Earn an Online Nursing Degree

Earn an Online Nursing Degree

Online nursing schools offer an alternative that is both more accessible and more economical then traditional schools. Although there are clinical and lab components to all nurse training programs that must be completed at a real-world facility, most basic course-work can be completed at home over the Internet.

1. Carefully consider the responsibilities, the long hours and the relatively low pay involved in a nursing career and balance these with rewards of serving for the greater good of society.
2. Complete online enrollment for your basic courses including; Introduction to Professional Nursing, Nursing Management, Health Policy Issues, Nursing Administration, Health and Disease Management, Research Methods, Nursing Theory, and more. Many online nursing schools have no residency requirement whatsoever.
3. Make arrangements with the school to fulfill clinical requirements at a medical facility near their place of residence, once basic coursework has been completed.
4. Expect current online nursing programs offered through public universities to cost between $110 and $170 per credit hour; depending on the school’s academic calendar, this could be anywhere from 60 to 90 credits. As an online student, you usually won’t be charged out-of-state fees and tuition.

One way to cut costs and save time is to consider taking credit for basic prerequisites by examination. Most nursing programs require that the candidate has taken course in basic biology, chemistry and mathematics; the College Level Examination Program (CLEP) enables students to earn credits in these subjects for 10% of what it would cost to take the full course. Take advantage of reputable sources that provide a guide to online degrees and online schools. When pursuing an online degree, it is important to make sure that the school is properly accredited. Most online college websites provide this information; you can also learn more about accreditation by visiting the U.S. Department of Education website.