Nursing is one of the most critical professions today, and the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic has only amplified that need. Ever since the virus began to spread rapidly in 2020, healthcare workers have been more valued and appreciated than ever before. We need well-trained nurses in hospitals and other healthcare facilities.

Registered Nurses (RNs) rank among the most in-demand professionals in the country. In fact, they are in the top five needed positions around the world. The opportunities abound when it comes to this career, but more healthcare professionals are looking for nurses who hold advanced degrees.

If you have already earned a bachelor’s degree in another field, but you are interested in becoming a nurse, you may be thinking about how you can do so in an efficient way. You do not want to spend another four years in school. There is a way to avoid this “do over” and get straight to nursing faster than starting from scratch. That path is accomplished through an accelerated nursing program.

What classes are needed for an accelerated nursing program today? What will you learn as you prepare to switch careers into nursing? Read on, as we break down the courses you will need to step into this growing, exciting, and impactful position.

What is an Accelerated Nursing Program?

An accelerated nursing program is a fast-track nursing degree option – designed to help students earn their Bachelor’s in Nursing (BSN) or Master’s in Nursing (MSN) quicker than the traditional, on-campus programs. They are known as accelerated BSN (ABSN) programs. Some of these programs enable already-working nurses to expand their education quickly, and therefore qualify for advanced roles. Most accelerated nursing programs, however, are made for those who are new to nursing, but want to jump into the role quickly.

An accelerated nursing program typically takes between 12 to 24 months to complete. At Goodwin University, the ABSN program can be completed in about 16 months full-time.

ABSN programs are pre-licensure programs, meaning students do not yet have their license to practice as a registered nurse (RN). Once you have earned the ABSN degree, however, you will be prepared – and qualified – to sit for the National Council Licensure Exam (NCLEX) to become licensed as an RN.

What Courses are Offered?

Every accelerate nursing program can vary in structure, course formats, and curriculum. The main mission of all accelerated BSN programs, however, is to get non-nurses fully caught up and prepared for clinicals in a matter of two years of less.

Students who pursue an ABSN program gain hands-on experience with clinicals combined with traditional classroom learning and laboratory coursework. The accelerated BSN program at Goodwin University offers students a challenging curriculum that will prepare them for their roles in nursing in a shorter time frame than the traditional BSN program. Students can expect to take a combination of basic science courses, advanced science courses, fundamental nursing topics, advanced nursing topics, and clinical experiences.

Pre-requisite courses include:

• Anatomy and Physiology (I and II)
• Microbiology
• Chemistry
• Lifespan Development
• Statistics

Some of the core courses include:

Health Assessment & Skill Development – Develop your communication and the ability to assess patients in this introduction to nursing course. Learn in the hands-on lab environment and non-acute client care setting.

Foundations of the Nursing Profession – This course introduces students to the nursing profession. It covers the role and expectations for an RN as well as ethics, law, quality and safety, critical thinking, and critical judgment.

Mental Health Nursing – As the name would suggest, this course focuses on mental health issues and patient-centered care. Students learn about psychiatric disorders and how to provide quality nursing care in a variety of settings.

The Wellness Continuum for Children and Families – This class introduces students to the concept of child and family-centered care. Students learn to use the nursing process to promote and maintain health, prevent alterations in health care status, and restore patients to previous levels of wellness. Nutrition, pharmacotherapy, patient teaching, and ethical-legal issues are worked into this course, as well.

Community and Public Health Nursing – This course focuses on the role of the nurse in established partnerships with the public and community health care system in offering care to protect, promote, and restore optimal public and community health within their area.

Whether the COVID-19 pandemic has inspired your dreams to become a nurse, or you are simply looking for more meaning in your career, accelerated nursing programs offer a streamlined path towards this in-demand (and highly rewarding) profession.

Click here to request more information about the accelerated nursing program at Goodwin, or visit us here to explore our other flexible nursing degrees.