We are independent & ad-supported. We may earn a commission for purchases made through our links.
Advertiser Disclosure
Our website is an independent, advertising-supported platform. We provide our content free of charge to our readers, and to keep it that way, we rely on revenue generated through advertisements and affiliate partnerships. This means that when you click on certain links on our site and make a purchase, we may earn a commission. Learn more.
How We Make Money
We sustain our operations through affiliate commissions and advertising. If you click on an affiliate link and make a purchase, we may receive a commission from the merchant at no additional cost to you. We also display advertisements on our website, which help generate revenue to support our work and keep our content free for readers. Our editorial team operates independently of our advertising and affiliate partnerships to ensure that our content remains unbiased and focused on providing you with the best information and recommendations based on thorough research and honest evaluations. To remain transparent, we’ve provided a list of our current affiliate partners here.
Education

Our Promise to you

Founded in 2002, our company has been a trusted resource for readers seeking informative and engaging content. Our dedication to quality remains unwavering—and will never change. We follow a strict editorial policy, ensuring that our content is authored by highly qualified professionals and edited by subject matter experts. This guarantees that everything we publish is objective, accurate, and trustworthy.

Over the years, we've refined our approach to cover a wide range of topics, providing readers with reliable and practical advice to enhance their knowledge and skills. That's why millions of readers turn to us each year. Join us in celebrating the joy of learning, guided by standards you can trust.

What is an Accelerated Nursing Program?

By Darrell Laurant
Updated: May 17, 2024
Views: 1,630
Share

The shortage of nurses in the United States is accelerating, and so are the academic strategies designed to deal with the problem. An accelerated nursing program is a fast-lane approach to nurse training aimed at producing more competent nurses at a much quicker rate. Some form of accelerated nursing program is now available in more than 40 states.

The accelerated nursing program is for those who have had experience in some sort of medical field or have earned a degree in a subject that might be related to nursing. This enables these applicants to bypass some of the basic-level nursing courses and achieve an undergraduate nursing degree in 11 to 18 months and a Master's in three years. Many baby boomers in search of a mid-life career change have taken advantage of these fast-track options.

With the urgent need for new nurses comes a paradox, however. Since nurses have gradually been assuming more and more of the roles that once belonged to doctors and other health care professionals, it is critical for health care facilities not only to find more nurses, but to at least retain -- and ideally raise -- the standards of the profession. For that reason, an accelerated nursing program will typically require at least a 3.0 in an applicant's previous college work.

Once in the program, the obvious advantage to a student participant -- the opportunity to get into the profession more quickly -- will be balanced by the clustered and rigorous class schedule necessary to allow that to happen. Thus, the dropout rate in accelerated nursing programs tops that of "regular" programs, as high as 75 percent in many cases. Nevertheless, the concept has been embraced not only by the health care field, but by government grant-writers. On 7 December 2008, the Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing at Florida Atlantic University received a $100,000 US Dollars state grant for its accelerated nursing program, a typical award.

Florida, with its reputation as a retirement mecca, is particularly concerned with the nursing shortage. As an aging population continues to retire and move south, there is a real fear that the current Florida nurses will be swamped by geriatric concerns alone over the next decade. One cultural change that may help is the increased acceptance of men as nurses. The more that field begins to seem like an option for males, the quicker the shortfall might be erased.

Share
WiseGeek is dedicated to providing accurate and trustworthy information. We carefully select reputable sources and employ a rigorous fact-checking process to maintain the highest standards. To learn more about our commitment to accuracy, read our editorial process.

Editors' Picks

Discussion Comments
Share
https://www.wisegeek.net/what-is-an-accelerated-nursing-program.htm
Copy this link
WiseGeek, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.

WiseGeek, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.