Samuel Merritt Accelerated BSN Program - is it doable?

Rianna1 · Sep 14, 2008

Hi there, I am a current ABSN student at SMC; next month we will be half way through (6 month mark). I also have two small children and a husband that works full time. I try to make the time with the kids quality time. Right now I am doing a late shift for clinicals so there will be a stretch when I don't see them all day until the next morning when I take them to school/daycare. There was also one stretch in between changing clinical rotations that I had school/clinicals 7 days straight and in the middle of it I had a mental breakdown. It was fine; I just needed to vent to someone other than husband or classmate so I phoned a friend. It's tough, but you just make the most of it and know that NS is not forever.

The first few months were okay and definitely doable if you don't work. We are currently in the hardest part of the program and from what I hear, after this portion, the rest of the year will not be as "intense". They definitely don't try to "weed students out." Our class is very supportive of each other, other classes I'm not sure. What's tough is getting used to the schedule change every 5 weeks and cramming all that you're supposed to learn in a traditional 16 week course into 5 weeks. Our instructors are great and we have learned a lot from them. Some students have complained about administration being unorganized but I don't mind it; I'm just glad I got the opportunity to be in NS. There were 45 students that started the program and only one dropped out; but that was b/c he/she felt that the workload might have been too much and he/she had other things going on at home too.

A good babysitter/day care arrangements is an absolute necessity. Our schedule right now is 24 hours a week in clinicals and about 12 hours of lecture a week. That's not including study time. It is a full time job and then some.

You do get breaks, like we had a week off for 4th of July and a week off for Labor Day week. We will also have almost 3 weeks off for Christmas and I think a week offf for Thanksgiving too. It also depends on if you have clinicals 2 days or 3 days a week. So, yes, there will be some down times when you're like, OMG I have nothing to do (which is a really weird feeling). And then there will be times of stress and feeling very overwhelmed, but those times pass and you just deal with it and know it will be worth it.

Feel free to PM me if you want.

nursetobein2010 · Sep 15, 2008

Rianna, thank you so much for your long, detailed post. I really appreciate it. I was going to PM you, then thought that looking through other posts helps me, so perhaps my questions and your answers will help someone else in the future. Hope you don't mind. You answered my questions. A couple more for you to answer if you would be so kind:

Are you in the Oakland program? That's my first choice as I live in Oakland.

I have heard from some people that you miss out on clinical time on accelerated programs. Do you feel this is true? (Perhaps you won't be able to know the answer to this yet since you are still in the program).

I definitely have heard the rumors about the program being disorganized. You don't feel this is an issue at all?

What's the grading like? If you don't pass one exam, are you immediately out of the program?

Did you have health care and volunteer experience? I don't (at least, not within the last 5 years) and am worried that may hurt my application.

Once again, thank you for taking the time to answer my questions. Best of luck to you!

Rianna1 · Sep 15, 2008

i am in the sf cohort; i live in the east bay, but i preferred the sf program for a few reasons: it starts 4 weeks earlier. i also found out before hand some of the hospitals they did their clinicals in and preferred the sf campus hospitals to the ones oakland does. i did get on the wait list for oakland (that campus has a lot more applicants), but decided to stick with sf and am very happy that i did. the only thing i don’t like about the “disorganized” part is that clinical assignments for sf campus, sometimes you have to wait longer to get your assignments, but i got over that as soon as we got our rotations. like now, we know what our schedule will be like for the rest of the year until december so that’s pretty nice.

i don’t feel like we miss out on clinical time. i have been very fortunate that the clinical instructors have been tremendously awesome and have done their best to find opportunities for learning. all rn programs have to meet a minimum criteria for clinical hours no matter which program you’re in. i’ve heard some programs have clinicals that are only 4 hours a day, which to me seems very short. nevertheless, all programs have to meet a certain number of clinical hours to be considered eligible for rn graduate.

in most classes, there are at least a midterm and a final and you have to meet a percentage in order to pass the class. so yes, technically if you fail a class you will have to either drop out of the program or make arrangements to re-take the class. there have been a couple of students who joined our class(es) for several reasons (either they didn’t pass or personal reasons) and were able to re-take the class. they do make a very good effort to work with you though if you feel like you need help and there are resources available for students.

i had absolutely no experience in the health care field, not even any volunteer work in the health care field.

some of my classmates say they would not recommend this program to anybody, but like i said before, i was just happy to be in ns. and it really does depend on whatever your situation is whether or not this program would fit. my dh knows this is only one year, so when he has rough nights/days he knows it’s only temporary.

i also got into a 2 year adn program, but felt that the extra year in school was too long and the bsn would be more beneficial career-wise in the long run.

best of luck to you also and i hope my replies helped!

studentwithbaby · Jan 3, 2010

I would like to ask nursetobein2010 or any other moms who have made it through or attempted the program how it went, and if they have any tips to make the schooling/studying/mothering schedule work? (esp in relation to clinicals) My daughter will be 10 months when I start the program, and 22 months when I finish. Any regrets, tips for me on how to do things? How were you able to make quality time with your child? I am at the Oakland campus and we are asking my hubby's parents to move out to do the caregiving while I am at school and needing time to focus on studying. And I am planning on pumping throughout clinicals and classes, any advice?

amb4 · Jan 12, 2011

Hi, yes, I am also interested in knowing how you make it work in a ABSN program with a small child. I am considering entering NS next January when my little one will be almost 2 years old. I have wanted to do nursing for several years now (I got my undergrad in Nutrition/Dietetics) but decided to stay home with my son after he was born. The only thing that has been consistently hampering my decision to apply is the fact that I will feel extremely guilty for being crazy busy for 12 months and having little time with him. My husband will have to work FT but my parents will be available to assist with child-care. Any thoughts/insights/experiences shared would be much appreciated!

mikaboo · Jan 13, 2011

What a wonderful thread. I am also considering applying to this school after I finish pre-requisits in a few years. By the time I can apply, my children will be in kindergarten, 5th grade, and in high school.

I would like to hear what kind of childcare arrangement you made sure to do, in order to keep your children away from your own stress. I can imagine that one year will be super busy, and one needs every support from one's family, including children.

I have husband who works full time, and sometimes travels oversea (not as often as before by then, hopefully.) I am hoping to get into a program when my kids will be 14, 11, 6, 6, 6. They are no longer babies, but they also have needs unique to their ages. For those who have a little older children, how did you make sure that your kids' social, academic, and school life remains good? Just curious...

heather925 · Feb 7, 2011

Hi, yes, I am also interested in knowing how you make it work in a ABSN program with a small child. I am considering entering NS next January when my little one will be almost 2 years old. I have wanted to do nursing for several years now (I got my undergrad in Nutrition/Dietetics) but decided to stay home with my son after he was born. The only thing that has been consistently hampering my decision to apply is the fact that I will feel extremely guilty for being crazy busy for 12 months and having little time with him. My husband will have to work FT but my parents will be available to assist with child-care. Any thoughts/insights/experiences shared would be much appreciated!

AMB4- Don't delay 'applying' to try and schedule the 'best time-' The no. cal. bay area schools are so impacted, you need to apply ASAP after you have your pre-reqs done. I'm at the SF campus of SMU and loving it- But as a fellow mom (little one was just 6 months old when I started and the older one was 4 years) I shared your concerns. I had to have my momma move in for the year to make this happen :)

mochagirl26 · Feb 7, 2011

Does the class schedule ever require you to attend at night? I'm just wondering if it would be possible to do the SMU program while completing law school in the evening. Thanks!

heather925 · Feb 11, 2011

Concurrent law school!! You're wild! And I thought I was bad for going back to RN school after earning my MBA . . .

Yes, there are evenings too. The clinicals occur at night too-- There are 8 hr shifts, 12 hr shifts, weekends and night shift (during the deepest parts of the night too). By the end, you will have had a bit of all of the aforementioned. SMU "owns" you fully for the year so you can not "finish" up another program/ overlap. And they add mandatory 'stuff' with less than 24 hours notice occasionally- Extra skills labs and lunch meetings. Currently I am doing three 8 hour clinical shifts a week, and I HAVE TO prelab the day before, which takes me about another 4 hours if you include my (far) commute (and I still have lecture 2 full days a week).

supraman408 · Feb 27, 2011

Rianna1: Can you please tell us where your clinical locations for the SF campus? I read somewhere that the SF campus has clinicals in San Jose. Thanks

wonderwoman-wannabe · Jul 31, 2011

Hi all,

I just joined allnurses.com today - what a great resource! I am thinking of applying to SMU's ABSN program at the San Mateo campus. Does anyone have experience at that campus they can share? Also, does anyone know where their clinical locations are? Any in the San Jose area?