Baccalaureate to MSN: an accelerated pathway for second degree students

Area of Science:

• Nursing Education
• Higher Education Administration

Background:

• Declining enrollment is a significant challenge for many baccalaureate nursing programs.
• A notable exception was observed, with an increase in applications from individuals holding non-nursing degrees.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the development and implementation of an accelerated master's degree pathway.
• To cater to students with existing degrees in non-nursing fields.
• To address nursing workforce demands by recruiting a diverse applicant pool.

Main Methods:

• The study outlines the strategic design of an accelerated master's pathway.
• Implementation involved curriculum adaptation and targeted recruitment strategies.
• Focus was placed on leveraging prior non-nursing academic credentials.

Main Results:

• The baccalaureate nursing program successfully increased applications from individuals with non-nursing degrees.
• The accelerated pathway demonstrated a viable model for attracting a new demographic of nursing students.
• The program recognized the value of diverse academic backgrounds in addressing nursing shortages.

Conclusions:

• Accelerated master's pathways can effectively recruit individuals with non-nursing degrees into the nursing profession.
• Innovative educational models are crucial for adapting to and mitigating enrollment challenges in nursing schools.
• Leveraging diverse academic backgrounds is a promising strategy for strengthening the nursing workforce.