title: Profile of non-nurse college graduates enrolled in accelerated baccalaureate curricula: results of a national study.
abstract: The rapid growth of accelerated baccalaureate curricula for non-nurse college graduates has been viewed as a critical strategy in efforts to address the projected nursing shortfall of 1.2 million registered nurses by the year 2014. While these programs have proliferated over the past decade, research has been limited to descriptions of students and their performance in selected programs.The purpose of this national study was to survey non-nurse college graduates enrolled in accelerated baccalaureate programs throughout the United States in order to identify the factors influencing program and career selection and provide a contemporary profile of these students.The results of this study provide a clearer understanding of this population in relation to their motivation, academic backgrounds, and their unique personal and educational needs.
authors.affiliation: University of West Georgia, Carrollton, USA. rsiler@westga.edu
authors.forename: Bobbie
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Shier
authors.forename: Nancy
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: DeBasio
authors.forename: Karin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Roberts
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D002321:Career Choice; D003479:Curriculum; D004508:Education, Nursing, Baccalaureate / Q000458:organization & administration*; D004518:Education, Professional, Retraining / Q000458:organization & administration*; D005260:Female; D005544:Forecasting; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009042:Motivation; D020380:Needs Assessment / Q000458:organization & administration*; D015402:Nursing Education Research; D015404:Nursing Methodology Research; D009740:Nursing Staff / Q000193:education / Q000458:organization & administration; D010560:Personnel Selection; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013338:Students, Nursing / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States; D055815:Young Adult