8 Benefits of Online Nursing Programs
Going to college or training at another educational institute has traditionally involved uprooting your life, moving to a new area, and trying to earn money to survive in between attending classes. If you enroll in college later in life, you might also have the added stress of trying to care for your family.
As a result, many people can feel like they can’t chase lucrative career paths like nursing due to how much upheaval in their lives the study could require. In today’s advanced age, that has all changed.
These days, as long as you graduate from an accredited nursing program and pass the national licensing exam, you can receive your nursing degree online. If you’ve been contemplating embarking on a new career path, such as nursing, here are some of the many benefits associated with doing so.
Many Different Online Program Options
You might be surprised at the number of BSN to FNP online programs in Maryland, along with Master’s in Nursing, Bachelor of Science in Nursing, RN-to-BSN, and more. The program you choose can depend on your level of experience. For example, some programs are suitable for people who are already nurses and want to expand their skill set and make themselves eligible for promotions.
Other programs are designed for secondary school graduates, with a full nursing degree on offer for those who undertake the predominantly online program and in-person residencies and work experience.
Reduced Costs
The costs associated with nursing degrees can vary from one educational institution to the next. However, you can generally expect your entire experience to cost less with an online program than if you had to attend a nursing school in person.
Not only can your tuition costs sometimes be lower due to the reduced number of overheads the course providers tend to have with online courses, but your everyday living costs might also be lower. For example, you don’t have to pay for additional accommodation while away from your regular home or even pay daycare costs if you don’t want to since you can primarily study at home.
You might even save money on public transport and hold down a steady job while you study since you can work your nursing program around your job and life’s demands, not the other way around. There is potential for your student loan to be much lower at the end of your program than you anticipated.
Cloud-Based Learning
There are few things as frustrating as getting home from a long day at nursing school only to realize you’ve left essential books and documents in your locker on campus. You then have to travel all the way back, wasting time and money in the process.
This is an entirely avoidable problem with online nursing programs. Many of the most highly-regarded providers of nursing programs utilize cloud-based learning. All lessons, assignments, projects, and grades are available online for you to access 24/7.
Daily Flexibility
While nursing is a hands-on job that requires occasional in-person learning during training, the majority of your classes will be in an online capacity. As a result, you can attend classes at your own pace, rather than having your course provider dictate when you must learn. This daily flexibility can suit a wide range of people, including those with families, jobs, and other commitments. It might also be preferred by people who are more productive at certain times of the day than others and believe they can achieve more when able to learn at their own leisure.
Financial Aid Eligibility
Studying can require a significant financial commitment, especially if you have to give up your job or reduce your hours and pay tuition fees. While online learning institutions tend to offer competitive rates, that doesn’t mean you should miss out on financial aid just because you’ve chosen a more cost-effective learning option.
The United States Department of Education provides many different financial aid options, including grants, scholarships, and loans. If you have served in the military or are the spouse or child of someone who has, you might even be eligible for military family aid. On top of those aid options, you may also qualify for state government programs and federal government benefits, such as tax benefits and educational and training vouchers.
A Qualification
Before the COVID-19 pandemic made online learning commonplace, online programs were sometimes viewed as less important or valid than in-person programs. However, that has all changed. It now doesn’t matter whether you sit in a classroom or your own home to study; you can still achieve a qualification when you graduate. Regardless of where you learn, everyone still has to sit the same licensing exam to earn a nursing degree.
Health
When you attend college in person and become unwell, it can be stressful trying to catch up on the classes and work you missed. You might have stayed home to avoid spreading your germs, or you simply felt too unwell to make the commute to your classes.
Rest is important for recovering from an illness, but your condition might be less of an obstacle in an online nursing program. You can relax on your sofa with a blanket and still carry on with your study while simultaneously taking care of your health needs.
Learn New Skills
Enrolling in a nursing program undoubtedly means that you will be learning new skills. After all, these skills will be necessary to help patients in a healthcare setting. However, you can learn even more skills when the program you choose to enroll in is online. Beyond basic nursing skills, you can also learn about cloud computing and essential programs like Zoom, Microsoft Office, and your education provider’s classroom platform.
The more familiar you become with the internet and computers as you study, the easier you may find it to utilize the many different types of technology found in the average medical center and hospital.
There can be many things to consider before signing up for any type of nursing program. However, if you’ve wondered whether an online nursing program will be more valuable to you and your unique life circumstances than an in-person one, the benefits above may shed some light on what you can expect.