4 Benefits of an Accelerated BSN Program

nurses at work

After completing your undergraduate degree, it may seem like opportunities are endless. Although the prospect of kickstarting your career may seem a bit daunting, now you have the chance to make the most of your hard-earned education.

Nevertheless, after spending some time looking for a job and working in the professional realm, you might feel pigeonholed in the field you initially chose for your career. You might now feel enthusiastic about a change and wish to make a career transition that can enable you to help others and leave an impact on their lives. And if you have ever reflected upon a nursing career, the good news: it’s never too late.

Nurses are one of the most crucial professionals in today’s fast-pacing world, and the demand for these healthcare professionals has exponentially grown. Although these professionals account for approximately 50% of the global healthcare workforce; yet, healthcare facilities are in quest of more nurses to join this profession.

So, if you are passionate about making a real difference in people’s lives, there’s no better time than the present to get started. And while you might think pursuing a nursing degree at this stage would be time-consuming, specifically after you’ve already poured in hard work for your bachelor’s degree. That’s where the accelerated BSN program’s role comes into the picture.

What is an accelerated BSN degree program?

Traditional nursing programs often take several years to complete, and going back to nursing school for such long periods isn’t feasible for many. Given this, educational institutions introduced accelerated nursing programs. An accelerated bachelor of science in nursing primarily condenses the curriculum of a traditional degree program into a shorter span without undermining the quality.

So, if you are someone who taps into opportunities, enrolling in an online accelerated BSN can be the streamlined and fast way to step into a rewarding and promising nursing career. An ABSN program imparts in-depth knowledge and hones the leadership skills required to become a holistically trained nurse.

Let’s flesh out some of the benefits that an ABSN program offers:

1.  Save time and costs

This benefit is self-explanatory – an ABSN degree allows you to commence your nursing career quickly and complete it in a shorter period. Though it’s true that an accelerated BSN degree is immensely challenging and requires intense studying, if you pour in hard work and effort, the results will be phenomenal.

writing nurse

And while these degree programs may seem costly at face value, it’s imperative to pay attention to the opportunity costs. For instance, if enrolled in a traditional nursing program, you will spend most of your time as a student, which equates to not getting enough return on your educational investment.

On the contrary, an ABSN degree effectively splits the time you spend in nursing school, thus, making it easy for you to gain hands-on experience and begin earning. Not only this, but it also allows you to bridge the nursing shortage gap currently experienced by the country by providing optimum care.

2.  Provide flexibility

Out of the many benefits of an accelerated BSN program, one of the most significant is flexibility. Though the coursework of ABSN is often intense and rigorous, you can still enjoy educational flexibility.

Unlike traditional nursing programs, which, more often than not, necessitate attending classes, this program allows you to study the coursework from the comfort of your home or anywhere. And this, in turn, eliminates the burden of the daily commute and enables you to stay on a defined schedule. But, naturally, you will still need to complete the assignments and projects assigned by the instructors before the given deadlines.

Besides, the program also offers career flexibility. Since nursing isn’t like a traditional 9-5 daily grind, there’s some flexibility in the work shifts and hours. For example, most healthcare facilities operate on shifts; thus, you can choose to work for shorter or longer shifts, contingent upon your convenience.

3.  Present advancement opportunities

A BSN degree has become a requisite for RNs. Healthcare enterprises react to the Institute of Medicine’s initiative about increasing the number of BSN-prepared nurses to 80% by 2020 to achieve magnet status. Hence, an accelerated BSN program allows you to complete the degree quickly and become the top pick for employers.

Besides keeping you ahead of the mandate, an ABSN paves the way for more advancement opportunities. The degree program allows you to complete clinical rotations in various practice areas, such as acute care, mental health, intensive care, public health, and disaster management. This way, you can step up the career ladder, become an advanced practice RN, and choose to work in any specialty like critical care, emergency care, or other roles.

Also, it’s relevant to note that an accelerated BSN program doesn’t restrict you to only healthcare facilities. Several organizations may require your services, for instance, physician offices, cruise ships, educational institutions, and military bases.

nursing shots

4.  Offer job security

The ever-growing demand for registered nurses doesn’t seem to stop anytime soon in the future. And the reasons behind this growth are the mass exodus of retired nurses, the aging baby boomer population, and the increasing demand for quality care.

The World Health Organization forecasts that nearly 5.7 million jobs will remain vacant by 2030. Not only this, but BLS also predicts the field of nursing is likely to grow by 9% by 2030. What’s more? Employers such as the US Armed Forces, Air Forces, and Navy necessitate a bachelor’s degree to become eligible for the post of a military nurse.

Additionally, the major employer of RNs, i.e., the Department of Veteran Affairs, also necessitates a bachelor’s degree if you wish to get promoted above the entry-level position. And as per the AACN, today, healthcare organizations value and tend to hire ABSN graduates since these individuals have strong clinical and other skills that can transition well into the nursing profession.

Given all these facts and figures, it’s safe to state that nursing is a thriving field, and an accelerated BSN can prove to be a valuable asset for you in the future.

Final Words

If you wish to change the direction of your career trajectory and switch to a meaningful and even more impactful career, becoming a nurse can be the best bet. And if you wish to save time and avoid costs associated with traditional nursing degrees, there’s an accelerated program designed for nursing aspirants like you.