If you want to become a nursing administration, registered nurse, or clinical nurse, you will have to pursue a nursing major. This major equips you with the skills you need to become a competent nurse in the clinical setting. You will also learn how to interact with patients, conduct your duties, and provide emergency healthcare services in numerous settings.
In short, a nursing degree will not only equip you to play a hands-on role in patient care but also allow you to pursue dynamic career paths, be it in management, administration, or critical care.
All of these aspects make nursing one of the most important fields in the industry. It is highly lucrative, and your nursing major can equip you with the knowledge that helps you throughout your life. For this reason, many students who are enthusiastic about serving humanity and want to make lives better opt for a nursing degree.
However, during the pandemic, the educational forum changed from on-campus education towards online learning. This impacted the previously streamlined learning techniques, leaving students and professionals in a bit of a bind.
If you’re thinking of pursuing an online nursing degree and feeling unsure whether this is the right choice for you, we’re here to help. While you’ll need two basic elements to support online learning: a stable internet connection and a computer at home, you must also review these seven crucial factors to make an informed decision:
1. You can learn in an asynchronous settingÂ
Let us answer the most popular question for you: What is asynchronous learning?
Asynchronous learning gives the students liberty to self-pace their education and training. Learners have the convenience to study from any part of the world. While some online programs have students stick to fixed class schedules, others offer asynchronous learning methods. What makes it different from other online learning methods is that students don’t have to communicate or engage with their lecturers or other students.
As long as your course work, quizzes, tests, and scores meet certain set criteria and are completed before a set date, you’re good to go. It can occur on any digital learning platform as long as both learners and facilitators can upload documents and keep track of progress. Most asynchronous learning programs are automated, and learners unlock advanced chapters after passing the previous ones. This ensures comparable progress for everyone empowering students to self-discipline.
2. You will still connect with faculty and advisors
Just because you aren’t physically present in the institute does not mean you will miss all the meaningful interactions with your lecturers and trainers. While physical barriers persist, high-quality education on online forums still tackles this problem by giving students access to institute faculty and resources for support.
These faculty members are ever-ready to guide and advise students and help them throughout the duration of the course. Educational institutes also connect students with advisors and counselors who can assist students through online tools.
3. Some online courses will have in-person requirementsÂ
While many universities offer online classes for almost all disciplines, you will still need to train and learn at the campus or other location for some of your nursing courses. Online education alone cannot teach young students clinical skills, which are particularly crucial to a nursing degree. Theory may be covered in online classes, projects, and assignments, but for practical lab work, you’ll have to step out and test your skills. This may include attending clinical rotations or classes at the campus.
Consider these requirements before choosing a major or picking an institute because they may impact your routine and commute.
4. You will have to learn time management  Â
Time management is a crucial part of asynchronous learning. In this setting, you have to be mindful of your pending tasks and responsibilities and complete them on time without lagging. Unlike on-campus education that makes it relatively easier to stick to schedules, you will have to self-discipline for online classes. You can take initiatives such as preparing a timetable that gives you enough room to maintain a study routine without affecting your personal life.
5. You will have to spend hours on the computerÂ
Learning online means you will have to spend a lot of time in front of a screen participating in classes, preparing projects, and taking part in discussion boards. You will have extra activities such as regular class discussions and project work on top of lectures. This entails that you will have to spend more time than usual, listening to or watching course lectures and participating in activities to maintain your grades.
Many online courses in nursing degrees prove to be more difficult than conventional on-campus classes. Therefore, when you add up all the time you need to commit to studying and completing coursework, hours will add up astonishingly fast.
Keeping this in mind, you should consider if taking classes off-campus is good for your mental and physical health.
6. Accountability will become your responsibilityÂ
On-campus classes are highly regulated where students are required to attend classes, participate actively, take tests, and collaborate with other students in front of everyone.
But when you opt for online education, the built-in measures for accountability disappear. While professors can still drop reminders and peers can still discuss projects on discussion boards, it becomes easier to overlook them.
For self-accountability, you can take steps such as reminders and calendars to complete tasks without falling behind.
7. Get comfortable with online communication and technologyÂ
Online education is only effective if you are able to use the communication and education tools to your advantage. In an online educational setup, everything related to your course involves working with technology. Be it taking tests, working on assignments, delivering projects, or attending lectures; you have to familiarize yourself with the right tools for effective learning.
Conclusion
Many people ill-conceive online education. However, online education is one of the most convenient learning modes when it comes to nursing. Students get a break from the hectic nature of strict schedules and can manage their workload at their own pace.
On top of that, they don’t miss out on hands-on experience either because clinical rotations teach them all the aspects of work. However, this learning model isn’t for everyone, so make sure you consider all these aspects thoroughly before making a decision.
