Industry experts are projecting the need for more than 1,000,000 new and replacement nurses within the next decade. As a result of this, a new approach to nursing education is rapidly gaining popularity. They are called the accelerated nursing degree programs for non-nursing graduates.
These programs require previous college level training and provide a way for individuals with undergraduate degrees in other areas to transition into nursing. The accelerated BSN programs are the quickest route for adults who have already completed a bachelor’s or graduate degree in a non-nursing discipline.
These programs are extremely demanding as they are designed to be very short and intensive (usually less than 2 years). They also cost quite a bit so you want to look at your finances before you make such a committment.
The accelerated training helps to inject more registered nurses into the health care system and this has be praised by some as an intelligent move. But skeptics are quick to point out that accelerated programs provide very little bedside training and wonder about the caliber of the nurses that are trained.
Sentiments like this continue to exist inspite of considerable efforts by nursing colleges to ensure that their training programs meet the requirements for accreditation. I think it is time for colleges to spend more time enlightening the public about these programs before the damages become irrepairable.