may be considered to be spam and deleted accordingly. Please be patient and wait for a response. It may take a couple of days.