Are accelerated nursing school programs something you should consider?
By 2012 the US Department of Labor is projecting the county will need more than 1,000,000 new and replacement Registered Nurses . So many nursing schools around the country are exploring ways in which to increase capacity and reach new students. One such way is to use fast track nursing schools which provide nursing programs for non-nursing graduates. These nursing schools offer both a Baccalaureate and Master's Degree programs which build on you prior learning experiences. They provide a way for those individuals who have an undergraduate degrees in other fields of expertise to transfer into nursing programs.
Such accelerated programs give the student the simplest route to gain a license as a Registered Nurse (RN) for those who have completed a Bachelor's degree in some other field. Such programs take between 11 to 18 months to complete and include prerequisites, While a fast track master's degree program will usually take the students around 3 years to complete.
At present such accelerated nursing programs are available in 43 states across the US and also in the District of Columbia. By the middle of 2006 there were almost 200 accelerated bachelor degree programs and just under 50 accelerated master's programs at nursing schools all across the US. And as of July 2006 there were another 40 accelerated bachelor degree programs in the planning stage along with 17 accelerated master's programs.
What are accelerated nursing programs about?
These unique programs accomplish the required training in a very short time as they build on your previous learning experiences. The instruction provided on these programs is often intense as the courses are offered to students full time with no breaks between sessions. But the students on these programs will receive the same number of credit hours as those of their counterparts who are using traditional nursing schools.
Admission standards are high and they will usually require the student to have a minimum of 3.0 GPA, and the student will usually also have to go through a thorough screening process. But those who eventually are accepted for these programs are encouraged NOT to also try and hold down a full time job, as the rigors that are associated with this intense training will make it difficult for them to complete the all degree requirements.
The nursing schools which provide these accelerated nursing programs are specifically geared to those individuals who have already shown their ability to succeed at a college. Many students who have already completed either a bachelor's degree, or are graduate degree students tend to be attracted to these fast track programs as they are the logical next step in their higher education training and a successful nursing career.
Published March 6th, 2007