opinions about 1 year "2nd degree" BSN nursing programs

plowboy911 · Jan 18, 2011

I went through an accelerated program. Had to have a bachelors and many prereqs to be accepted. Was very competitive to get in and hard work once there. It is MUCH more than going to "regular" college. In addition to 15+ hours of course work per semester you have hours of clinical time. Make sure she is prepared to work. There will be little time to hang with the pals, etc. All that being said, school creates the base (as long as you do the work and put forth effort). The real learning comes on the job. I was very prepared coming out, but also very motivated.

caseysmom · Jan 20, 2011

the accel program I went through was hard to get into and very strenuous, you will not see much of your family for the time you are in school, and the school i went with requires you now to be a cert cna prior to starting the program

CharmedJ7 · Jan 21, 2011

I went to an 11-month program for second degree students. It was a lot of time, about 30 hrs a week between class and clinical and then you studied on top of it. We had 2 8-hr clinicals per week, but I thought it worked out well because you learned things and then were right there seeing it, it made it a lot easier to connect all the pieces. I did not think it was too much of a struggle, I had a lot of outside hobbies + a boyfriend and I did just fine in my classes and passed my NCLEX first go. I've been working for about 6 months now and I felt a little behind others at first, but only really because the city (NY) I went to nursing school in did not allow nursing students to do pretty much anything (no meds, no shots, no IVs, you name it).

All that said, I was a biochem major first time around and went pretty much straight back for nursing, and I know a lot of people farther out from undergrad or with more different majors had a lot more trouble.

Since I feel that the great bulk of learning to be a nurse takes place on the floor, I have no regrets about the way I did it, if I had gone to a 2-year program or even 18-month I'd just be graduating now, whereas instead I have 6 months under my belt and am able to help out the "new" nurses and work independently effectively.

Good luck to her whatever she decides!