Healthcare Technology Featured Article

June 17, 2021

How Can Online Learning Boost Your Nursing Career?




Online learning offers a flexible way to complete your studies and advance your career, and is an incredibly useful and beneficial method of studying. Many courses are designed for practicing RNs and can be completed alongside your current role. If you are considering becoming a nurse, or are already an RN ready for the next stage of your career, then considering online courses could help you plan your next steps. There are numerous benefits to online study, and it may be the perfect match for you. Here are just a few of the ways in which online learning can help to boost your nursing career.

What courses are there?

When it comes to learning online and studying online courses, there are many options to choose from. You may find that there are more options available to you in terms of qualification levels, subjects or content, and this means you can find the ideal course to help you achieve your career goals. If your local institutions do not offer the training or type of qualification you need, then online courses could give you a bit more freedom and more options when it comes to choosing a specific course. You may want to become a family nurse practitioner, for example, and this can be achieved through an online MSN. Many advanced roles in nursing require further education, such as an MSN or a DSN, and these can be taken online. The courses use a combination of distance learning and practical placements, classes or internships, which gives you the ability to put your new skills and knowledge into practice. The modules and courses will take a closer look at the specific areas you are interested in, allowing you to delve deeper into these areas and gain skills geared towards these specialisms.

Are online courses right for you?

Studying online comes with its own set of unique challenges, but it can also help to make education more achievable and accessible. The combination of learning styles helps you to become a more independent learner, allowing you to develop positive learning habits that you can take forward with you. The ability to multitask and complete a degree while still working is also very valuable, and will provide you with many personal skills, as well as the new technical nursing ones. You may have the option to study online at different times during your career, and the combination of in-person teaching and distance learning can also provide you with many valuable experiences and opportunities that you may not have access to outside of an educational setting. The internships and placements offered by online degrees are also incredibly beneficial. Not only do they allow you to put your new knowledge into practice, they also let you experience the workplace, and interact with other professionals in the environment. You may also be employed by the organization that you were an intern for, and it is an important networking opportunity, too.

There are plenty of benefits to gaining further education and qualifications, and many advanced nursing roles will require advanced qualifications. In general, the higher your level of qualification, the higher the level of jobs you are able to apply for, and these can also come with an increased salary.

There are many entry requirements and prerequisites that you will need to meet in order to apply for certain courses, and therefore it can be useful to plan ahead so that you understand what will be required of you. Generally, you will need to complete a BSN and pass your licensing exams in order to become an RN, which will allow you to work in general nursing. This is a good time to see where your interests and passions lie within the industry, and discover what kind of nursing you would like to specialize in.

Why study online?

There are plenty of benefits to studying online, from helping you save money to learning personal skills. When you are a student, it can be very expensive, with costs such as tuition and travel adding up. When you study an online course, it can make education more affordable by reducing or removing some of these costs. For example, you won't have to commute to classes every day, tuition fees for online courses can often be cheaper, and you can continue to work and earn money while you study. The university you are studying with may also provide financial support and other benefits such as student discounts.

The online nursing course that you choose will of course provide you with new technical skills and experiences, and these are incredibly important when working in your new roles. You will also have the chance to adapt and develop certain personal skills that are transferable, and will help you succeed in any workplace. These are called soft skills, and they include things such as communication, time management, self-motivation and teamwork, all of which are incredibly important in nursing. You will most likely have many of these skills, especially if you are an RN, but they can also be developed, and you will need to learn how to apply them to the new situations you may encounter in the workplace.

Taking an online course to gain a professional nursing qualification is a great idea to help advance your career, and this style of learning could be perfect for you. The online courses are flexible and often more affordable, allowing you to continue practicing while you learn. If you already know the area in which you would like to specialize, then you can look for a course that will prepare you for this. It is also useful to know that online courses are an option in the future if you have not yet decided on the area of nursing that you would like to move into, as you can keep them in mind for the future in order to help you prepare for the next steps in your nursing career.



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