Is An Online Nursing Degree The Right Move For You?

Author: Travis Van Slooten

With the high demand for registered nurses nationwide, more and more aspiring nurses are considering online nursing degrees. Some of the major benefits of an online degree include being able to take classes at whatever time fits your schedule best, being able to hold a full-time job while studying for that degree. You can bring your laptop with you and study and send in homework assignments while you are on the bus or subway, at the beach, or at the coffee shop. You don’t have to spend time and gasoline driving to a college campus, searching for parking, walking half a mile to your building, walking back….

However, online nursing degrees do have their limitations.

For a start, you’d need to have a prior health care degree or certificate to qualify for online nursing studies. Yes, there is currently an online program that caters to students without any health care experience, but this school — the University of Wisconsin at Oshkosh — is an exception rather than the rule. In this university, they accept only a limited number of students per program run. What they require is that the student must have a previous bachelor’s degree, and completed the required science courses plus other prerequisites. Only then will you be qualified for an accelerated second bachelor’s degree. Most of the program is online, but you must go to the campus in Oshkosh several times, AND not every state offers the clinicals that are required for the program.

What is much more common are programs that allow an LPN or a paramedic to take a “bridge” program which allows the LPN to finish their associate degree and become a registered nurse. An example of this is Chamberlain College of Nursing. Excelsior College and many others offer these opportunities as well.

Once you have your associate’s degree in hand, you can opt to proceed to a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree, which can also be taken online. A BSN degree may open more career advancement opportunities for you such as supervisory or managerial positions, and therefore, higher income.

There are online nursing degree programs which grant master’s degrees in nursing as well.

If there are still prerequisite subjects you need to take such as English, Psychology, Nutrition, and others, these are offered online as well. LPN to RN bridge programs often require several of these courses.

For information and links to some great online nursing degree programs, click here: http://nursingschoolprograms.com/online-nursing-degree-programs

One last, important reminder: Online nursing programs are not admissible in all states. For example Florida does not recognize Excelsiors paramedic to RN program, so if you took that program, you would not be able to sit for the NCLEX-RN test in Florida. You must check with your state board of nursing before you sign up with the online program, because you do not want to spend all that time and money and find out that you are not eligible to sit for the NCLEX, which is the test that you must pass in order to be licensed as a nurse.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/online-education-articles/is-an-online-nursing-degree-the-right-move-for-you-3787118.html

About the Author

Which online nursing degrees are best for you and your career needs? Give us a visit to learn more about these online nursing programs as well as the traditional programs that are available today.

3 comments

  1. I have read several just right stuff here. Certainly worth bookmarking for revisiting. I surprise how so much effort you set to create this kind of excellent informative web site.

  2. I was able to do the Nursing School Online thing. I can tell you from personal experience that there are two things to consider if you are thinking of doing it. First, find a school that has a traditional campus that also offers an online program. That way in the future when you send your resume out those that are still closed minded about online education will not be able to determine just from your resume how you got a degree. Second, if you are not a strong self starter do not do an online program. When you are at home and have all the distractions of your normal life available to you it can be hard to sit there and read four chapters, or to write a paper. I got my degree with Jacksonville University (http://www.jacksonvilleu.com). There are lots of choices out there now. Take your time and find the right one for you.

  3. What¡¦s Happening i am new to this, I stumbled upon this I’ve discovered It positively helpful and it has helped me out loads. I hope to give a contribution & help other users like its helped me. Great job.

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