Accelerated Nursing Programs for Career Changers

Key Takeaways

Accelerated nursing programs allow career changers to become registered nurses quickly, often in less than two years.
Applicants need a bachelor’s degree in another field and may need specific prerequisite courses.
These programs are intense, requiring strong time management and the ability to handle challenging coursework.
Graduates must pass the NCLEX-RN exam to become licensed nurses.

Without a doubt, it can be intimidating to make a change into a new profession. You have already built up some skills and experiences in your current job, and leaving those behind to make a dramatic switch is a hard decision to make. With that said, when your goal is to enter a rewarding field like nursing, it’s worth your time and effort to see if it’s going to be possible to make the change.

Using accelerated nursing programs for career changers is an excellent way to successfully navigate this process and come out on the other side as a registered nurse. This page will provide some general information about what is going to be required to make this happen and how you can get started on the process as soon as possible.

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The Basics of Accelerated Nursing Programs

The transition to nursing from another field is an exciting one. If you have been stuck in a career path that you just don’t feel is right for you any longer and want to do something that will be meaningful and have an impact on the world, nursing is a great pick.

Of course, as you switch from one career over to nursing, you probably don’t want to spend four years getting the necessary education. Such a long program just isn’t going to be practical for most people going through a career change. This is why fast-track nursing degrees for non-nurses are such an important part of the educational landscape in healthcare.

If you are able to enter an accelerated nursing program, you will have the potential to start your second career in nursing in just a couple of years – or less. It will be necessary to work hard over the compact duration of this program, of course, but you can come out on the other side with an excellent education and everything you need to apply for quality positions as a nurse. During your time in school, you will learn the fundamentals of nursing, gain clinical experience, and build a foundation that will make it possible to take this new career in many different directions.

Are You Eligible to Join an Accelerated Program?

Not everyone will be immediately eligible to apply for an accelerated nursing program. Making the career shift to nursing programs that will allow you to become qualified so quickly depends in part on your previous educational accomplishments.

Specifically, you will need to currently hold a Bachelor’s degree in another field of study from an accredited school. With that education in place, you may be deemed qualified to get started in an accelerated program and quickly move through the material. Also, prerequisites in these kinds of programs frequently include things like having completed courses in biology, chemistry, or anatomy.

It’s important to note that every program is going to be a little bit different in terms of what it looks for and what it requires. So, the best course of action is to carefully read the requirements that are listed by each school and reach out to that school directly if you have any questions. With any luck, you’ll be able to find at least one program that has requirements that line up nicely with the educational history you already have in place.

Why Accelerated Nursing Programs Are a Great Fit

Using one of the non-nurse-to-nurse accelerated paths is one of the fastest and most effective ways to switch directions in your career. As long as you can find a program that you are eligible to join, as mentioned above, this is a great path to consider.

It’s rare that you find an educational program that will allow you to make such a dramatic shift in the course of your career in such a short time period. With quick nursing degrees for career changers, you could be employed in a hospital or another healthcare setting as soon as 18 months or so from now – and possibly even a little sooner. There will be a lot of work to do between here and there, but it’s definitely possible, and many people have done it before you.

While the pace of the course may be accelerated, you are still going to come away armed with everything you need to know to make your mark on nursing right from the start. You’ll be provided with plenty of resources by qualified teachers, given the chance to work in a clinical placement setting to pick up hands-on training, and you’ll have direct access to advisors who can help you reach this goal successfully.

Expect to Encounter – and Overcome – Some Challenges

We’ve hinted at this next point already a couple of times on this page, but it’s worth highlighting here—accelerated BSN programs for non-nurses are challenging. In the bigger picture, all nursing programs are challenging, as this field requires students to learn and retain a wide range of information and then recall that information when in stressful situations. Nursing is extremely rewarding, but no one said it was going to be easy.

For most students, the primary challenge with this kind of program is finding time for everything. Seeking an accelerated BSN for a career transition means you are going to have to study often, probably including at night and on weekends. There may be times when you don’t feel like it’s possible to fit it all in and still do your work at a high level. Outstanding time management skills are going to be critical.

In addition to the time crunch, it’s also likely that the coursework will challenge you in a way that might be uncomfortable at first. Depending on what type of career you are coming from, the nursing curriculum may feel quite different and might force you to use your brain in a different way. You’ll adapt soon enough to this new way of thinking, but it’s going to take patience and hard work.

Making the Transition

Most likely, you are going to continue to work in your current field while pursuing your education in nursing. That time will be extremely demanding and stressful, but there will come a point when you are finished with your schoolwork and can finally make the transition into nursing once and for all.

To get to that point, you need to figure out a financial plan for the time while you are in school. Accelerated programs tend to be more affordable than traditional programs, but you’ll still need to account for the tuition costs while also paying your regular bills and managing your obligations away from school. Financial aid is an option, so pursue any opportunities you can find to get help paying for this education.

One other piece of the puzzle that isn’t to be overlooked is the hurdle known as the NCLEX-RN exam. This is the test that you are going to need to take – and pass – before obtaining your nursing license and starting to seek jobs in the field. While your education will have prepared you for the test, it’s still a meaningful hurdle to clear, and you will have to spend extra time studying and preparing as the test date draws closer.

Closing Thoughts

It’s comforting to know that there are plenty of career change nursing education options available. From traditional programs to accelerated programs, there is something for everyone as long as you are willing to put in the hard work that is necessary to get through nursing school. Continue to collect as much information as you can to enable yourself to make an informed, confident decision once you are ready to apply and move forward. Good luck!

Career Change to Nursing: Accelerated Programs for Non-Nurses