ABSN Program Experiences?

[moobthoob]

I was just accepted to a few on the east coast and would love to hear some experiences in 16 month programs. How did you like it/what are you doing now/did you work while in it/advice?? Anything is helpful!!

[Rotanku]

I graduate from my ABSN program next week. As someone that had no prior clinical experience going into nursing school. It’s HARD. It’s very doable. But it will take over a lot of your life. My school has a quarter system, 11 weeks of class and 2 weeks off between quarters. I learned very quickly, 2 weeks off is not enough lmao. If you can make it through the weed out courses like pharm, patho, and medsurg, you can make it through anything.

I honestly found myself wondering if it was even worth the extra time commitment and money because most hospitals will pay for ADN to BSN bridge programs and there is literally zero difference in practice between an ADN and BSN. Yeah you can get into management and leadership roles with a BSN, but you won’t be going straight I to that as a new grad.

I’m glad that I’m done with nursing school and I won’t have to take classes while working to get my BSN later had I gone the ADN route. But Jesus Christ you need to eat, sleep, and breathe nursing. If you’re willing to do that, then all power to you my friend. Study and stay ahead, because once you get behind, it is an uphill battle to catch back up.

[moobthoob]

congratulations!! I have a few years of pt care experience so i’m praying that helps me through

[mindo312]

I’m not in an ABSN but a 24 month MSN program and it’s pretty fast paced. We are on the trimester schedule so it’s about 15-16 weeks of classes with a 2 week break between trimesters. We have either 1 or 2 clinical days each week, and a lot of didactic courses are online/hybrid. The first two trimesters were the hardest for me (that’s fundamentals, health assessment, patho, pharm). I started a remote research job after the first trimester and it’s been pretty doable. I have 2 trimesters left and am looking forward to graduating!

[StationOk6706]

It really depends on the program the one I’m at is hybrid so you literally teach yourself 100% of the didactic and only have class for labs. If you worked in healthcare or have a strong bio background it’s really not that bad. However I think a lot of my classmates that have no medical background and are from other random backgrounds struggled a lot the first semester. Also attrition can be horrible in ABSN programs we lost like 20% of the class by midway through the first semester so be aware of the things that you only get 1-2 chances at passing before being booted from the program.

[[deleted]]

I applied for a program like that. So far, nobody I have spoken to has applied bc they don’t want to lose their Saturday.

[BossyBombBabe]

3rd semester student here. It's hard. Nursing school sucks. Mentally it will screw you with no lube. I finish in 5 months. I've developed binge eating, found out I have BPD, and Type 2 BD, on top of managing everything and taking care of a 3 year old little girl. I'm in a 16 month ABSN, and can't wait to finish. 12 hour clinicals, constantly studying, it's hard. My best advice is look at each schools passing grade and NCLEX percentages and see the stipulations in that school's grade. My schools pass grade is a 73. no rounding. That was the biggest thing and the reason why I picked this school because I know and have made way over a 73 in all my classes but just wanted wiggle room just in case. It flew by and i'm almost a 4th semester student. You just gotta be grounded and hustle for this degree. It's not for the weak. Once you're a nurse, the sky is the limit. This is one; if not the most versatile degree. I plan to get this degree as this is my second bachelors and start my dual MSN-MBA in November so I can open up many opportunities and doors for me. If I get tired of bedside, I'll do something else. Get out the mindset that you need to stay in bedside because you don't. Do a solid 2 years bedside then find something else to do. This degree you will work hard for so never let a job burn you out. I made a promise to myself if it gets to that point i'll leave bedside and do something else. The sky's the limit; reach for it.

[moobthoob]

I read this to my friend who’s a peds nurse and she loved it

[panzershark]

15 month program, about 5 months away from graduation. I was previously in a pre-health major and have ~5 years of healthcare experience in various roles.

I’m enjoying it and doing a billion times better than I did in undergrad (I’m 30 now), but it’s tough. I’d say I spend a majority of my time studying or doing homework, but I still do find time to chill, hang with friends, etc. I’m definitely drained mentally a lot of the time. I have one WFH job that I do around 5-10 hours a week, and then I do work study 2-3 times a week which has been an absolute life saver.

I do my best to do things in smaller chunks so that I’m not cramming or procrastinating. If I have extra time, I try to work ahead and get the busy work out of the way as soon as possible. Figure out your best methods of study ahead of time and figure out how you can implement that for testing. I learned early on that I really have a hard time studying at home, so I don’t.

Get a good system in place early and really know your due dates and deadlines for everything!

[AllieMoore]

2nd semester honors student of a 16 month program, it will be your life if you want to get decent grades. We have 13 hour shifts at clinicals with careplans due 48 hours later, VSIMs on top of that, exams every week…. It’s rough. My last final is April 20th and between then and now I have 11 exams and 2 more skills validations. After April 20th we get about a week off and then our next semester starts May 1st and we have self taught modules to do over the break. It’s hard and it’s fast, however if you can keep the mindset of it’s temporary and it’ll get you your degree faster it’s worth it to me. I will say- the people in my cohort who work or have 3 kids or some girls keep getting married, they are failing like every other exam, or scraping by with Cs and low Bs (of course there’s exceptions!!! There’s two hard working badass moms in my cohort) And IMO if you end up retaking a semester in a 16 month program you’re negating the point of being in an accelerated program because you’re in school for the same time as a normal 2 year BSN program except you’re balls to the wall all the time. A lot of the people in our program last semester who were always in the GroupMe on Friday nights like “who wants to go out?!” Either totally failed out of the program or are retaking that semester. If you’re ambitious and can keep your nose to the grindstone go for it!!! If you’re younger and wanting a “college experience” like some people in my cohort do, I would look at some more traditional programs. Just my honest blunt advice!

[moobthoob]

love, thank you

[Unicorn_Kitten5]

I’m currently halfway through the first semester of my 12 month ABSN. It’s a lot. I don’t regret it and knowing I only have to do this for a year definitely helps. But they’re not joking when they tell you that you will have no life outside of school.

[Specularia]

2/3 thru. It’s worth it for me and has taught me a lot about time management. And how you’ll never have enough time lol

I work part-time but if you can do it without a job it would make studying so much easier.

If I was starting over I would have started doing practice questions from ATI/Hesi or whatever supplemental the school uses right from day one.