Recently there has been a big push within the healthcare industry for all registered nurses to gain a BSN (Bachelor of Science in Nursing). As nurses are famously busy, a lot of them are opting to take their BSN course online. Some nurses might be hesitant to study online because of concerns over meeting their clinical requirements and over how effective online learning really is, but a well-planned RN to BSN course will empower you to achieve every aspect of your degree while still maintaining your day-to-day work.
Meeting your clinical requirements
Completing Clinical Requirements in an Online Nursing Program is a concern for a lot of registered nurses. As the BSN program has a heavy focus on community work it’s essential that experience of working in that field is part of the degree, and course conveners are aware of this.
For nurses who are already working in hospitals, prisons or other settings where there are opportunities to carry out community work, it is usually possible to meet your clinical requirements for your degree program through your existing employer. For nurses where that is not the case, your online nursing program provider will be able to help you to secure a placement that you can fit in around your studies and your existing work.
Either way, it will be possible to meet your clinical requirements even if you are studying online.
Online learning can be more effective
There are many benefits to online learning. One of the main ones is that the flexible nature of studying online means that more people have access to education. For example, people with caring commitments or who might have difficulty traveling are now able to access education.
There are also ways that online learning is more effective for certain groups of people:
- People learn more. Online learning is carried out at the pace that best suits the student, meaning that they have the time to really take in and process the information that they need to. Studies indicate that this means people actually learn more online than they do in person.
- People are more likely to stick with online learning. The retention rate for online courses is between 25% and 60% higher than traditional courses at a physical institution. It’s been suggested that the greater level of control that students have over how they learn, means that it’s easier to keep going.
- Online learning is less of a time investment. The amount of work you do in the actual course is the same, but you don’t need to spend time commuting or waiting around between classes, so overall you save time.
Benefits of a BSN
Completing your RN to BSN means that you will have more career opportunities.
BSN qualified nurses have the opportunity to work in Magnet hospitals, and to access management and leadership opportunities. Not only this, but they are able to apply for Masters level courses for specialisms like becoming a Nurse Practitioner.
Studies indicate that on average, nurses with a BSN earn $73,000 per year, while nurses with an ADN earn $65,000.
