Comparison of performance of students in an accelerated baccalaureate nursing program for college graduates and a traditional nursing program.

Currently, many schools of nursing across the country have implemented various models of post-baccalaureate nursing education. There has been minimal published evaluation of this type of nursing education. In September 1989, a large urban university in the Midwest instituted a baccalaureate program for non-nurse college graduates. After completion of prerequisite science and other liberal arts courses, students complete the nursing program within a 13-month period. This study compared the performance, measured by Schwirian's 6-Dimension Scale (1978), and academic achievement of students in the accelerated nursing program for students with college degrees (N = 27) and students in a traditional nursing program (N = 29). Data also were collected on selected demographic variables. Findings indicated significant differences between the groups. Students in the accelerated group scored higher on nursing performance and passing rate on state board examination. The traditional group reported significantly more hours worked and less hours studied. There were no significant differences between the groups in terms of age, gender, and grade point average.