Accelerated Nursing Students' Perceptions of Graduate-Level Courses

BACKGROUND: Integrating graduate-level courses (GLCs) into undergraduate curricula can expedite a nurse's progression into advanced practice roles. This phenomenological qualitative study examines the experiences and perceptions of accelerated baccalaureate nursing students taking GLCs. METHOD: Qualitative researchers conducted individual semistructured interviews, verified the transcribed data, and analyzed data using the Colaizzi method. Student course evaluations were used to triangulate the data. RESULTS: Fourteen students participated in the study. Data were collected from February 2023 to October 2023. The average length of the interviews was 1 hour. Four themes were identified: (1) program priorities, (2) time constraints, (3) trade-offs, and (4) resources. CONCLUSION: This study highlights students' experiences and issues of balancing program priorities, time pressure, losses and gains, and resources that must be addressed. These findings inform nurse educators on curricular design and program planning for GLC integration, potentially leading to improved scheduling, teaching strategies, and resources for student success.