What is an accelerated nursing program?

what is an accelerated nursing program? Accelerated Nursing program is made for individuals who want to fast-track attaining a place in the nursing career.

People who already have undergraduate degrees other than in nursing, those who have a diploma degree in unrelated courses and wish to transition into a nursing career could go for the accelerated nursing program.

As the name of the program implies, accelerated nursing programs skyrocket people who want to be in the nursing field within a short while.

While achievement is made within a little while in the nursing field, it requires grit and mental strength to thrive in the acquisition of knowledge.

Most times, classes are held online and the clinical practices are gotten from nearby clinics. Although, in some cases, classes are held on campus like the traditional way of attaining a nursing degree.

The classes run within a shorter period, they are more rigorous and run continually without a break.

For this reason, students or aspiring ones should consider the amount of time they can dedicate while in the study so that they can make the best of it.

Categories of the Accelerated Nursing Program

Generally, the classes are categorized into quarters which can be likened to semesters in the traditional campus setting, although, there are various levels of studying in the Accelerated Nursing Program.

The degree differs in the sense that each of the programs requires the completion of various levels of schemes of work by the students. The types include the Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN), Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN), and the Accelerated Masters in Science in Nursing (MSN).

Accelerated Associate Degree in Nursing

This degree can be likened to a diploma course where students acquire the core knowledge and clinical skills in the nursing field.

Many universities shorten the time frame of learning to about a year and a half, while a few run for about two years in an accelerated construct.

This is for individuals who are interested in acquiring knowledge in nursing, high school diploma graduates, or individuals who wish to switch careers into the nursing field. This degree facilitates the acquisition of foundational knowledge in the nursing career and activities.

It gives the opportunity to become a registered nurse; that is, it provides one of the prerequisites for students who want to write the certification exam for registered nurses.

The National Council of State Board of Nursing (NCSBN), organizes the National Council Licensure that certifies individuals who have met their requirements to become registered nurses.

Acquiring an Associate Degree in nursing gives one the freedom and flexibility to freely choose from the numerous nursing careers that align with your area of interest.

Fields one can practice after acquiring an Associate Degree in nursing include Rehabilitation Nursing, Physician’s office Nurse, Maternity Nursing, Registered Nursing, Family nursing, and others.

While learning, human anatomy, the foundation of nursing practices, nursing pathophysiology, and other related subjects are taught to students.

Students who have no bachelor’s degree and would love to run an accelerated Bachelor’s degree in Nursing can enroll in the accelerated associate degree in nursing and later advance into acquiring a bachelor’s or master’s degree in the nursing field.

Accelerated Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing: As the name implies, this program facilitates acquiring a bachelor’s degree in an accelerated setting, that is, quicker than the traditional campus settings and timing.

Students who have already acquired an Associate Degree in Nursing and would like to further their education and practice can decide to go for this program.

Also, individuals who have already acquired a bachelor’s degree in another course of study but will want to switch and embark on a nursing career can decide to enroll for the accelerated Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing. Registered nurses without a bachelor’s degree can as well enroll to acquire more knowledge.

In the process of engaging yourself through the program, some things might differ from the traditional campus setting.

Most classes are online and will demand extra zeal and dedication from the students. In order to meet up the time constraint, the structure and curriculum will be offered earlier than the traditional campus timing.

It takes a year or a year half of rigorous studying, practice, and research in order to acquire this degree.

Students will be engaged with classroom work, clinical practice, nursing research and leadership, health assessment, nursing system, and ethics.

It is advisable to give full dedication within this short while so that the acquisition of knowledge comes wholly and one can practice professionally as a registered nurse with a bachelor’s degree.

The advantage this degree has is that more knowledge will be acquired, hence, your care and practice to patients will be defter and more professional, this will lead to you facilitating the well-being of patients and they will also be trusting you while dispensing your duties. This of course is a worthwhile course for life.

After acquiring the Bachelor’s Degree in an accelerated style, that is in about 11 to 18 months, students advance into becoming professionals in various nursing units such as the ICU/ Emergency unit, they could become medical-surgical nurses, public health nurses, school nurses, case management nurse and other fields of the nursing practice.

The Accelerated Masters of Science in Nursing Degree: The idea of advancement in the acquisition of knowledge is a great one, as professionals keep their flag of learning and practice flying.

In the accelerated program in nursing, after acquiring an associate and bachelor’s degree, the next stage of learning is the accelerated master’s in nursing.

This program is for individuals interested in upgrading their level of practice as registered nurses. Students who have a nursing degree are qualified to enroll in the course.

Even holders of a non-nursing degree; both bachelor’s and master’s are eligible to enroll in the accelerated master of science in nursing, that is if they meet the requirements for the program.

Students who have studied Science related courses are on a vantage point for admission into the program, although, requirements might differ a little according to the request of the institution.

Generally, a GPA of your course of study and a Statement of Purpose is required, however, check in with your institution to rectify the requirements and make sure to provide them.

In order to acquire a master’s of science in Nursing, it takes three years of studying with rigor and dedication.

This is usually an interesting journey as one transcends to a new level. In the course of study, a license to practice is usually administered to individuals who are yet to be registered nurses. Practice in clinics is usually done by students in close clinics where experiences are garnered until professionalism is acquired.

Careers of practice after acquiring an accelerated master’s degree in nursing include becoming an educator in the nursing sector, becoming a health policy expert, clinical nursing leader, family nurse, and Certified Nurse-Midwife practitioner; these are advanced levels of practice in the nursing field.

Basically, the accelerated Master of Science in Nursing is a ladder to becoming a professional at the apex of the nursing career, the sacrifice of time, and other resources is going to be worthwhile eventually once you kick start practice. Hence, it is advisable to pay full attention to learning while in the process of acquiring this degree.

Factors to Consider before embarking on the Accelerated Nursing Degree

Adequate planning is required before embarking on any of the accelerated programs in Nursing. Just like any feat to be made, adequate planning begets maximum results.

The accelerated nursing program is not a herculean one, neither can one say it is an easy task; it only requires a lot of consistency and dedication while studying because of the condensed nature; the curriculum of the program is covered within a shorter while as compared to the traditional campus setting.

Considerations of the following should be made:

Consider your Goals and Opportunities after Studying: it is of no essence to put in a lot of effort in studying and find no use for them in achieving your goals.

Hence, check to see if the accelerated nursing program will enable you to achieve your goals, especially the ones you have stipulated in your statement of purpose.

For instance, an aspiring pharmacist wouldn’t be able to achieve the goal through an accelerated nursing program.

In another instance, an aspiring public health worker or health policy expert can achieve this aim maximally by acquiring a master’s in science in nursing in an accelerated setting.

Therefore, the knowledge acquired through this setting should be maximally utilized for the good of your community by being able to provide professional nursing care to your patients and to even fulfill your purpose and earn you a living.

That way, acquiring an accelerated nursing program becomes beneficial both to you and the patients you will come in contact with.

Consideration of time: As earlier stated, what makes the degree accelerated is the fast pace of covering the curriculum in the course of study, hence, it requires dedicating a large chunk of the day to study.

It requires students with time on their hands to work for the success of acquiring any of the accelerated programs.

That is why a student without adequate time at a stretch to study should consider going the traditional way of degree acquisition where you can also have time to be engaged in other kinds of stuff.

It kind of monopolizes your time and dedication; hence, students on any of the accelerated nursing programs must have mastered the art of time management so that they can achieve the peak of success in their career within the short time they have to learn and practice to become a professional.

Students who want to work part-time while studying should consider their time management in order to achieve success.

The Ability to Learn Fast is Another Consideration to be Made: In considering this factor, the question of how much will and determination is available for the students to learn with vigor has to be asked.

If you feel you have the mental capabilities to handle the pressure of learning a lot within a short while, then the accelerated program is for you.

The accelerated program demands a lot of mental strength and the zest to go further in studying within a short while.

Not to scare you away, the accelerated style of a degree acquisition was made for individuals who are fast learners and are ready to build their mental strength and not for those who are mentally lazy.

So, the question is how much are you willing for your brain to carry the bulk of work within a short while? How much determination do you possess or willing to get?

Fund for tuition fees, nursing research, learning, and technological aids and the welfare of the student.

That’s why it is advisable for students who will have to work while studying to sponsor their education aren’t really advised to take on the accelerated nursing degree program.

In fact, the American Association of Colleges of Nursing advises the student to focus full time on study and not work if possible.

There are no stipulated laws for students to not work, but it is advisable that focus on studying full time; this is so that they can meet up with the time constraints and bulk of work to be covered.

Concluding remark on What is an accelerated nursing program?

Setting the right foundation in your nursing career is key, the accelerated nursing program can help an individual interested in venturing into the nursing career set a strong foundation.

It is even more advantageous as the degree is acquired within a short while when compared to the traditional campus setting.

Here, to be very successful in the accelerated program, one needs to understand that the best has to be achieved within a short while, hence, the dedication, zest, and resources needed in the program have to be whole; it requires full dedication.

It is best to make all the sacrifices to achieve the peak of study while enrolled in the program. Whether it is the associate, master’s, or bachelor’s degree, be sure to make an informed decision and give it your best shot so that you can enjoy the advantage of the fast pace of learning and practice of professionalism that the accelerated nursing program gives.

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