Questions for those who did accelerated courses...

[LilaDavis]

Hi everyone!

I have a degree in psychology but I've been thinking more and more about going back to school to get my BSN. I've started looking into programs (in New York) and I'm trying to learn more about the process. I had a few questions, if anyone has been through this and willing to share your experiences I would so appreciate it!

1.) Are accelerated programs looked down on, compared to a traditional 2 or 4 year nursing degree program? Someone mentioned that an employer might favor those who did a 4 year Bachelor's degree instead?

2.) All the programs I'm require a few pre-reqs (microbio, chem, A&P I and II with labs), and this is before even applying to the program. How did you guys manage to do your pre reqs? How long did it take you to do these?

3.) I'm interested in specialising in psych nursing as I've worked on an acute psych ward for a few years now and mental health is really my area of interest. After getting a BSN, do you need to go for a Master's in psychiatric nursing?

Thank you so much!

[umbdude, MSN, APRN]

I didn't go through an accelerated program but I can offer my 2 cents.

1) No. Employers don't look down on accelerated BSN. The accelerated students I know have no problem finding jobs afterwards. It's a BSN regardless of how you obtain it.

2) I took pre-reqs when I was still working in my previous career. I took 2 classes per semester and it took me about 2 years to finish my pre-req. It worked for me because I was also saving money.

3) No you don't need a Master to work as a psych nurse. All degrees that lead to a RN license is generalist and there is no specialization. Once you finish your BSN and obtain your RN license, you can apply to jobs as a RN in a psych setting. You only need a master if you want to become a nurse practitioner, but that's a whole different job with different scope of practice.

Good luck!

[NICU Guy, BSN, RN]

1. No. I did not have any problems. Many of my co-workers went through an ABSN program without an issue being hired.

2. I only had a few, so it was relatively painless. I worked night shift so I would get off work, take a nap, go to class, come home and take a nap before work. I only had one semester of pre-reqs.

3. Yes you can work in psych nursing with a BSN

[oceanblue52]

My community college offered 7 week condensed lab courses, so I was able to get all my pre-reqs done between the summer and Fall. Works a lot better if you have a flexible schedule and can take time off as needed. Working nights and weekends allowed me to really focus on school. Community college is totally sufficient and will probably be cheaper than a university.

are you currently working in Psych? I would try to work as a technician on an inpatient unit...will give you experience and make it a lot easier to find a job in Psych after you graduate.

Feel free to post any questions on here...we are happy to give you advice as you explore this specialty :-)

[adventure_rn, MSN, NP]

1) I completed an accelerated program, and I think the biggest setback is that you may not have time to get a part-time NA job (or some other patient care tech role) during school. Nearly all of our '4 Year' counterparts got NA jobs at local hospitals because it was a mandatory part of their curriculum. If they stayed on and continued to work part-time, it was easier for them to get new grad RN jobs at their current hospitals because they applied as internal applicants. Some of my accelerated classmates miraculously made time to get NA jobs, and it was easier for them to get hired, too. With a compressed accelerated schedule, there simply isn't a lot of downtime to take on part-time employment. Everybody in my cohort eventually got a job, but the process was a bit faster for the NAs who got RN job offers from their current employers.

Becoming an NA definitely isn't mandatory to find a job (again, the vast majority of my cohort didn't work as NAs, and found jobs just fine). However, I think I would have been way less stressed out about finding a job if I'd had an NA job when applying for new grad positions.

2) I'd comparison shop between the various colleges in your area and online options. Some programs may fit your life and schedule better than others.

3) You can work in inpatient psych as an RN, even as a new grad. Your nursing program will have a psych rotation, which may give you a better sense for the role. If specifically want to diagnose, prescribe and possibly provide therapy, you can definitely get your Nurse Practitioner degree/license in Psych/Mental Health.

[foggnm]

I did an 'accelerated entry' but that just meant I was given pass on many of the pre-reqs because I already had a degree. Otherwise, it was the same BSN courses as the traditional students. As a general rule, no employer is going to care where or how you got your nursing degree. If you get the degree and pass the nclex and make an attempt to get some clinical experience, you should get hired without difficulty. Where you did your program is irrelevant. The only caveat to this is some employers will prefer a BSN over an associates degree, but only as a last criteria for choosing between two good candidates.

[Meriwhen, ASN, BSN, MSN, RN]

1. Honestly, employees don't care whether it's a traditional or accelerated BSN, just as long as you have a valid nursing license.

2. I did my pre-reqs for my ADN program over 2 years. I took them one at a time, except for the semester I was a student in two different states. I took one class online at my former/future community college back in VA, and the other in person at the local community college in TX.

For the RN-BSN bridge program, the only pre-reqs I had to take were a couple of non-science pre-reqs. I was able to take them at the same time as the BSN courses.

3. To go into psych, all you need is a nursing license, the desire, and the job opportunity.