A profile of accelerated second bachelor's degree nursing students.

With economic uncertainty and the worsening of the nursing shortage, interest in accelerated second bachelor's degree programs has skyrocketed. Despite dramatic increases in the number of programs, little has been published about the characteristics of these students. A descriptive study at a mid-Atlantic public comprehensive university examined demographic characteristics and compared academic performance of students in the accelerated and traditional baccalaureate programs. Data and their implications for recruitment, admission, and curricular design are presented.