Nursing degrees seem like an entirely brick-and-mortar proposition. As a working nurse, your responsibilities will involve direct contact with the patient. For most people, this is not a job that can be done remotely from home. Why would getting a nursing degree be any different?
The mechanics of online education for nurses have changed a lot over the last five years or so. Universities everywhere have done a lot to build up their online curriculums. You can now experience many of the same resources you would benefit from in the classroom right from the comfort of your home.
In this article, we will take a look at why it is now easier than ever to pursue a nursing degree online.
Can You Do Everything Online?
While the majority of nursing degree requirements can be met online, there are some things you will need to do in person. Most notably, you will have to get clinical experience at a cooperating hospital.
The school you choose should be able to communicate and coordinate this requirement with hospitals in your community. Still, it is a good idea to find out where this clinical experience would take place before you sign up for a program. You don’t want to choose an online school only to find that you will need to commute an hour to the clinics each day.
Why Now is a Great Time to Get a Nursing Degree Online
What is it about the present that will appeal to people hoping to get their nursing degree online? In the next few headings, we take a look at factors that should be particularly appealing.
Remote Communication has Never Been Better
Perhaps the most obvious factor is that many schools are now very set up to support remote education. During the pandemic, every university had to build up a remote tech stack that would allow people to learn from home.
Virtually all major schools now have robust online degree programs that allow students to learn from anywhere. Through video conferencing technology, remote students have almost the exact same classroom experience as those who are physically attending lectures.
Support Materials are Excellent
Virtual learning resources have also never been better. Most online schools will utilize platforms that make it easy to communicate and collaborate with other students. They will feature organized resource banks that will give you easy access to study materials, virtual libraries, and other resources that will help you in your academic career.
There are also applications that further aid in the online learning experience. For example, if you want to experience some of the pressures of nursing in a low-stakes environment, you might pursue those experiences in a virtual setting. Some applications simulate hospital emergencies.
These tools may not reflect the same pressure, but they can at least help you develop a crisis-ready mindset.
There are also great study aids that will help you prepare for coursework, and, eventually, the NCLEX.
Cost Effective
Online-only universities also tend to cost less money than those that offer primarily classroom learning. The reason behind this is simple—online schools have WAY less overhead. College campuses are basically small cities, and they have the expenses to reflect that.
They are expensive to run, and therefore, cripplingly expensive to attend. By comparison, some online schools are as little as half the cost per credit hour.
The bargain proposition tapers off a little when you choose schools that have a physical campus. In these cases, you may still wind up paying for all of that infrastructure—even if you never get to experience it.
Credible
Online degrees weren’t always taken very seriously. That changed dramatically circa 2020 when virtually every college student in the country became a virtual learner. Now most people do not recognize any significant difference in pursuing a degree online versus in-person. The stigma surrounding virtual learning has all but disappeared, making this a great time to pursue a degree in a way that makes sense to you.
Strike While the Iron is Hot
It’s also worth noting that now is an outstanding time to become a nurse—regardless of how you get your degree. Healthcare shortages are real, giving new nurses in every field—from E.R. to midwifery—ample opportunity to work where they please while commanding competitive salaries.
The work is difficult. Certainly, it requires a special type of person to do it. Still, if you fall into that category, it is safe to say there has never been a better time to consider a healthcare career.
Are There Any Reasons Not to Get Your Degree Online?
Sure. There are distinct benefits to having an on-campus college experience. Some of these benefits are a matter of perception—many people strongly associate college not just with learning but also with dorm food and long walks in the quad. You can’t get that experience from behind a computer screen.
College campuses also have resources that can’t be replicated online. Virtual databases are great, but they don’t quite capture the incredible scope of an extensive collegiate library. And phone/computer applications are outstanding, but they don’t quite match the power of an awesome simulated lab environment.
Some people also just learn better on campus. You have to be self-driven in order to succeed with remote learning. If you are the type of person who procrastinates or simply works better in the more sensory environment of a classroom, getting an online degree might not be right for you.
One final consideration? Support. At a physical campus, there are many easily accessible ways to get extra help. There are tutoring programs. Special offices for test prep or writing advisement. Office hours. Physical places you can go for real-time help.
Many online schools will have resources that are comparable, but they often lack the same sense of urgency. You aren’t sitting across a desk from another human. You are writing an email. That difference can be very meaningful for some people.