title: An innovative approach to accelerated baccalaureate education.
abstract: This article highlights novelties and innovations that were successfully incorporated in the development and ongoing refinement of an accelerated nursing program for second-degree students. Using a reflective practice framework, program coordinators deliberately crafted incoming classes through constrained optimization, modified the clinical rotation model, reduced waste through efficient use of faculty and other resources, integrated clinical course work to promote contextual learning, introduced four semester themes to mitigate an obsession with content among faculty and students, and employed student-centered pedagogies that valued the depth and breadth of students' prior experiences. Program outcomes are also discussed.
authors.affiliation: Harris College of Nursing and Health Sciences, Texas Christian University, Fort Worth, USA. c.walker@tcu.edu
authors.forename: Charles
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Walker
authors.forename: Donna Scott
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Tilley
authors.forename: Suzanne
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lockwood
authors.forename: Mary Beth
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Walker
mesh_terms: D002983:Clinical Competence; D003479:Curriculum; D004508:Education, Nursing, Baccalaureate / Q000458:organization & administration*; D004518:Education, Professional, Retraining / Q000458:organization & administration*; D004521:Educational Measurement; D017598:Efficiency, Organizational; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008008:Licensure, Nursing; D008297:Male; D017145:Models, Educational; D016294:Models, Nursing; D015402:Nursing Education Research; D009936:Organizational Innovation; D010687:Philosophy, Nursing; D016730:Program Development; D015397:Program Evaluation; D013781:Texas; D013850:Thinking