A career change to nurse may make sense for you if you’re dissatisfied with your current job. Nursing is a high-growth field with excellent earning potential and career advancement opportunities. An Accelerated BSN program can allow you to earn a nursing degree in as few as 16 months.
Making a career change to nurse is more feasible than you might think. Averett University’s Accelerated BSN (ABSN) program in Norfolk, Virginia, could be the ideal way for you to pursue your calling without having to start over to pursue nursing as a second career. Our ABSN program makes the path to nursing accessible, and you can complete it in as few as 16 months.
To accelerate the pathway toward nursing for your next career, Averett makes it possible to apply your prior non-nursing education toward your Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree.
It allows those with non-nursing bachelor’s degrees or at least 60 non-nursing college credits to leverage their previous experience and graduate with a nursing degree far more quickly than the traditional route.
Making a career change to nursing may seem overwhelming at first, but it’s manageable. Countless Averett students have done it, and so can you. First, consider the benefits of switching to a career in nursing and get the answers to common questions. Then, explore the pathway for making the switch to nursing.
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Benefits of Nursing as a Second Career
Nursing as a second career is a great choice because nursing is a flexible job that offers a comfortable salary and job responsibilities that keep you on your toes. You can choose from a broad assortment of nursing specialties and workplaces and plenty of career advancement opportunities.
Nursing is also a career you can be proud of. In fact, nurses have a great reputation for being trustworthy. Nurses have long been at the top of the Gallup poll for the most honest and ethical professionals in public perception.
It’s never too late to become a nurse, and by completing the ABSN program and passing the NCLEX-RN exam, you’ll be well on your way to an in-demand career you’ll love.
Common Questions About Making a Nursing Career Change
It’s a good idea to thoroughly research the nursing field and the process of switching careers before acting. Some common questions people have about switching to nursing include the following:
How Long Does It Take to Switch to Nursing?
It depends on your starting point. If you don’t have prior college education, you’ll need to enroll in a traditional BSN program, which typically requires four years of full-time study. If you do have a completed non-nursing degree or at least 60 non-nursing college credits, you might be eligible to apply to Averett’s ABSN program.
At Averett, you can graduate with a BSN in as few as 16 months. This timeline does not include any prerequisite courses you might need to take. After graduating, you’ll also need to take and pass the NCLEX.
Is Nursing the Right Choice for Me?
Nursing can have its challenges, but also its rewards. If you’re looking for a line of work that allows you to serve others while also benefiting from stable job growth and high earning potential, then nursing could be right for you.
Consider tapping into your professional network for advice. If you know any nurses, ask them questions about their work and career. You might also explore volunteering opportunities in hospitals to get a sense of whether a healthcare career is right for you.
What Skills Do You Need to Be a Nurse?
Nurses need a strong mix of both hard and soft skills. Some of the most important soft skills include:
- Communication
- Emotional intelligence
- Empathy and compassion
- Organization
- Teamwork
- Time management
In nursing school, you’ll have opportunities to polish your soft skills while learning essential hard skills, such as:
- IV placement
- Medication management
- Nasogastric tube insertion
- Patient assessments
- Patient transfer skills
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How to Pursue Nursing for Your Next Career
Ready to make a nursing career change? The process starts with understanding your options.
1. Research Your Options
There are two types of nursing degrees that can qualify you to take the nursing licensure exam: an Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. An ADN typically takes two years, while a traditional BSN takes four years. The ABSN at Averett, however, is as short as 16 months, which is less time than an ADN.
Earning a BSN with our ABSN offers other advantages compared to an ADN. With a BSN, you have the option of going on to grad school to earn a master’s or doctorate in nursing. A graduate degree allows you to pursue career advancement, such as becoming an advanced practice registered nurse.
Additionally, BSN-prepared nurses contribute more to better patient outcomes compared to ADN-prepared nurses, which is why employers prefer to hire them.
2. Speak With an Admissions Advisor
If you’d like to explore the Averett ABSN program further, contact our admissions advisors. This first chat will be to discuss your goals and background. Our ABSN students come from all walks of life and occupations, so our admissions advisors can help identify what skills you may already have that translate to nursing.
They’ll also review your experience to determine your eligibility for our program and be the main point of contact you can count on throughout the admissions process.
3. Submit Your Unofficial Undergraduate Transcripts
After this discussion, your admissions advisor will request copies of your unofficial undergraduate transcripts. These allow your advisor to create a personalized academic plan that targets a start date for enrolling in our ABSN program in January, May, or August.
At this point, you will know which prerequisites you need to take and will have a plan for completing them.
4. Complete Nursing School Prerequisites
Your previous education may fulfill some of these courses. For example, if you have a biology degree, you may not need to take some of our science-based prerequisites like microbiology or anatomy because they have already been covered in your previous degree. If you are transferring an English degree, however, you’ll likely need to take those courses.
Most prerequisite courses are available online through Averett on the same e-learning system you’ll use to complete your nursing theory courses in the ABSN program. This will give you a jumpstart on familiarizing yourself with our online platform.
Once those requirements are complete, your advisor will help you put together the rest of your application package.
5. Enroll in the Averett Accelerated Nursing Program
At Averett, you’ll have the support of our nursing instructors, other members of your cohort, and Academic Success Coaches. You’ll learn nursing concepts with didactic coursework online, and acquire nursing skills and clinical judgment in in-person nursing labs.
You’ll also gain hands-on experience during clinical rotations at nearby healthcare facilities. All these learning components combined will enable you to work toward an RN career with confidence.
6. Pass the NCLEX Exam
Once you graduate from our ABSN program, the last step in becoming a nurse is passing the NCLEX. This is the exam that all nursing students must take to receive licensure. While this test is rigorous, you can rest assured the Averett ABSN program provides solid preparation for the NCLEX.
Begin Your Career Change to Nursing Today
Our program gives you the opportunity to start again without starting over. If you feel the call to become a nurse, you owe it to yourself to pursue this opportunity. At Averett, you’ll enjoy our hybrid learning approach, small class sizes, and personalized support. Plus, with no waitlist, you can get started sooner.
Contact an admissions advisor today to find out if Averett’s ABSN program could be right for you.