Things That Make Online Nursing Schools Different

By Caleb Joseph


There are a few things that really make taking nursing classes online different from taking the classes in a more traditional setting. For some, taking classes online is the best way to go. The online medium just makes more sense to a certain demographic. However, there is that group of people that say they could never learn a thing online. This demographic needs to be in a classroom in front of a teacher. The mistake that many people make is that they do not investigate both options before enrolling in the nursing school. Instead, they just go with whichever one makes more sense at the time without really looking at all of the options.

If you are looking into one of Obama's scholarships for moms programs you might want to consider a degree in nursing. There is current a moderate shortage of registered nursed in the U. S. This shortage will only continue to grow as the population ages and increases and the current RN workforce reaches retirement age. Clinics are being formed that are RN managed. The demanded for skilled nurses and nurse managers will insure a secure future for anyone who chooses the field of nursing as a career.

HRSA is positioned to support nursing education, practice and retention thorough loans, scholarships and grants. It is for enticing new students into the program, for continuing education to improve their skills and to retain them in the nursing field. What is available is as follows:

National Nurse Service Corps - A loan repayment program that will repay from 60 to 85 percent of nursing student loans. A requirement is that the recipient must work at least two years in a facility in an area deemed to have a critical shortage of nurses. New Nursing Schools.

Nurses Must Be Prepared To Meet Increasingly Complex Patient Needs"Rapidly expanding clinical knowledge and mounting complexities in health care mandate that professional nurses possess educational preparation commensurate with the diversified responsibilities required of them. As health care shifts from hospital-centered, inpatient care to more primary and preventive care throughout the community, the health system requires registered nurses who not only can practice across multiple settings - both within and beyond hospitals - but can function with more independence in clinical decision making, case management, provision of direct bedside care, supervision of unlicensed aides and other support personnel, guiding patients through the maze of health care resources, and educating patients on treatment regimens and adoption of healthy lifestyles. In particular, preparation of the entry-level professional nurse requires a greater orientation to community-based primary health care, and an emphasis on health promotion, maintenance, and cost-effective coordinated care. " (American Association of Colleges of Nursing, Position Statement, Dec. 2000)Nursing is a dynamic profession and lifelong learning is essential for nurses to stay current with the increased complexity of the healthcare needs of today and into the future. In other words, the needs of our patients are changing, as we must change in order to be prepared to better serve that need. BSN degree nurses are better prepared to meet patient needsThe main difference in study between an ADN and BSN is the emphasis on additional education in leadership and management, wellness, and community nursing. BSN prepared nurses possess greater knowledge of health promotion, disease prevention, and risk reduction as well as illness and disease management and are prepared to assist individuals, groups, and communities to prevent disease and achieve optimum levels of wellness. As nurses expand their role and move further into providing more community based primary care delivery the need for BSN prepared nurses is apparent. Having a BSN degree means more career opportunitiesThe health system's increasing demand for front-line primary care, and the accelerating drive toward managed care, prevention, and cost-efficiency, are driving the nation's need for nurses who are prepared to practice in non-structured setting and interact directly with the public in matters of providing health and prevention services to the community, and that requires a BSN prepared nurse for starters. Am I saying that every RN should become a BSN?No, of course not! That's an individual choice each of you needs to make for yourselves. Don't do it for money. In many cases there's no benefit in pay for having a BSN versus an ADN or Diploma- at least initially. The truth however is that increased education leads to increased responsibilities and increased career opportunities which give rise in turn to increased pay. BSN nurses will have more career options than ADN and Diploma nurses. Diploma nursing programs are all but extinct anymore and I expect the ADN programs will vanish sometime in the future as well, but those of you who are already licensed will continue to be able to practice as an RN. You might find your job opportunities becoming narrower in the near future however. North Dakota has required all new nurse hires to possess a BSN degree since 1987. The New York State Board has similar legislation pending. The Dept. of Veteran's Affairs began requiring all new hires to possess at least a BSN degree in 2005. Who knows what's coming next?Having a BSN degree allows more opportunity for employment, increased responsibility, and career progression. It opens the door for professional certification in specialty areas of nursing practice and leads to an expanded role as a provider, designer, manager, and coordinator of patient care as well as provides the foundation for graduate education. Today's working RN's can attain a BSN degree without sacrificing their present job or income by going through an accredited online program. Programs are available that offer NLN accredited LPN to RN/BSN degrees, RN to BSN degrees, RN/ BSN to Master's degrees, and even PhD in Nursing. Your employer's education benefits often cover the expense of advancing your degree and tuition assistance is available for those who need additional help. Nurses wishing to explore available online nursing degree options can learn more by visiting Medi-Smart. com's online nursing school directory at http://medi-smart. com/schools. htm. Medi-Smart is a nursing resource and education site for nurses by an experienced nurse and you can interact with fellow nurses as well as student nurses in the nursing discussion forums while you're there. Healthcare delivery is changing. Nurses need to change along with it to meet the need.

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