Traditional brick-and-mortar institutions include distance-learning components in the curriculum and the trend is growing. Many schools offer degrees completely online. There are very good reasons for this. From a lack of educators able to cope with the growing number of students, to an effort to embrace modern technology at the academic level and use it to advance healthcare outcomes. Prospective nurses from the most rural places have access to nursing programs and there is global collaboration that contributes to an incredible wealth of knowledge.
“Online programs draw students from across the nation and around the world,” Mary A. Bemker, an Academic Coordinator and Professor of Nursing at Sullivan University, said. “Nurses attending these classes benefit from insights presented by faculty and peers, who can expand discussions and understanding past what is found in a specific healthcare organization or geographic locale. Since the world is “shrinking” on many fronts, it is a definite advantage for nurses to exchange information and ideas with professionals from around the globe.”
The choice that nurses now face is whether to acquire their degree through an online program or to attend class on-site. The final decision is a strategic career choice and it is advisable to familiarize yourself with the pros and cons of an online nursing degree beforehand. There are solutions to all the disadvantages, but you must be ambitious enough to overcome them.
Dr. Susan Aldridge, the Senior Vice President of Drexel University Online, recently conducted research into how employers now view online degrees.
“Academic experts, employers and recruiting professionals agree that to maximize the value of one’s credentials through online learning, the chosen program must meet three criteria,” Aldridge said. “The learning institution must be reputably accredited, have a traditional campus and encompass a good academic brand.”
The Good
“I decided to pursue an online degree because it was the most logical and efficient manner in which I could achieve my goal of becoming a nurse,” Emily Walker, a registered nurse with a bachelor’s degree in nursing said. “I was looking for a program that would allow me flexibility and independence in my studies, so that I could continue to work.”
Flexibility
Online programs offer immense flexibility for nurses. They are able to log on anytime and from any location; enabling them to continue with family life, their professional career or other commitments. This is one of the main reasons why many people desiring nursing careers were unable to pursue the study in the past. After all, life must go on. The advent of technology has brought about an enormous array of opportunities for nurses to further their education.
“I could do the work at night, on my off days and even during my lunch hour if needed,” Anita Pool, who has a Master’s degree in Nursing, said. “I found the self-scheduling very compatible with my style of learning. The whole assignment could be done during the weekend and I would be finished for the rest of the week.”
Accessibility
Regardless of where you live, there are online nursing schools that cater to your area. Being able to study from a distance is an enormous advantage that makes obtaining nursing qualifications far more accessible for many people. With occasional campus visits sometimes required, nurses are able to study from home and serve their communities in the process.
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.
