Comments on Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing Programs

In April 2023, the Ministry of Health and Welfare announced a plan to address the nursing workforce shortage by introducing the Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (ABSN) program. This accelerated program, designed to shorten the traditional three-year nursing bachelor's degree program to two years, allows individuals with prior bachelor's or master's degrees in another field to earn the nursing license. While the number of nursing professionals is increasing, there is still a shortage compared to the OECD average, particularly in clinical settings. The ABSN program offers the advantages of supplying nursing workforce rapidly and cultivating interdisciplinary nursing professionals who can easily adapt to the demands of the Fourth Industrial Revolution. However, there are also drawbacks, including an increased academic workload due to differences from the regular curriculum and confusion over academic identity. Moreover, given the limited availability of clinical practice sites and the ongoing shortage of clinical nurses, concerns remain about whether the ABSN program can effectively achieve its goal of training high-quality nursing professionals. To address these concerns, it is recommended to conduct a comprehensive evaluation of the ABSN program and clarify its objectives, distinguishing it from the current bachelor's transfer system.