Nursing Program
How to Determine the Quality of an Online Nursing
Program by Grant Eckert
Accreditation
The process of accreditation is not mandatory for nursing programs, but
it is desirable. Accreditation is a voluntary program that schools can
use to make sure that their program is on par with other schools across
the country. While there may be many fine schools that are not
accredited, accreditation should give you confidence in an online
nursing program. Another reason to choose a school with a valid
accreditation is that many schools will not take transfers or allow
continuing education from a school that is not accredited.
There are two groups that accredit nursing programs in the United
States. They are the National League for Nursing Accreditation
Commission, or NLNAC, and the Commission on Collegiate Nursing
Education, or CCNE. By choosing a school that has the seal of approval
from one of these agencies, you should feel confident that you are
enrolling in a quality program.
Styles of Learning
Once you are comfortable that your school meets national standards, you
must determine whether it will work for you. Online classes are becoming
increasingly popular, which is both good and bad. The rapid growth in
popularity of online classes has made it difficult for some schools to
turn away students. Consider it from the schools point of view. An
online course normally costs the same as a regular course. However, the
online student does not need a seat in the classroom, does not need to
fit into a class. Many colleges do not restrict the class size for
online classes. While this may not be a problem if you really understand
the coursework and are able to work well independently, it can cause a
problem if you need extra help or find yourself falling behind.
One way that many online classes work is by collaborative learning. It
is not unusual for the instructor to divide the class into smaller
groups and provide assignment for each small group to work together on.
Depending on your group you may find yourself spending a good deal of
time in online discussions that you had not counted on when planning
your time.
Other classes provide little to no interaction between yourself and
other students. You will check a class message board for assignments and
receive your grades in an email and have little interaction with
anything other than the text book.
While it is helpful to discuss the styles of classes before you settle
on a school, most teachers within a school have their own style of
teaching, and you will have to adapt to each method. The most important
factor when considering an online nursing program is the availability of
the teachers. In even the smallest classes, if the teacher is
unavailable or less than timely in returning graded assignments it will
be hard to get the most from your classes.
Hands on Training
In a nursing profession it is important to receive hands on training.
You will have to count on a certain number of class hours to be
clinical, or hands on. The number of hours and how they are accumulated
will vary by school and degree program. Someone studying for the
registered nurse, or RN, degree will spend a great deal of time doing
clinical work, while a student completing their Bachelor's of Science in
Nursing that already is an RN and has worked as a nurse will require
few, if any, clinical hours.
Getting Your Questions Answered
An online nursing program, like any other online degree program, is only
as good as the people running it. It can be more difficult to determine
the quality of the teaching in an online setting, but by paying
attention and doing your research you may have find some clues. When you
contact the school initially, how are you treated? Are your calls and
emails returned promptly? Are your questions answered in a clear manner?
The treatment you receive before you are a registered student can be
indicative of the treatment you will receive through your time at the
school.
Does the staff seem generally knowledgeable and available to answer your
questions about financial aid, transferring credits, and other factors
that you must consider before committing to one school? While everyone
is an individual, you may discover that a helpful and administrative
staff often works in the same places as supportive teachers.
The bottom line when shopping for an online nursing program is
straightforward. Check that the program is accredited, make sure that
there is a system in place for you to receive your clinical hours, and
consider the attitude of the staff before you enroll as a student.
About the Author
Grant Eckert is a freelance writer who writes about topics concerning
the nursing profession such as Nursing Uniforms
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