What You Need to Know About Online Nursing Degrees One of the first things you should consider if you are researching online nursing degrees is: Can you secure quiet time to attend the online class, and can you manage even more quiet time to study? Many people do not give consideration to those that study, or attend online classes in the privacy of their home. Yet, many people think nothing of doing that when you are at home and working as you study. Before you start an online class, invest in something that indicates “do not disturb�. It should deter would-be interrupters. If you plan to study and attend classes at home, it is imperative that you designate time with no disruptions. Employment after online education As true with most application processes, employers carefully evaluate nursing job candidates based on more than when, where and in what capacity they earned their degree. The applicant's education will play a large role in the hiring process, so be sure to examine the scenario from all aspects. Accreditation is essential in online schooling for nurses, as a third party is assuming the responsibility of validating and ensuring the credibility of the program online. It can be a little tricky; it would be a disaster to attend classes and complete requirements, only to learn that your school lacks accreditation. There will be a number of considerations a potential employer will have, so you will need to be prepared with answers, and credentials to back them up. One concern of many employers is lack of clinical experience. Much of the clinical experience and expertise is going to depend on the type of program that you are taking, and the school itself. That should be at the top of your list of questions when considering an online nursing education. Related: How is a Nurse Different from a Medical Assistant? The positive aspects An online degree can be the most logical choice in some cases. It can be efficient, and save money over attending a traditional college. It may enable some people to pursue a nursing degree that might otherwise not be able to attend school. Online nursing programs can offer immense flexibility and independence in studies. The flexibility will allow you time to hold down a full time job, at least during most of the time you are in school. It allows you to study or complete reports in the middle of the night if that is what time permits for you, so the freedom to work in your own time/pace
can be a determining factor. With the advancement of technology, there is a world of information that you can access with the click of a mouse, or tap of a finger, so not being in a classroom does not hurt the research portion of your training. Bad weather? Not a problem if you are doing online classes. When schools close due to weather conditions, you can continue on as usual with your studies. You won't have to fill your car up just to attend a class, and if you are in the mood, you can do your online studies in your pajamas. Cost Online nursing programs are much more cost-friendly. Curricular modules are sent to students online as opposed to a professor lecturing from a podium. The price is cut dramatically because classroom costs are not included in the fees. Students are not charged for electricity, library or other resource usage either; which means that semester credits are much cheaper and culminate in saving large sums of money. Study pace One of the biggest advantages of studying online is the ability to set your own study pace. While some schools have fixed the curriculums that are delivered per a certain schedule; the majority of them allow students to complete the degree requirements quickly if need be or slowly as the student deems manageable. There is no pressure to finish their degree in a certain time-frame and a student may earn their degree faster where necessary. Related: 6 habits of effective nurses - International Nurses Association Technology The use of modern technology is an integral part of online degree programs. It is impossible to study through the curriculum without at least a some computer skills. Most students have a good understanding of computer technology by the time they graduate. This is looked upon favorably by prospective employers and gives you an advantage over many others in your professional environment. Innovation Distance-accessible learning programs do not offer clinical preceptors. This means that students must source their own clinical sites; which require skills in research, application, out-of-the-box thinking and persuasion. In order for students to gain the clinical experience required during online coursework, they must be motivated and good at sourcing their own clinical preceptors. This reflects the dedication, communication and friendly relations with other
nursing staff; which are highly sought after attributes in the nursing profession. The bad There are many online nursing programs that have not been accredited, and many of them are in the early stages of development and not extremely reputable. In addition to this, many of these online degrees have only sought regional accreditation. Students need to be particularly careful about this and do their research beforehand. If your degree is going to benefit you in your career, it must come from a reputable institution that has been accredited by a national accrediting association. The accreditation procedure is just as rigorous for all programs and online nursing schools are no exception to the rule. Travel While students gain a massive advantage by not having to attend traditional classes, they do still need to travel in order to gain hands-on experience. Clinical hours must be accumulated at hospitals or other clinical sites. If you live in a rural environment, then you may need to travel a few hours to attend these classes. This is one of the main reasons why many rural students opt for brick-and-mortar programs that offer residency options. Experience Interacting with patients is a critical component of nursing and should be practiced from the beginning with via face-to-face interaction with faculty, fellow students and patients. Online nursing programs lack the hands-on experience required for such interaction and often graduates of these programs are unprepared for a hospital setting. This problem can be counteracted by supplementing your degree with a hospital internship. The nursing school must also possess proper assessment protocols that will test whether students are capable of applying their knowledge in a professional environment. Time Alone Studying involves concentration and ‘alone’ time. It is imperative that you are able to put aside time where you will be able to do this without continual distractions. This is a major problem for many nurses experiencing long work hours, family responsibilities or other commitments. Many students study when the kids have retired for the night, others send their families to a different part of the house so they can work in peace and quiet. Whatever way you select to obtain alone time is fine, you just need to make sure you get it.
Workload In some cases, the workload of core courses is almost double in nursing programs taught online. This is because written papers are more prevalent than in traditional programs and delivery is frequently required in shorter time-frames. This increases the workload in itself, but there is another aspect to consider. Students are not benefiting from auditory and visual lectures and they do not have immediate help available. They can rely on websites, school message boards, hospital libraries, and school libraries.
An online degree in nursing may be an answer for you, depending on your needs and situation. Proper research, questions, and checking reviews of an online nursing program can help you decide if it will work for you. Related: International Nurses Association Please follow us on Facebook, Linkedin, Pinterest and Twitter