The healthcare industry is dealing with a serious crisis at the moment. These issues were already apparent before the recent events, and all the pandemic did was exacerbate them. Nursing shortages are worse than ever, and they’re not only at the facility level but in faculties as well. Online learning is helping solve a lot of these issues, however, and is one of the solutions that have been proposed to ease shortages and bring more nurses into the fold. But there are many other reasons why online nursing classes are so great for nurses and the healthcare industry. Let’s take a look at a few of them.
Allows Nurses to Pursue their Dreams
Most nurses understand how important advanced degrees are in the profession, but they’re often so overwhelmed with work that they can’t see a possible way they could fulfill their professional obligations and get a degree at the same time. Online classes are the perfect solution here. With online classes, students can either work full-time and study part-time or the opposite. They can go to classes whenever they please as well if they decide to go for asynchronous classes.
Online learning also allows nurses to pursue specializations that are closer to their real aspirations and skills. Nurses that are nearing the end of their career or who become parents may suddenly want to work closer to families and have a more personal relationship with their patients. With online classes, they can pursue a family nurse practitioner program from the comfort of their home without skipping a beat.
Accredited family nurse practitioner degrees from reputable schools get the same recognition as any other, and nurses are formed just as well. This is a great way to pursue advancement, move into a more fulfilling role, and get paid better.
Reduces the Chances of a Burnout
Being able to advance is also what could prevent many nurses from burning out. Some feel like they’re stuck as RNs and are sick of the constant stress they have to face in and out. With online education, they can seek work that will be less stressful or will take them out of a clinical setting completely. This could allow some nurses to extend their careers by a few years by working in a research role, as educators, or even in fun fields such as nurse forensics, for instance.
Those who feel like they’re at the end of their rope should consider going on a part-time schedule and getting advanced credentials online that will steer them towards less demanding positions. The profession still needs your expertise, and you don’t necessarily have to be at the bedside to contribute, so consider other options.
More Choice
As we said earlier, the US is dealing with a huge faculty shortage at the moment and some have stated that it could be the single biggest contributing factor to nursing shortages. With online programs, students can look beyond the options where they are and attend any school in the country that has an online program.
Some states have a much higher number of candidates, but not enough faculty. This means that even highly qualified nurses with experience are getting rejected because of lack of space. With online programs, there is much less of a chance of that happening.
So, if you faced difficulty getting accepted into a school near you, you live somewhere remote, or there are not enough nursing schools where you are, online classes could be the perfect option.
More Convenience
Nurses live busy lives with often very limited space for anything else. They may have to deal with hectic schedules at work and work overtime. They may also have to deal with their household responsibilities as well. Things are even tougher for single parents. Being able to take classes from wherever they are and whenever they want can change everything. Going to school at night after a long shift and getting the children to and from school is simply not possible for most parents. This is why online classes are such a good choice for them.
If you take asynchronous classes, you could take them at whatever time is more convenient for you. It might be in the evening, but also early in the morning before the children go to school. Working early in the morning after you have had a good night’s sleep is a much more realistic proposition than having to work after a tough day and could be what allows you to get the high credentials you always wanted.
Cost Savings
Online nursing classes also allow students to save money in many ways. Note that the tuition will be roughly the same as what you’d have to pay for a traditional program of the same level. However, you’ll be able to save time and money on commuting and materials. People who work and go to school at the same time also tend to spend a lot of money on restaurants. Being close to home will allow you to enjoy home-cooked food and save in the process.
Accommodates Different Learning Styles
One more benefit of online classes that is often overlooked is the fact that some types of students thrive in that kind of environment. Every person learns differently. Some might be more visual learners, while others might be more auditory. Traditional classes are often dispensed in a lecture style, which is not the best for visual learners.
Online classes tend to be more interactive and allow for much more direct communication with educators, which is something few expect when they look at these classes. Some will even integrate some games into their courses, which is great for those who like to interact with learning material more.
Online classes have been a godsend for the healthcare industry and will make a significant difference in how nurses are formed now and in the future. If you are still hesitant about online classes, we suggest you look into them in more detail and discover everything they have to offer.
