According to statistics from the federal government, nursing was the fourth most popular degree program in America for the 2010 academic year. That should be no surprise when you consider that nursing is also ranked as the fastest-growing career field in all of the country. Between the different levels of nursing and the dozens of specialties pertaining to each one, it is a field in which there's plenty of work to go around. Even in the midst of a sluggish economy health care is an essential service which requires workers; workers like licensed practical nurses (LPNs) and registered nurses (RNs).
It's long been understood that the majority of nursing candidates go into their education straight out of high school. But there are a certain percentage who switch to nursing when they lose interest in their first choice of majors, or decide on nursing as a second career. For these candidates, accelerated nursing programs put them on the fast track to graduation by giving them credit for previous education experience.
Although there are more than a dozen different types of degree programs for nursing they can be broken down into five basic types:
- Licensed Practical Nurse/Licensed Vocational Nurse (LPN/LVN)
- Associate of Science in Nursing (ASN)
- Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN)
- Master of Science in Nursing (MSN)
- Doctorate in Nursing (DN)
Of these five, only the last three have accelerated programs. That's due to the fact that the nature of accelerated programs precludes the first two degree programs by definition. The licensed practical nurse (LPN), also known as the licensed vocational nurse (LVN) in some states, only requires a one-year certification program that teaches the basic tasks of nursing including taking vital signs, doing patient interviews, checking height and weight, managing paperwork, etc.
The ASN degree takes that one step further with a two-year program that adds additional medical courses along with instruction in basic tasks. But because the one-year certification program for an LPN license is not considered college credit, it can't be applied to an ASN program to create an accelerated option.
Accelerated BSN Program
The bachelor degree program for nursing is becoming the standard in today's healthcare industry as more and more hospitals are requiring that as the bare minimum for a registered nurse. They are still hiring LPNs in large numbers, and some associate degree nurses, but gradually the system is being steered to accepting a minimum of the BSN degree for entry-level positions. A typical BSN program is four years of course study which includes two years of liberal arts and an additional two years of medical school. One need not be an LPN or RN with associate degree in order to enroll in a BSN program.
With that in mind, a registered nurse with associate degree can enter an accelerated BSN program in which he or she is credited with the two years spent studying for the associate degree. That credit eliminates the need to take the two years of liberal arts for the BSN program. In addition, since the student has already taken some of the introductory medical courses in order to get an associate degree those need not be repeated in the BSN program. With an accelerated BSN program it is possible to complete a four-year course of study in just four educational semesters.
Accelerated MSN Program
The accelerated master program works very similar to that of the bachelor degree. If you were to take the full course required for a master degree starting from scratch, the entire process would take between six and eight years, depending on your specialty. But with an accelerated program you're able to count your two years of liberal arts and any of the medical courses you've already taken towards your program. An accelerated MSN can usually be completed in three to four years rather than the typical six to eight.
As for doctorate degrees, there are accelerated programs for those as well but they are fairly rare. The doctorate degree is designed specifically to prepare the student for careers in research, administration, education, public policy, and so on. Such careers demand quite a bit of intense, full-time study, making accelerated programs impractical in most cases.
Switching Careers
Though accelerated nursing programs are a benefit to all kinds of people, those who seem to benefit the most are individuals who are switching careers. This is easily demonstrated by the number of nursing students who are embarking on a second career after being downsized in their previous one. Such students can take advantage of the credits earned during their first educational experience and apply them to nursing school. This gets them out of school and into the workforce in half the time it would take them to complete a full program.
Another benefit of accelerated programs is that individuals embarking on nursing as a second career, after being laid off, find it possible to transition into nursing without ever missing a beat financially. They do so using the following process:
- Collecting unemployment or severance pay for one year while earning an LPN license.
- Working as an LPN for two years while simultaneously earning an associate degree.
- Enrolling in accelerated BSN program immediately after earning associate degree, continuing to work as an RN at the same time.
Specialty Certificates
It must be noted that accelerated nursing programs do not prepare you for a specific specialty. Upon graduation you will need to still be certified in a particular specialty by taking a specific certification exam. Some of these exams require additional educational courses, but if so, they are not very time-consuming or intense. Some specialties, such as nurse practitioner and nurse anesthesiologist require you to have the minimum of at least a master degree before applying for the certification exam.
Accelerated nursing programs are a great way to get into the nursing field or advance your already existing nursing career. By taking advantage of your previous education you can complete these programs in a relatively short amount of time. All the more reason to consider the field of nursing as your career choice.