OHSU Accelerated Bachelors to Masters 2011

Can anyone send me any info on specifics of the accelerated program? I was accepted for the psych specialty, but they didn't arrange a day for us to visit, didn't send any info other than financial aid with the acceptance letter, and told me they were "busy processing undergraduate apps" when I asked if I could come visit the campus and meet an admissions counselor or someone who could give me program/school details. I am very hesitant to accept an offer from a school whose program I know nothing about and who basically tried to brush me off when I asked if I could make a trip out there to see for myself. Any info would be sooo helpful & greatly appreciated! Structure, 1st year plan, etc. Thanks guys

Hey Tanya,

In the in-person interview they just gave me an enormous packet about the program. If you have time you could ask them to mail you one. Also regarding whether or not OHSU//other schools award a BSN, I was under the impression that after the accelerated nursing, that we do NOT actually get a BSN. I asked some midwifery people and they said it was the case for them, so I was assuming it was the same for PMHNP, but I don't know. Do you know why your other programs don't award a BSN? What were they-yale, columbia...?

I'm sorry to hear OHSU was not as helpful as you hoped. You have some big decisions ahead of you and I'm wishing you all the best. If I come across any better resources I'll let you know. You could try the proginfo email...they might be better at getting back to you that way.

Best,

L

According to the OHSU info on the website for the ABM program:

At the completion of the Bachelor of Science Nursing curriculum, the B.S. degree is awarded and graduates are eligible for professional registered nurse licensing examinations. The graduate program coursework begins in the fall term, following successful completion of the B.S. degree and nursing licensure exam (NCLEX). The School of Nursing also offers an Accelerated Bachelor’s program.

I'm going to double check on this though. Getting the BSN is important to me (I'm a worst case scenario person, and I like the idea that if I had to quit or take time off after the first year, I'd be able to work somewhere, not like at Yale) if I have the option...

I spoke with someone in admissions yesterday who told me they DO award the BSN @ OHSU. I also have a phone date with a current PMHNP student in an hour who I actually dug up on some old allnurses forum! Hopefully she can give me specific program info.

Something admissions said worried me. I asked if after we get our BSN and sit for the NCLEX, then receive our RN, if we will be able to work (i.e. in the 2nd and 3rd year of the program). The woman in admissions said most likely no due to the accelerated nature of the program. I asked even in the 2nd and 3rd year and she still said no. That's weird to me and kinda scary to have such an expensive program and be out of work for the entire time. From other schools, my impression is that only the 1st year is the accelerated year, and that in the specialty years we join other traditional track students, so those years are essentially traditional MSN/NP programs. Any thoughts anyone?

I was told during my interview that you have to work after you get your RN because you have to keep up your hours to maintain it. It seems intense to me to be in an accelerated Np program and be expected to work, but people do it.

Let me know what you find out for sure.

cheers

I spoke with a current student and relayed to her what admissions told me about not being able to work, and she said last year (her cohort) it was different and they said you need to work. OHSU is really pushing the DNP though, and this student said maybe they are trying to cram more classes into the actual program to make the DNP portion only take an additional year.

I spoke with a current student and relayed to her what admissions told me about not being able to work, and she said last year (her cohort) it was different and they said you need to work. OHSU is really pushing the DNP though, and this student said maybe they are trying to cram more classes into the actual program to make the DNP portion only take an additional year.

Thanks for this info. Did she have anything else of note to report?

Hi Partera-

Much of what she said was related to the psychiatric mental health specialty, but there were a couple points that were more general. She said the accelerated portion of the program (1st 15 months) revolved around teaching students the foundations of thinking like a nurse - how to deal with conflict, motivational interviewing, cultural awareness, a lot of theory and fewer hands-on skills. Your 2 clinical days during your 1st summer aren't actually in a hospital but rather in a skills lab/simulation environment where you learn to do head to toe physical assessments, vitals, giving injections, etc. For this you mostly practice on one another although they occasionally use robots. During the 2nd term you're in the hospital one day/week for clinical, and with the small cohort of 64 each student is matched 1:1 with a preceptor (max of 2 per preceptor). The 2nd summer is called intensive practical/practicum because that's when all you do is clinicals, 40 hours/week in your specialty.

This student said she felt the program was very disorganized (it is only 3 years old), and many students found this frustrating. She also said the 2nd term of pharmacology was online and that didn't sit well with many students either. Epidemiology was also online, and with the cost of the program (same as Yale, like 150k), this also frustrated many students.

Hope this helps! Also, this week we should be getting a call from someone who is currently in the program.

Is anyone waiting to hear from the ABSN program? They should be calling this week.

Hi Lolac. I didn't get phonecall but got a letter that I was placed on alternate list for ABSN program. I wonder how many people here got similar letters? They don't specify ranking on the list, so it's hard to speculate what's your chances of getting in. I also don't live in Portland, wonder if anyone knows how much parking cost at OHSU if you'll be commuting?

I'm an alternate for accbacc too (and midwifery)... who knows how many people are on the waitlist, since they don't give rankings.

Re: parking @ OHSU - there's not much, and they encourage carpooling or public tansportation or bike. My understanding is that even docs have to be on a waiting list for a parking space, so lowly nursing students don't have much chance :-)

Good luck to everyone!

I've also applied to Chemeketa program, parking there is reasonable and tuition. Although, getting BS from OHSU may be worth more because it'd make you more competitive during the job search.

I got in off the waitlist about a week ago. I'm probably not going to accept the spot because I think I'll be headed to Yale - so keep your hopes up, people definitely are getting in off the waitlist.