USM Accelerated Nursing Program...

Hi there,

I am thinking of applying to USM's accelerated nursing program. I already have a bachelors of science from USM and an associates of science from another health related field. I have some questions about their accelerated program that I would be applying to start in May 2010 (Sept. 2009 Application deadline).

Does the accelerated program only start in May, do they have other start dates?

I am currently in the accelerated program and graduating in August; I'll answer these as best I can. The accelerated program in Portland starts in May; the one in Lewiston starts in September.

How many hours do you get to spend doing clinicals? How many semesters? How many days/hours per week? I looked on SMCC's website and it looks like they spend an avg. of 16-18 hours per week in clinical each semester... I am hoping USM is the same way (that you get enough clinical time)... Any input on the quality of the clinical time in USM's program would be great... Did you feel prepared enough? Any comparisons to SMCC/CMCC...?

SMCC/CMCC have more clinical hours; that being said, they do some of their first clinicals basically doing CNA work, whereas we get that out of the way with our health assessment/nursing fundamentals classes in the summer. During the fall semester, you'll do 8 hours a week of med/surg clinical and 8 hours a week for half the semester at your mental health clinical.

In the spring, you'll do half a semester in your high acuity clinical for 8 hours a week plus a 4 hour lab, and you'll also do half a semester for 8 hours a week in a labor and delivery setting.

Second summer is spent doing peds for the first half, 8 hours a week of clinical, and then your practicum which is 24 hours/week in a setting of your choice.

I find the clinical time to be adequate, and after seeing students from other schools on the floors, I'd say USM students are equal to or ahead of them in most aspects. Sure, you have less clinical time, but USM also has better, more educated professors. Also, SMCC/CMCC don't do community health clinicals, whereas USM does. That is 4 hours a week every week for the spring semester and half of the second summer.

If I apply early (like sometime in March 2009), do they have any way of early acceptance? In other words, could I find out if I were accepted early and not wait until this winter? I'd like to know now so I can plan for other options in case I don't get in there.

Nope. They review all applicants as a pool and it is VERY competitive to get in.

I have a degree in another health field (rad tech) and graduated from USM a year ago with a fairly high GPA... I realize the program is intense and that it is time consuming... any other input on the program would be helpful. I have already taken A&P I and II, Bio I with labs, Chem I with labs, and Physics I and II with labs, as well as a Statistics course, Human Growth & Development course, and Psychology and Sociology at USM for my previous BS degree. I also have already taken Concepts in Community Health and Health Related Research. So I have a few courses done. I have NOT take Microbio, pathophys, or pharmacology yet... Don't know if I should to help my application...?

I think you've taken enough to have a very strong application. However, this summer you could do patho/pharm/other classes to get those out of the way and make your time in the accelerated program easier. The program is INCREDIBLY intense.

Also, my end goal is to become a CRNA after a few years expreience and going back to grad school to get my masters in Nurse Anesthetist. Any insight on this would be great as well if you have any... I am not really sure how much experience you really come out of nursing school with... I know you have to have at least 1 year of ICU/critical care nursing to apply to CRNA program... how exactly do nurses get into a "specialty". Do hospitals do some on the job training for new grads? Are veteran nurses good at helping new grads with problems/new skills? I am not sure how this works.... I went to x-ray school, it was a competancy based program... we learned HUNDREDS of procedures, positions, skills, and when we graduated we were COMPLETELY prepared to do our job to its fullest without the need for help/training from other rad techs (unless you switched to another modality... such as CT/MRI/Ultrasound, etc.). I do not fully understand the "scope" of a new grad nurse, and how exactly one goes about getting into different specialties, but any advice on how a new grad could eventually get on the path of landing a critical care position as soon as possible out of college would be great.

If you want to be a CRNA, you'll need a BSN. To get a masters in nursing, associates and diploma nurses have to bridge to a BSN and then get their MSN. Getting your BSN would be quicker.

Also, with the economy the way it is, I have seen MANY ASN new grads here complaining that they can't find jobs, whereas I am getting several interviews for positions, most likely because I have a BSN.

Also, USM is unique in that you can go to the Dominican Republic for your community health rotation if you choose to do so; no other school allows that. I did it and found it to be an amazing experience. I love USM; I have found the professors to all be very supportive and I have learned A LOT there.