first cohort graduates from accelerated nursing program

Thu., Jul 31

A new bachelor's degree program for individuals wishing to make a career change into the nursing field is enabling a group of well-trained students replete with a variety of life experiences to enter the field in a timely manner.

The first cohort of students to complete Southern Connecticut State University's Accelerated Career Entry (ACE) program was recently honored at a "pinning ceremony" to mark their "graduation." They are eligible to participate in formal commencement exercises next spring. A total of 13 students completed the 12-month program.

The students earned 53 credits over a 12-month period, which included classes during the summer, fall, winter, and spring sessions. The degree requires each student to complete more than 900 hours of clinical experience as part of the program.

To be eligible, an individual is required to have a bachelor's degree in any field from an accredited college or university. They also need to attain a GPA of at least 2.75 or 3.0 from their most recent credits, complete nine prerequisite courses with a grade of "C" or better, and obtain two letters of recommendation from recent employers and/or faculty.

"These students bring a wealth of life experience to the field and are well prepared after a rigorous 12-month program," said Cesarina Thompson, chairwoman of the SCSU Nursing Department.
Thompson noted that the current state and national shortage of nurses makes a program such as this especially valuable.

Pennie Sessler Branden, assistant professor of nursing and ACE program coordinator, noted that the 12-month period is half the time it normally would take to earn a nursing degree, excluding prerequisites and university requirements. But she added that the quality of the program is outstanding and that the expedited process is attractive to prospective students who might be on the fence as to whether to pursue the career change.

"It's a competitive process to be accepted into the program," Branden said. "This year, we are expanding the program to 24 students, but we received more than 80 applications. I believe we're the only state university in Connecticut that offers this specific type of program."

Southern is a state leader in producing highly qualified nurses. In addition to standard undergraduate and graduate programs, it offers an R.N. to B.S.N. program that is tailored for registered nurses who wish to obtain their baccalaureate degree, and a clinical nurse leader program in which students can learn management skills for complex groups of patients in a wide range of health care settings. The ACE program is the newest addition to the Nursing Department.