What is the first day of an accelerated BSN program like?

NP Sam · Jul 3, 2010

My first day of my absn program is aug 23 and it will be 3 lecture courses. I'm so excited though! Having clinical the first day wouldn't be bad if everyone in your class has a little healthcare experience but for someone who is completely embarking on a new career I imagine that would be scary.

ok2bme · Jul 4, 2010

it was orientation for us..it actually was anxiety provoking because we heard administrators and deans tell us how we will have no life for the next 14 months and it will be the hardest thing we ever do. in reality though, these programs are so competitive that if you're smart enough to get accepted, and have the confidence to apply, you'll do well! i don't tell other nurses this..b/c they get butthurt..but i am more proud of being an accelerated bsn grad than i am of being an rn! congrats!

ms_sgr, BSN, NP · Jul 4, 2010

I envy you guy in the ACE program. I am in the regular program and we have a lot of reading to do. I'm glad that I was rejected for that program. Hmm, going to clinicals on the first day doesn't sound right to me. You guys are walking in there like blind mice. I would suggest that you read your skill book before going to clinicals. Good luck to you all!

michigansapphire · Jul 5, 2010

Did you go to U of M? That's where I'm going this fall. I have the skills blitz for a week and then the first official day of class is clinicals. Yikes! If indeed you went to UM, I'd love any insight you could provide to me as I'm starting to get nervous.

Yes, I am at UM. Sounds like you have the same schedule I did - Monday lecture, Tuesday clinical. I'd be happy to talk with you about my experiences - send me a private message or an email through the site (little icons next to my username) and we can talk!

caliotter3, on our first 8-hour clinical day, we spent about 3 hours sitting in the cafeteria with our instructor going over the syllabus and his expectations, then we went to the floor for the rest of the day. Because of the accelerated schedule, we would have lost a clinical day if we'd used our first meeting just for orientation stuff.

Honestly, it was intimidating at the time but waiting another week wouldn't have helped much!

Genu9ine · Jul 26, 2010

i am waiting to start my accelerated program too! i'm so excited, and i'm having a hard time just sitting around waiting to start. I begin classes september 7.

hiddencatRN, BSN, RN · Jul 26, 2010

What do you remember about the first day? How stressful/anxiety inducing was it compared to what you were expecting?

I'm about to finish Drexel's ACE program. First day? Stressful. All of my classes went through the course requirements, readings, assignments, policies, and it just seemed like so much at once and I had no clue how I was going to keep track of everything and get through it all. You're not looking at what you have to do next, but what you have to do for the entire quarter/semester. After the first week however, I got in to a rhythm of things and learned not to look to far ahead but to focus on what I have to accomplish NOW and get that done and out of the way before thinking about what I have to accomplish next week, the week after, and by the end of the quarter.

The pattern for me throughout the 4 quarters has been that the first week seems confusing and disorienting, the first few weeks seem to crawl by, and then midterms hit and the rest of the quarter flies by. Same with the first clinical day every quarter: something about being in a new location makes me forget everything I know about everything, but after that first clinical I feel like I pick up where I left off in the previous quarter and improve from there.

Honestly though, I felt more anxious before the orientation to the program, that occurred a week or two before the program actually started, than I felt before the first day of classes. I was literally in panic-attack zone the night before orientation. It has been a challenging program, overwhelming at times, exhausting overall, but my anxiety was more about my ability to rise to the occasion, and I was definitely able to get through everything I've needed to get through. Have faith in yourself!

Starting with clinicals on the first day only will lend emphasis to an overwhelming experience. Who wants to go to the clinical floor without a clue on their first day of nursing school? For each and every clinical class, we had an orientation meeting where expectations were discussed and the syllabus was handed out when the students met their clinical instructor. Then we went to the clinical site for the second meeting. That makes sense. And if the "accelerated" program is in need of that much speed, they could include the clinical orientation meeting on the same day as a full day of lectures. Nothing would be lost.

On our first day at the clinical site, we have orientation and then an hour or two on the floor just getting used to things, maybe doing an assessment of a patient but nothing major. I think I would have been a mess to have the first day of school be a clinical! I understand the need to fit in all of your clinical hours, but I'd rather have longer clinical days through the rest of the quarter than start like that. We also had a lab class that alternated with our first clinical experience first quarter, so we were not on a clinical site until the 3rd week of the first quarter (or 2nd depending on which group you were in). We were really eased in first quarter, but by the end of the program will have 520 clinical hours completed.

BellsRNBSN · Jul 26, 2010

I too am anxiously awaiting the start of my ABSN program on August 23! Our first day will consist of orientation and then diving right into lectures. We start clinical in the third week.

hiddencat, your program sounds like what I am expecting mine to be. Your post was very helpful and offered me some good insight for my first day and first semester - so thanks! :redpinkhe