An Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing program offers the potential to graduate with a bachelor’s degree in nursing in far less time than a traditional four-year BSN program. In fact, you might graduate in as few as 12 months after completing the prerequisites.
If you have a non-nursing bachelor’s degree or at least 60 college credits, one option that could be a good fit for you on your journey to earning a nursing degree is an Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (ABSN) program. What is an ABSN program? It is a fast-track option that allows you to earn a B.S. in Nursing more quickly than a traditional BSN program.
The University of St. Thomas Houston’s ABSN program can allow you to graduate in as few as 12 months, over four consecutive semesters, after successfully completing any needed prerequisites. Despite the program’s accelerated nature, the ABSN program at UST offers a high-quality, comprehensive, nursing education that fully prepares you to tackle modern challenges in nursing.
What is an ABSN nursing program like? Explore how an ABSN program works and what you can expect from your nursing education.
How an ABSN Program Works
How can a high-quality nursing degree be earned in as few as 12 months? This model of learning works because it builds upon students’ prior non-nursing education. You won’t have to take general education courses during your nursing program since you’ve already completed a degree or a minimum number of college credits. Plus, an ABSN program takes place over consecutive semesters. Without a summer vacation, you can graduate much more quickly and prepare to enter the nursing workforce.
What is an accelerated nursing program like for the students? It requires an intensive schedule working through a rigorous curriculum. However, ABSN students at UST receive exceptional support from our dedicated faculty members and Academic Success Coaches. The curriculum consists of:
- Online coursework to teach nursing concepts
- Hands-on nursing skills and simulation labs to build nursing skills
- Clinical rotations to provide practical, hands-on experience
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Why ABSN?
The ABSN program at UST empowers you to leverage your previous education into a life-changing career as a nurse in as few as 12 months. But first, you will need to meet the following academic requirements:
- Complete the prerequisites for the program before enrollment.
- Have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher (including a 3.0 GPA for all prerequisite science courses).
- Earn a score of 80 or higher on the Health Education Systems, Inc. (HESI) Admission Assessment exam (required 80% in each of the following sections: Reading Comprehension, Grammar, Vocabulary, Math, and A&P), or 78% on all section of the TEAS exam.
If you meet those requirements, UST’s ABSN program might be a good fit for you. Another great reason to choose an ABSN program is that it offers a hybrid learning curriculum that makes completing your program work more smoothly with your life. You can complete the coursework online, bringing greater convenience to your nursing education.
What Is an ABSN Nursing Program Like?
We’ve already touched on how the ABSN combines instructional coursework with hands-on experiential learning. The hybrid approach gives you flexibility when completing your online nursing theory coursework, which you can do from anywhere. Then, you’ll be challenged to apply what you’ve learned online and put it into practice during hands-on skills and simulation labs and clinical rotations at top hospitals in Houston.
Online Learning
Our intuitive e-learning platform keeps you engaged with videos, discussion boards, and modules that guide you through each component of nursing theory. Plus, you can complete your coursework at your own pace, within the deadlines set by instructors, and from anywhere convenient for you. With our online nursing courses, you can review the learning materials as often as you need to feel confident with the concepts.
You won’t feel isolated in your studies. Even though the online portion of the curriculum isn’t in a classroom, you will still stay connected to your instructors and classmates through chatrooms and email.
Skills and Simulation Labs
Skills and simulation labs allow you to implement your online work in a safe, no-risk environment. Our labs are equipped with state-of-the-art technology, giving our nursing students an edge when preparing for real healthcare settings.
In nursing skills labs, you’ll develop fundamental nursing skills. These include:
- Performing head-to-toe assessments
- Checking vital signs, such as blood pressure
- Providing wound care
- Inserting nasogastric tubes
- Placing IV lines
As you master these essential nursing skills, you’ll be challenged to put your new skills to work in nursing simulation labs. As the name suggests, simulation labs feature simulations of patient care scenarios like allergic reactions, drug overdoses, and heart attacks. These adverse events are simulated on the life-like medical manikins. You and other members of your cohort will practice applying the nursing process to work through each patient care scenario, developing clinical judgment and decision-making skills.
After each patient care scenario, you’ll be debriefed by your nursing instructor. You’ll talk about what happened and learn what you did well and what needs improvement. This is a judgment-free learning zone in which mistakes are seen as opportunities to learn and grow.
Clinical Rotations
Clinical rotations take the hands-on experience a step further. You’ll complete your rotations inside top Houston-area hospitals, where you’ll help actual patients under the supervision of an instructor. Clinical placements can pave the way for networking and building relationships with members of the local healthcare community.
Clinicals also provide opportunities to gain an inside look at various nursing specialties. You may work shifts in specialties such as:
- Adult health
- Community health
- Mental health
- Obstetrics
- Pediatrics
Clinicals are an excellent opportunity to begin shaping your future career in nursing.
Now that you know the answer to the question, “What is an accelerated nursing program like?” let’s look at how an ABSN differs from a traditional BSN program.
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What Is the Difference Between BSN and ABSN Programs?
The most significant difference between a traditional BSN and an accelerated BSN is the time it takes to earn the degree. Traditional BSN programs take four years to complete, but most ABSN programs take 12 to 24 months, depending on prerequisites and program requirements.
Also, traditional BSN programs, occasionally called “campus-based programs,” are generally geared toward students with no previous college experience and usually require only a high school diploma for acceptance.
Conversely, ABSN programs are built for students with non-nursing degrees or, at the very least, enough college credits to qualify for admission. It’s a highly career-focused program designed to jumpstart your entry into the nursing workforce.
Benefits of an ABSN Program
What is an ABSN program’s main benefit? Again, the time to completion offers a very compelling benefit. By graduating in as few as 12 months, you can sit for the NCLEX much sooner and start searching for your first nursing job in far less time than students in a traditional BSN program.
Additional benefits of an ABSN program include:
- Convenient coursework: While you’ll still be held accountable to deadlines, online classes offer a more flexible approach to nursing education.
- Strong clinical skills: ABSN programs emphasize experiential, hands-on learning, which means you’ll have plenty of opportunities to develop the strong clinical skills that healthcare employers seek.
- Flexible start dates: Traditional BSN programs typically offer no more than two start dates each year. In contrast, UST’s ABSN offers three start dates each year: January, May, and August. That means you won’t have to wait too long after completing the necessary admission requirements.
- Multiple Program Locations: UST’s ABSN program offers three locations throughout Houston for students to complete their in-person components. While we can’t guarantee you’ll get your first choice in location, our advisors do their best to take students’ preferences into account.
- Close-knit cohort: An ABSN program’s schedule is intensive, and each cohort tends to be close-knit. During experiential learning opportunities, you’ll have plenty of chances to forge long-lasting connections with other cohort members.
ABSN or BSN: Which Is Right for You?
Determining which program is right depends mainly on your current education level, dedication, and time commitment. For example, if you need to hold a full-time job while on your path to nursing, a traditional program may be a better fit because it’s not as compressed and may allow you more time to work.
If you are ready to become a nurse and already have a non-nursing bachelor’s degree or a minimum number of college credits, the ABSN program may be the quickest path to your new career. If you have fewer than 60 non-nursing college credits, however, a four-year BSN program is probably a better fit.
Make a Bold Move for Your Future as a Nurse
If you want to see if you meet the admission requirements, call us today. Our admissions team can answer any question and ensure our accelerated nursing program is a great fit to help you start your journey toward a rewarding nursing career. If you decide to move forward, you’ll work one-on-one with a dedicated admissions advisor, who will help you put together a roadmap toward enrollment.
Contact our admissions team today to get started.