Last Updated on June 26, 2023 by Emma White
All professionals need to constantly update their learning today to stay relevant in their fields. Even nurses have to leverage continued education and attain advanced degrees. For instance, BSN will soon become a mandatory requirement for all nurses. It’s difficult to become a BSN-prepared nurse in 2023 when you’re overworked and underpaid. However, distance learning has come up with a solution to this problem. RNs can now pursue online nursing programs to boost their nursing acumen without exhausting themselves.
Ever since COVID-19 started, online degrees have remained popular among nurses due to these reasons:
1. Flexibility
Online degree programs find more willing participants because of their immense flexibility. Students aren’t bound to a tight schedule and can study expediently. As many nurses are facing burnout due to the pandemic and suffering from a work-life imbalance, a flexible learning opportunity is exactly what they need to advance in their careers healthily. You can coordinate your classes to your penchant and organize your study time at your convenience.
2. Convenience
Convenience is a significant reason why RNs lean toward online degree programs. You don’t have to reserve time, money, or energy to travel to your campus and bind yourself to a certain schedule for advanced education. Online nursing degrees are pretty convenient as nurses can log in via a laptop in the comfort of their apartment and access study materials. You can pursue BSN online programs easily and hone your nursing acumen to thrive in the health sector. This offers the option to get an education without the hassle of traditional programs.
3. Accessibility
Online BSN degrees make it easier to store/group your study documents. Your study materials are no longer a hassle like they are in paper format. You can easily sort through your PDF documents, share them across different devices, and find relevant information in them with a click of a button. Also, you can read these docs on your phone during your lunch breaks. Instead of making extensive notes, you can easily classify your study materials effortlessly in your online nursing class. Keeping track of your documents becomes easier, and you may stay organized.
4. Participation
Study participation has always been a problem in traditional classrooms. That’s why nurses prefer an online program where they can easily participate asynchronously. Online platforms facilitate real-time interaction between lecturers and students without any geographical barriers. Nursing students may express themselves more confidently via written messages when communicating online with teachers and students. This way, they can enhance their critical thinking and written communication skills.
Moreover, online classes offer equal participation opportunities to everyone. Online classes provide a more level playing field, giving every RN an equal opportunity to participate, share their perspectives, and contribute to the conversation. With reduced distractions and global connections, introverted RNs can also participate freely in these discussions. A supportive and inclusive environment will come into existence when nurses pursue online BSN degrees to resume their educational journey now.
5. Affordability
Lowers costs make online nursing degrees easily affordable for underpaid RNs. Traditional BSN degrees have higher tuition fees, and even cheaper programs will cost you $25,000. However, online BSNs cost less than $10,000, and nursing students don’t have to worry about boarding or commuting expenses. An online nursing degree doesn’t require students to purchase expensive books, as study materials are provided digitally. Affordability makes distance learning a more lucrative academic opportunity.
Experts have now estimated that online degrees are $36,595 cheaper over four years than in-person classes. That’s why different non-nursing professionals are also leaning toward online programs.
6. Self-paced Learning
We all learn at different paces, and online learning programs allow nurses to progress through study materials at their preferred stride. In traditional classrooms, it can be difficult to follow the lectures a professor is delivering while jotting down crucial factoids. You may also miss an important lecture due to some illness, or assignment due dates can come inconveniently. These problems don’t exist in online classes, where you are free to revisit challenging topics and focus on areas requiring more attention. Thanks to self-paced learning, RNs can become BSN-prepared in 12 to 24 months without pressure.
7. Personalization
Online programs allow nurses to receive tailored instructions and a personalized learning experience. A typical online program offers several concentrations to choose from so RNs can specialize in any one topic of their choosing. With individualized coursework and self-paced learning opportunities, nurses can easily ace their exams and finish their degrees successfully. Thus, nursing students can easily tailor their education to their specific career goals and advance themselves professionally.
Personalized education makes online degrees more tempting to modern-day nurses.
8. Technology
Integrating technology into modern-day classrooms has made education more effective. In traditional classrooms, students retain 8% to 10% of the information. However, students recollect 25% to 60% of the information delivered through online classes. Online learning uses visual aids, such as videos, infographics, and animation, to make complex topics easier to understand. So, nurses leverage online BSN degrees to hone their tech skills as well. Online learning equips nurses with digital literacy skills.
As technology becomes a necessity for all professionals, being tech-savvy is important to stay relevant in one’s field. Online programs help RNs develop technological competency successfully.
9. Easy Collaboration
Distance learning makes it easier for students to communicate and collaborate. Students scattered all over the globe can engage in mutual studies and help each other out via digital platforms. That’s how online classes facilitate student-to-student interactions to boost their professional development.
Aside from exchanging crucial knowledge and fostering future networks, you can also bond with your teachers very easily. They can offer personalized guidance and mentorship opportunities to you during online study sessions. This collaboration helps you deeply understand even intricate study topics.
Conclusion
Constant learning has become a necessity for modern-day nurses, and distance learning helps them boost their education remotely. RNs don’t have to sacrifice their jobs or overburden themselves with expensive classes anymore, thanks to online programs. These programs are flexible, accessible, and affordable. More RNs can advance their careers by enrolling in online degrees and finishing their education in a year or two. That’s why online nursing programs are as popular today as they were in the middle of the pandemic.
