What Can I Expect From an Online Second Degree BSN Program
Nursing is a rewarding career path. As you grow as a nurse, you will find that the jobs available to you offer leadership opportunities, a competitive salary, and scheduling flexibility. With an average annual salary of $86,070 in 2023 and 193,100 job openings each year projected for the next decade, nursing is a safe bet in what many perceive to be an unpredictable labor market. Some sources even estimate there will be over 4.5 million registered nurses in the US by 2030.
Beyond these benefits, working as a registered nurse (RN) offers a way to serve communities and help people who are hurting. For people motivated by making a real difference in the lives of others, nursing is an exciting option for a fulfilling career. Nurses are experts, decision-makers, scientists, and leaders, and they have been ranked as the #1 most ethical and honest profession for over 20 consecutive years.
Many employers prefer nurses with a Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing (BSN). Some nursing jobs even require it. At first glance, this can feel like discouraging news for people interested in nursing after having already invested time and money in a four-year degree in a non-nursing field—but it doesn’t have to be.
Many nurses start their professional lives in other fields before entering the medical profession. Nursing candidates with a degree in a different discipline should know they can avoid spending four more years in school by pursuing an accelerated degree. Second-degree BSN programs get nurses into the field faster, offering hands-on clinical experience and flexible learning options that prepare them for their practice.
What is an accelerated second-degree BSN program?
An accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing program—more commonly known as an ABSN—is an educational pathway for nursing candidates who already hold a bachelor’s in another field. ABSNs allow non-nurses to leverage their prior education to earn a nursing degree in less (sometimes much less) than four years.
These fully accredited programs are designed to be as rigorous as any other nursing program, and employers accept them like any other BSN. These programs often require prerequisite coursework for admission and clinical hours experience during the program. They offer a fast track through nursing school and prepare nurses to pass the NCLEX-RN examination required for nursing licensure.
What are the benefits of an ABSN?
An ABSN program isn’t the best fit for every nursing candidate. But for many nursing school students, this type of program offers incredible benefits.
- The ABSN can be a time-saver, building on your previous degree and professional experience to get you through nursing school and into the field and running on a tight schedule, with fewer breaks than a traditional academic calendar
- The ABSN can be a money saver, as remote learning options and asynchronous learning mean you don’t have to worry about student housing, relocation, or other costs associated with many bachelor’s degrees
- The ABSN can be an efficiency-saver, reducing waste by leveraging what you’ve already learned and not forcing you to repeat classes you won’t need in your nursing practice
- The ABSN can be a frustration-saver, designed with the needs of students in mind, and plenty of flexibility and student support built into the program
How online nursing courses work
An online BSN nursing program for non-nursing students is structured differently than a traditional bachelor’s degree, but that doesn’t mean students aren’t getting a challenging and immersive learning experience. Online coursework offers flexibility but still connects you with a peer group of students who complete the program with you and highly qualified faculty committed to engaging with and supporting nursing candidates.
Marymount University prides itself on experiential learning. This occurs in person during clinical rotations and the on-campus residency, but it’s also built into the online courses. The online curriculum is structured and interactive, allowing students to practice their skills through virtual exercises, quizzes, group projects, and discussions. At Marymount, students complete 65 college credits over 16 months to earn their BSN and graduate prepared for the NCLEX-RN examination.
What classes are required for an ABSN?
The curriculum of an accelerated BSN will vary slightly across schools, but all classes teach the theory and practical skills needed to help nurses prepare for the NCLEX-RN as well as for their clinical practice. Classroom instruction should go beyond the foundational principles of nursing and cover modern concepts such as technology’s role and application in nursing, mental health treatment and illness prevention, research methods for evidence-based practice, and leadership skills for registered nurses in the healthcare setting.
The ABSN at Marymount University includes:
- Research and Evidence-Based Practice
- Principles and Application of Nursing Technologies
- Basic Concepts in Pharmacology and Pathophysiology
- Mental Health Illness Prevention and Management
- Leadership in Nursing Practice
- Applied Clinical Reasoning
About the on-campus residencies
Marymount University’s online ABSN does require on-campus residencies as part of the program. Students will practice skills like wound care, health assessment and medication administration in a hands-on setting. The brief time spent on campus also allows students to build connections with their peers and with faculty while practicing common skills with direct supervision.
About clinical placement and clinical rotations
Clinicals are essential for nurses to put their classroom learning into practice. Marymount University offers placement assistance for ABSN students to complete their requirement of 592 clinical hours in the state of Virginia. A placement coordinator helps students prepare to represent Marymount in the healthcare setting, and faculty offer student support throughout the process. The clinical nursing skills practiced during these hours include everything from stress management and problem-solving to care coordination and clinical documentation.
How to get started in nursing as a second career
If you’re looking to build on your first bachelor’s degree to start your second career as a registered nurse, the online ABSN at Marymount University is one of the fastest ways to do it. Marymount University has been a national nursing education leader for over 50 years, and the esteemed ABSN program prepares second-degree nurses for the field in as little as 16 months.
Nestled among influential organizations and healthcare providers, you get the benefits of Washington, D.C. with the flexibility of online coursework. Learn from the epicenter of healthcare policy and advocacy with an ABSN from Marymount—check out our course catalog and speak to an admissions counselor to find out more.