Accelerated Nursing Program (ABSN, Second Degree)
A Quick Path to Becoming a Nurse
Ready to launch a new career as a nurse? GMercyU’s accelerated, second-degree nursing program is a full-time, 16-month, 67-credit degree program designed for those who already have a bachelor's degree in another field.
You can transfer general education credits from your previous bachelor’s program and complete our nursing curriculum in a supportive, hands-on environment at our Gwynedd Valley, Pa. campus.
GMercyU's ABSN degree will prepare you to become a confident, capable professional nurse with skills valued by patients and employers.
Employers Want GMercyU Nurses
Thanks to GMercyU partnerships, you could launch your career at one of several health systems and receive up to $40,000 in loan repayment funds!
Competitive Salary
RNs earn a median annual wage of $97,510 in the Philadelphia area with 189,100 openings projected nationally each year through 2034. (Bureau of Labor Statistics)
Program Details
With GMercyU's Accelerated BSN program, you can start a new career in nursing in as few as 16 months. There's no better place to earn your degree than at GMercyU's Frances M. Maguire College of Nursing and Health Professions, a leader and innovator in nursing education for nearly 70 years.
The program features:
- Accelerated completion – graduate in just four consecutive semesters (16 months). You must already have a bachelor's degree in another field to enroll in this program.
- 67 credits – nursing and health science coursework that's designed to equip you for patient care and initial licensure in nursing
- Preparation for the NCLEX-RN, the National Council Licensure Examination – Registered Nurse
- Choice of start options – August 2026 (fall), January 2027 (spring), May 2027 (summer)
- Full-time study – based on our Gwynedd Valley, Pa. campus near Philadelphia
- Immersive simulation and skills labs, a nurses' station, and more in GMercyU's new Healthcare Innnovation Center to develop your patient care skills with guidance from faculty members
- 100+ regional health care affiliations, where you can complete clinical rotations to gain real-world experience
- Enhanced employability – More and more employers prefer nurses with a BSN degree.
- A future of opportunity – A BSN degree prepares you for entry into graduate education such as our Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) - Nurse Educator program.
- Career and loan repayment opportunities – Launch your career at one of several health systems and receive up to $40,000 in loan repayment funds!
- Experienced professors and healthcare leaders from across the region. There are no teaching assistants at GMercyU.
Accreditation
The Accelerated BSN (ABSN) program at Gwynedd Mercy University is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (www.aacnnursing.org/ccne-accreditation). The Accelerated BSN, Weekend BSN, and the traditional BSN programs have remained approved and in good standing with the PA State Board of Nursing since their inception.
GMercyU offers online prerequisite courses in the health sciences specifically designed for students like you who want to make the change to a nursing career. These classes are offered online and feature hands-on, at-home laboratory experiences. You may also complete these courses at another accredited college or university. If any of the required prerequisite science courses did not include laboratory sciences or were completed more than seven years ago, you will need to complete and pass these courses before beginning your BSN degree. Virtual Labs for the science courses are not accepted. In addition, the Nutrition course must be taught by a Registered Dietician.
Visit our Online Nursing Prerequisites page to learn more.
Course Sequence
| Semester 1 | |
| NUR 208 | Introduction to Professional Nursing (2 credits) |
| NUR 209 | Fundamentals of Nursing Practice (4 credits) |
| NUR 212 | Health Assessment in Nursing (3 credits) |
| NUR 219 | Nursing Medication Mathematics (1 credit) |
| NUR 324 | Pharm / Pathophysiology (4 credits) |
| RS 231 | Bioethics (3 credits) |
| Semester 2 | |
| NUR 307 | Nursing Care of Adults (6 credits) |
| NUR 313 | Contemporary Issues in Professional Nursing (2 credits) |
| NUR 317 | Nursing Care of Women, Children, and Families (5 credits) |
| NUR 460 | Research and Evidence-Based Practice in Nursing (3 credits) |
| Semester 3 | |
| NUR 316 | Nursing Care of Clients with Alterations in Behavioral Health (4 credits) |
| NUR 319 | Nursing Care of Adults with Complex Healthcare Problems (5 credits) |
| NUR 413 | The Older Adult (3 credits) |
| NUR | Elective (3 credits) |
| NUR 450 | Informatics and Patient Care Technology (3 credits) |
| Semester 4 | |
| NUR 4001 | Leadership and Management in Professional Nursing (3 credits) |
| NUR 419 | Synthesis of Learning for Nursing Practice (6 credits) |
| NUR 422 | Health and Illness in the Community (5 credits) |
| NUR 423 | Global Health and Health Policy (2 credits) |
| Overall Credits | 67 |
You will also complete clinical rotations in local health care facilities. GMercyU has a wide network of health care affiliations, and your instructors will be able to help you obtain a clinical placement. Clinical placements are subject to hospital availability and some require evening or weekend hours.
This program requires a criminal background check, child abuse clearance, certain immunizations, and other health-related clearances in order to participate in clinical experiences.
See the University Catalog for more information and course descriptions.
Here are just a few of the places where GMercyU’s nursing students have completed their clinicals and found employment after graduation:
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Abington Jefferson Lansdale
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Einstein Jefferson Montgomery
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Doylestown Hospital
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Grand View Hospital
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Chestnut Hill Hospital
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Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania
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Paoli Hospital
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Holy Redeemer Hospital
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Valley Forge Medical Center
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Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
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St. Christopher's Hospital for Children
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St. Luke's
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Foulkeways at Gwynedd
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Souderton Mennonite Community
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St. Mary Medical Center
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Bayada Home Health
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Crossroads Hospice
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Abington School District
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Cooper University Medical Center
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Easter Seals of Philadelphia
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Jefferson Hospital for Neuroscience
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Virtua Our Lady of Lourdes
Laraine Amoia-Watters, EdD, MSN, CRNP
Position: Prelicensure BSN Program Director
Did You Know? Dr. Amoia-Watters is a member of Sigma Theta Tau, the National Honor Society for Nurses. She coordinates GMercyU's annual spring break trip to Jamaica, a unique service learning opportunity for BSN and Social Work students.
Read bio
Patricia Brown O'Hara, RN PhD
Position: Professor Emerita and Adjunct Professor
Did You Know? Dr. O'Hara serves on the Board of Trustees at Grand View Hospital and is a Legal Nurse Consultant.
Read bio
Nichole Butler, PhD, RN, ACNS-BC, APN
Position: Assistant Professor
Read bio
Ashley Heidler, MSN, RN, CPN
Position: Professor of Practice
Did You Know? Heidler has presented at national and international conferences on her work relating to mindfulness and the pediatric population.
Read bio
Nancy McCormack, MSN, RN, NC-BC
Position: Professor of Practice
Did You Know? She has worked in various settings, specifically behavioral health and substance abuse (acute, sub-acute, geri-psych, residential units, drug and alcohol units, methadone clinic, chronically homeless programs, and eating disorders).
Read bio
Earning your BSN as a second degree will help you achieve a career in the demanding field of nursing. Today's employers increasingly prefer to hire nurses who hold a BSN degree. Nurses who earn a second degree in nursing often offer additional marketable skills that can equip them for future roles in nursing management, education and other areas — even medical journalism or legal consulting.
Another key benefit of earning a second degree BSN is that students who do so are viewed as more determined and driven. You can demonstrate to employers that you thrive in a fast-paced environment.
Once you graduate and pass the NCLEX, you could step into one of many nursing roles:
- Acute Care Nurse
- Ambulatory Care Nurse
- Ambulatory Child Health
- Cardiovascular Nurse
- Community Health Nurse
- Community Mental Health Nurse
- Correctional Health Nurse
- Critical Care Nurse
- Diabetes Nursing
- Emergency Nurse
- Gerontology Nurse
- Maternity Nursing
- Medical-Surgical Nurse
- Mental Health Nurse
- Neonatal Nurse
- Neurological Nurse
- Nurse Supervisor
- Occupational Health Nurse
- Office Nurse
- Oncology Nurse
- Pediatric Nurse
- Primary Ambulatory Care Nurse
- Public Health Nurse
- Pulmonary Nurse
- Rehabilitation Nurse
- School Nurse
- Trauma Nurse
- Traveling Nurse
For nearly 70 years, the Frances M. Maguire College of Nursing and Health Professions at Gwynedd Mercy University has been a leader in nursing education in the Philadelphia area. Graduates of GMercyU's BSN programs are known for their exceptional skills and Mercy values that set them apart as compassionate caregivers, patient advocates, and nursing leaders.
Our accelerated nursing program empowers students to become skilled nurses who provide high quality patient care and serve as leaders in the field. A GMercyU nursing education can prepare you to make the change to a career with real meaning and purpose, a career as a professional registered nurse.
A New Home for GMercyU's Nursing Programs
State-of-the-art classrooms.
Immersive simulation and skills labs.
Spaces for collaboration between majors to learn how to treat the "whole" patient, a healthcare best-practice.
Cozy spots for studying.
The Frances M. Maguire '55 Healthcare Innovation Center (HIC) opened in 2025 and is the largest academic building on campus.
Explore the HIC
What Makes GMercyU Nurses Excel
Hear from students and faculty.
More Degree Options to Fit Your Life
Can't commit to the full-time ABSN program? Or maybe you don't meet the prior education requirements for a second bachelor's? GMercyU also offers:
Part-Time BSN program — Complete it in just three years! This second-degree nursing program is for students with a bachelor's degree in another field who want to transition to a career in nursing.
Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program — This traditional four-year undergraduate BSN program is for aspiring nurses who do not already have a bachelor's degree in another field.
Three-Year Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) — Earn your BSN in three years instead of four! Save on tuition and launch your career a year earlier.
Direct Entry Master of Science in Nursing degree — For career changers who hold a bachelor’s degree in another field, this master’s-level nursing degree helps you transition to nursing with an advanced foundation of knowledge and skills.
