HWS Perspectives | Health Workforce Solutions LLC

The first in a continuing series of timely articles brought to you quarterly by HWS

Accelerated BA to BSN Programs Taking Off
Accelerated BA to BSN programs have taken off in terms of popularity over the last 15 years. According to the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN), only 31 accelerated BSN programs were operating in the United States in 1990.¹ By July 2006, the number of accelerated BSN programs had grown to 173, with 40 more in the planning stages. From 2003 to 2005, student enrollment in accelerated programs grew 60%, from 4,794 students to 7,829 students. And the number of accelerated BSN graduates has doubled over the same time period, from 1,352 graduates in 2003 to 3,769 graduates in 2005.²

Despite the rapid growth in accelerated programs, many of the schools contacted for this article cannot meet the applicant demand in their markets for accelerated programs. Admission rates at some programs were below 50 percent despite significant increases in enrollment over the last few years.

In addition, demand to hire accelerated BSN graduates is high as many hospitals prefer accelerated BSNs to traditional BSNs due to their maturity and prior work experience. "We know that employers love hiring accelerated graduates because they are bright, have a track record of success, and possess an understanding of the work world not always found in younger students," said Patricia Ladewig, PhD, RN, Dean of the School of Health Care Professions at Regis University in Denver.³

Successful Programs Invest in Applicant Screening and Education
While the prospective students applying to accelerated programs tend to be more mature than traditional BSN students, nursing schools have found that they need to institute a more rigorous applicant screening process to ensure that they will enroll students who can be successful. The short length of these programs, often only twelve months long, necessitates a time-intensive and demanding class and assignment workload, and schools want to make sure that their students are academically and emotionally prepared for the rigors of the program. In contrast to traditional BSN applicants, leading nursing schools are requiring accelerated applicants to meet additional admission requirements.


•	Individual Applicant Interviews—many nursing schools have added faculty interviews to the application process to ensure that the students are prepared for the challenges of the accelerated program.

•	GPA Minimums—in addition to requiring science prerequisites, accelerated programs often require a minimum GPA (often 3.0) from the individual’s BA or from the prerequisite science classes.

•	Letters of Reference—one or two letters of recommendation or references are part of the typical accelerated BSN admission process. Some schools also require an admission essay and a current resume.

Notably, for many of the nursing schools that are part of larger colleges or universities, applications are reviewed and admission decisions are made by individuals within the nursing school rather than by the traditional admissions office staff.

In addition to more careful applicant screening processes, successful nursing schools invest in special education and orientation sessions for interested students to ensure that they understand the demands of the accelerated program before they enroll.

"Accelerated BSN programs can become great partners for hospitals and health systems, but to maximize investment, choose programs that invest in finding successful students."

According to an admissions director at a long-running ABSN program, “Some students are not realistic about the rigors of an accelerated BSN program. I find that many people don’t appreciate how much work and study go into receiving a nursing degree… We have learned that if we are able to communicate this to students they seem to have a better chance of being successful in the program.”

At the Research College of Nursing (Kansas City, Missouri), each accelerated BSN applicant participates in an hour-long group interview with five other students and two faculty members. During the session, the faculty members describe the academic program and answer applicant questions. The group interview was added to the individual interviews in an effort to increase applicants’ understanding of the program.

In addition, the Research College hosts three information sessions for admitted students; during each information session, current students share their perspectives on the program and offer tips and information on what they wished they had known prior to starting the program.

HWS Perspective: Critically Evaluating Potential Partners
Accelerated BSN programs can become great partners for hospitals and health systems, but to maximize investment, choose programs that invest in finding successful students

Hospital-structured forgivable loan programs are a natural fit for accelerated BSN students. For the students, financial support enables them to focus their attention on the nursing program, as most students and administrators find that the rigorous nature of these programs makes it difficult for students to work while attending school.

For hospitals, accelerated programs tend to graduate mature, experienced nurses who adjust well to the nursing profession. In addition, accelerated students graduate 12 to 16 months after they enroll, offering a quick turnaround for hospitals that are interested in partnerships or forgivable loan programs for these students.

To ensure a successful forgivable loan program or partnership with accelerated BSN programs, hospitals should assess the performance of nursing schools on the following issues.


•	Does the school’s screening process enable it to identify candidates able to handle the rigors of an accelerated program?

•	Does the school provide special support or advising to accelerated students in recognition of their different backgrounds and experiences?

•	Is the accelerated program treated as an equal to the traditional BSN program?

•	Is the school open to integrating care models and pathways from practice into education?

Accelerated programs that screen applicants successfully graduate 90 to 100 percent of their students on time, compared to 80 percent or lower for less-successful programs.⁴ For hospitals that have taken a financial stake in an accelerated program or its students, ensuring a high graduation rate is essential for good workforce planning and continued funding of innovative nurse recruitment efforts.

These programs represent an effective method to attract new types of students to the nursing profession and hospital practice. Co-sponsoring these programs through direct investment, scholarships, facility availability, or shared faculty, may represent one of the best ways for hospitals to partner with education.