Flexibility and affordability make distance learning an attractive option for many aspiring to complete undergraduate and graduate-level degrees in nursing education.
If you’ve been considering a career in nursing, first of all, congratulations! From personal experience, I can vouch for nursing being more than a rewarding job. It’s a true calling that will empower you to achieve transformative excellence in delivering patient care. It offers the chance to lift the health and well-being of individuals, families, and whole communities, wherever you live and work.
Perhaps you’re embarking on the initial steps for licensure. Or maybe you’re already working in nursing and want to continue your education to complete advanced specialty certification, earn a master’s degree that would qualify you to become a nurse educator, or follow a scholarly path to a Ph.D. or DNP.
You may discover that online courses and distance learning degree programs better fit your budget, timeline, geographic limitations, need to accommodate an outside job or family responsibilities, or simply your personal preference than the traditional classroom-to-clinical site instructional model.
The future of education
In Fall 2022, the latest semester for which National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) data is available, more than 10 million college students took at least one course online, with slightly fewer than 5 million opting to take all of their classes remotely, representing more than 1 in 4 undergraduates during that enrollment period and ahead of pre-pandemic online enrollment in 2019.
By contrast, a decade earlier, in 2012, almost 75% of college students took no online classes. Remarkably, Polaris Market Research projects that the e-learning market will grow nearly 21 percent annually through 2030.
Fortunately, there are an array of online nursing programs to suit multiple professional goals, budgets, and other needs, like the length of time from start to graduation. These include the accelerated BSN for non-nursing bachelor’s degree graduates; LPN to RN bridge programs; accelerated RN-MSN programs; and terminal degrees that lead to the advanced specialty roles of nurse practitioner, nurse educator, and doctor of nursing practice.
Finding the right fit
The most important factor in choosing an online program is accreditation. Look for programs accredited by an agency such as the NLN Commission for Nursing Education Accreditation (CNEA), which is recognized as an accrediting body by the U.S. Department of Education. CNEA accreditation means the program meets standards of quality and helps graduates secure jobs or continue with further education.
An important question you may have as you begin the selection of an online degree or certificate program is whether your entire program may be completed in a virtual, long-distance environment. Although many nursing degrees can be completed online, one that requires onsite clinical work, such as your initial RN or an NP degree, will offer a combination of online study and in-person clinical work.
Depending on the school’s policy, it may be possible for you to arrange a local clinical placement. Some schools, however, insist you spend time at hospitals or facilities with which it has a prior agreement. Check those policies before you commit, especially if you are enrolling in a program that is a great distance from your home.
Finally, be aware that online nursing programs operate in different formats. Some schools feature live instruction that you watch in real-time or can be accessed later in a recorded version. Others may use a virtual classroom with self-paced instructional videos and educational materials like slideshows for presentations that you work through at your own pace. Try to find a program best suited to your comfort level with technology, time limitations, and learning style. Remember: the goal is to get you going in a way that maximizes your opportunities in nursing and sets you up for a lifetime of success!
