Right now, the demand for good nursing professionals is higher than ever. This has led to a massive increase in the number of nursing educational courses and degree programs available for people considering getting into nursing or advancing their current nursing career. Whether you are graduating from high school and have decided on a career in nursing in the future or are thinking about changing your current career and becoming a nurse, this career path is one that allows you to care for others and make a real difference to lives. Many student nurses at every level find that studying online is the best option for them. These are just some of the reasons why online nursing degree programs are becoming a more popular option.
Flexibility for Working and Studying
Studying online is the best choice for many full-time registered nurses who need an option that allows them to work and study at the same time. If you are currently working as a nurse and want to take your career to the next level or train to work in a specialty area, online degree programs provide you with the option to fit your studies around your current commitments, making the qualification easier to achieve when you’re juggling a lot of different things at the same time. Registered nurses with a BSN can take an online program such as this acute care pediatric nurse practitioner program by Baylor University, allowing them to fit studying around working and eventually achieve a qualification that allows them to work in a more advanced, high-level nursing position.
Reduce Stress Levels
Nursing school can undoubtedly be a stressful experience, whether you’re studying nursing for the first time to get into this career or advancing your current nursing career with a master’s degree or specialist training program. Studying online rather than on-campus gives you more control over your study schedule, which in turn can lead to a much less stressful experience. Students who are currently working as registered nurses while getting an advanced qualification can use this flexibility to fit studying around their working life and other commitments such as family, making it easier to manage.
Save Money
Getting a nursing degree whether you’re an undergraduate or a postgraduate student with the main goal of advancing your nursing career can be an expensive process. Getting your nursing degree online, whether you are studying for a BSN, MSN or another type of nursing education program can be a more cost-effective option to consider. Student debt is currently at an all-time high, so it is no surprise that more student nurses are deciding that getting their degree online is the best option for them when it comes to reducing the financial impact. While unfortunately, most online nursing degrees are comparable to campus-based degree programs in terms of tuition fees, student nurses who choose to get their degree online can often make huge savings over the time it takes for them to complete the program, with no need to pay for commuting, relocation, and several of the other costs associated with studying on-campus. Along with this, the flexibility that allows nurses to work full-time and fit education around this means that the risk of income loss is much lower.
More Employer Support
For nurses who are already in this profession and want to take their career to the next level, studying online can be an ideal way to get more employer support. With the demand for advanced nurses higher than ever, an increasing number of employers are happy to support nurses when it comes to getting advanced qualifications. However, this can get tricky with campus-based degree programs that might require nurses to take time away from work in order to achieve, which leaves employers shorthanded during a nursing shortage. Since studying online is less disruptive to your employer, you may be able to get more support from them when advancing your career. Many employers today are offering both financial and practical support to nurses who want to get an advanced degree.
Boost Important Career Skills
Whether you’re studying for a BSN or an advanced nursing degree program, studying online gives you plenty of opportunities to develop and improve on a wide range of skills that will be necessary for success with your nursing career. When getting your nursing degree online, you will not only be able to spend your time developing the skills that are specific to your job, but there will also be the chance to develop some key transferable skills that you can use throughout your career. For example, online study means that you will need to work on your communication skills in order to remain effective at working together with people that you are not going to be with in-person. You’ll also need to develop your skills with organization, time management, self-study and self-motivation, all of which are going to be essential to a successful future nursing career.
Build Your Professional Network
Contrary to popular belief, studying online is not always about sitting on your own at home and studying in isolation. While there might be times where you just get on with it on your own, the prevalence of online nursing degree programs today means that schools and colleges are putting in much more effort to make sure that all students get the chance to build their professional network while studying. When getting your online nursing degree, there will typically be lots of opportunities for you to meet and get to know your peers, including online forums, chat rooms, social media groups, group chats and more. Many colleges and nursing schools will also host local events where students who live nearby can meet in-person and get to know one another. You’ll also have the chance to meet other students and professionals while undertaking clinical placements and on-the-job work experience as part of your degree program.
Whether you’re at the beginning of your nursing career or looking to progress in your current role as a nurse, getting your degree online is one of the most popular options with many benefits.
Talha Ali is your tech generalist, covering a wide spectrum of topics within the ever-evolving world of technology. With a curiosity for the latest innovations, industry trends, and breakthroughs. Whether it’s hardware, software, emerging technologies, or the intersection of tech with daily life, Talha’s articles provide readers with a well-rounded perspective on the dynamic landscape of the tech industry.