James Hughes spent 25 years on construction crews helping building some of the most notable sites on the Las Vegas Strip.  Now he has his sights on a new kind of blueprint: becoming a nurse.

Hughes is among 33 non-traditional students enrolled in UNLV School of Nursing’s inaugural Accelerated 2nd Degree in Nursing Program (also called the 2nd Bach program).  This track began in June 2021 and provides a path to nursing for students who already have bachelor’s degree in another field.

Students in the program learn everything taught in the traditional bachelor of science in nursing program (and they receive the same number of clinical hours), but the Accelerated 2nd Degree program is shorter and, as a result, more intense. The goal is to provide a faster route to a nursing license.

“The didactic portion of the program is delivered online, in a rigorous synchronous format, which allows for a supportive and cohesive cohort of students,” says Jennifer Pfannes, a nursing professor and program lead. “They have really become a family navigating the world of nursing school together.”

What makes this program unique is the diverse student backgrounds. Many had full-time careers before becoming undergraduates again. Some have prior healthcare experience, while others are coming in cold. Regardless of where they came from, each student now shares one common goal: adding more leaders to the nursing workforce. Read more about their path to UNLV ...