Get a Nursing Career With An Online Nursing Degree

Welcome, future nurse! You have decided to pursue a fulfilling and financially profitable career as a nurse, and we’re here to help you get started on the right path to achieving your dream. Whether you want to be a registered nurse (RN) or a licensed practical nurse (LPN), you will find on this site all that you need to know about the nursing career.

Nursing: A Job with Countless Benefits

       Becoming a registered nurse really helped me in my life. Online program I took was very detailed and well explained, so I was able to finish with excellent results.

There are countless benefits for those who complete their nursing education and attain nursing certification:

A High-Demand Profession — Nursing is the largest profession in the healthcare field, so there are always jobs open for someone with a degree. Currently, there is a shortage of nurses in the United States, which only increases the demand for qualified specialists.
A Lucrative Career — On average, registered nurses earn a salary of $57,000–$68,000 per year, and licensed practical nurses earn 35,000–$45,000. Nurses who specialize in a particular field can earn even more.
A Short Path to Certification — Compared to other careers, the time it takes to complete a degree in nursing and attain certification is relatively short. It only takes one year to complete training as an licensed practical nurse, and a student can become an registered nurse after two years of study.
A Profession that Is Good for the Community — Nurses are on the frontline of healthcare in the United States. They do a great service to society in helping sick people get well, comforting families of ill patients, and much more.

Which Nursing Degree Is Right for Me?

Many different degrees can equip students for their nursing career. Here are the major degree nursing programs in the field and what they involve:

Nursing Associate Degree

The nursing associate’s degree, also known as the Associate of Science in Nursing degree, is a two-year program that equips students to become RN Graduates who receive the associate’s degree in nursing may take the NCLEX-RN qualifying examination. Most associate of science in nursing degree programs are offered through junior colleges.

Nursing Bachelor Degree

Individuals who want to do more with their nursing education than serve as a floor nurse in a hospital will want to pursue the Bachelor of Science degree in nursing (BSN). This four-year degree equips the student to become an RN, and it also prepares the student for a nursing career in health informatics, administration, or research.

Nursing Masters Degree

The most common graduate nursing programs allow students to earn a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN). These programs are especially advantageous for individuals who want to supervise other nurses in a hospital or similar setting as the combination of coursework and service hours gives students experience in nursing leadership. Registered nurses with strong clinical experience may find elements of the normal MSN program repetitive, but they can enroll in an RN to MSN nurse program to avoid repeating what they have already learned.

Doctoral Nursing Degree

If you have a strong interest to teach in your nursing career, you will want to consider earning the Doctor of Nursing Science (DNS) degree or the Doctor of Nursing Practice degree. In the world of nursing education, the DNS is the highest terminal degree, and it is the equivalent of the Doctor of Philosophy degree awarded in other disciplines. A substantial amount of original research is necessary to complete the DNS, and those who earn the degree are qualified to teach in a university setting.

What Kind of Nurse Should I Become?

Choosing a nursing program from the above list depends largely on the type of nurse you want to become. Most nurses are licensed practical nurses (LPNs) or registered nurses (RNs).

LPN (Licensed Practical Nurse)

An LPN cares for patients under the supervision of a doctor or an RN. The tasks that LPNs perform are numerous and varied, and they may include assisting parents with personal hygiene, recording vital signs, performing routine laboratory tests, monitoring patient reactions to medication, gathering patient information, and much more. LPNs who serve in a doctor’s office may also help keep records and make appointments for patients to visit the doctor.

LPNs must be licensed by the state in which they reside. Generally speaking, they are required to complete a nurse program that trains students in nursing skills for at least one year. In addition to receiving a nursing degree, they will also have to pass the National Council Licensure Examination for Practical Nurses (NCLEX-PN), which students can take after completing their nursing studies. The LPN has the shortest and easiest career track in nursing, but most LPNs earn less money than RNs. LPNs also work under greater supervision than RNs.

RN (Registered Nurse)

There are over 2.5 million registered nurses in the United States. RNs perform many of the same tasks as LPNs, but they take a greater role in the education of patients and their families regarding the treatment of illnesses and other problems. RNs may also assist physicians in an operating room, and they can specialize in particular fields such as palliative care, oncology, dermatology, and so on. Many RNs supervise other RNs and LPNs, and they often work in teams to determine and administer patient care.

As noted, there are many schools and nursing programs that prepare students to become registered nurses. An associate’s degree is all that is required to qualify an individual to sit for the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN). Once prospective nurses pass this test, they can be certified as registered nurses and begin their nursing career. Students who choose to complete the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN), however, have more opportunities for advancement and specialization in the nursing field.

Registered nurses who are interested in serving as nurse anesthetists, nurse midwives, or other specialists need a master’s degree. Thus, if you are interested in pursuing one of these specializations in the future, you need to enroll in a BSN program, as the BSN is a prerequisite for a master’s degree in the nursing field. RNs usually find more nursing jobs open to them than LPNs, which is one reason why you should consider becoming an RN. A registered nurse also tends to earn a larger salary than a LPN, which is yet another reason to consider online nursing schools that have programs leading to the BSN and other degrees required to become a registered nurse.

The Top Nursing Careers and Salaries

Many nurses choose to specialize in a particular field because of the type of work and salary that it offers. Once you have completed your degree and have attained certification, you may want to consider one of these top five careers:

Nurse Anesthetist — Certified nurse anesthetists work with doctors and anesthesiologists to administer anesthesia to surgical patients. These specialists will have earned a master’s in nursing from one of the many schools with nursing programs that train nurse anesthetists. A nurse anesthetist enjoys a high-paying, challenging career, as it takes a great deal of specialized knowledge to administer anesthesia properly. (average salary: $135,000)

Nurse Researcher — A nurse researcher serves in one of the many nursing careers that involve academic and clinical studies. Nurse researchers commonly work for private companies and healthcare-focused nonprofits, and they report on patient outcomes and drug effectiveness, improve healthcare delivery, maintain medical affordability, and more. A nurse researcher collects and analyzes data from surveys and other sources in the course of such reporting. (average salary: $95,000)

Nurse Midwife — Certified nurse midwives (CNMs) play a critical role in the care of babies and their mothers. CNMs are qualified to provide prenatal care, labor and delivery assistance, and postpartum care. A certified nurse midwife will routinely perform gynecological exams, provide help with family planning, and deliver babies under the supervision of a physician. This is good nursing career for those who like to work independently and love babies. (average salary: $84,000)

Clinical Nurse Specialist — A clinical nurse specialist (CNS) serves in one of the most academically focused nursing careers. Prospective clinical nurse specialists will have completed a graduate nursing education. A CNS teams with other nurses to discover and implement policies that improve systems of care. If you like numbers, statistics, and improving healthcare delivery, then you will probably enjoy serving as a CNS. (average salary: $76,000)

Travel Nurse — If you love to travel, then an exciting career as a travel nurse is probably right for you. Travel nurses are not based in any one location, but they partner with agencies to fill positions all over the world. Institutions that hire them typically pay part or all of their living and travel expenses, making a career as a travel nurse an excellent and affordable way to see the world. (average salary: $62,000)

Online Nursing Programs: Their Advantages over Traditional Programs

For decades, students had to enroll in a traditional brick-and-mortar institution in order to earn a nursing degree. This made it impossible for many students to become nurses, especially if they needed to move to a new city to receive training. Today, however, it is easier than ever to get the education necessary for certification because degrees in nursing are available from several online nursing schools.

Many of the top schools with nursing programs allow students to earn a degree in nursing entirely online, which is an advantage for students who have full-time jobs or do not live within driving distance of a school. Furthermore, Internet-based schools often charge much less for their online programs because they do not have to pay for building maintenance and other facility expenses.

There are several online nursing programs. Many of them are geared towards students who are already nurses, and these programs allow certified nurses to earn a bachelor’s of science in nursing without having to complete a traditional four-year course of study. Other programs are designed for students who have no experience in nursing.The duration of these programs vary according to the number of classes students take each semester, but students should plan on roughly one to two years for a bachelor's degree and three to four years for a master’s degree when taking the standard course load.

The Top Five Online Nursing Schools

There are many online schools with nursing programs from which to choose, each with many program options and degree levels. These schools also offer degrees to prepare students for various nursing specialties. Here are the top five online schools that offer programs in nursing:

Kaplan University — Kaplan University traces its history back to its founding as the American Institute of Commerce in 1937. Any eligible student can take courses at the school, but there is a special program that allows students in the California Community Colleges System to take courses through Kaplan University for credit toward a California community college degree.

University of Phoenix — The University of Phoenix has more students than any other university in the United States except the State University of New York. Before enrolling for classes, students can take a prior learning assessment that may grant them college credit for life experience.

Capella University — Capella University, founded in 1993, is one of the newest online schools with nursing programs. There is a minor residency requirement of one five-day nursing colloquium for students interested in Capella’s Doctor of Nursing Practice degree.

Walden University — Walden University was established in 1970 as an institution where working adults could earn doctoral degrees. Today, nearly 50,000 students get training for nursing jobs and other vocations through this school.

Liberty University — Liberty University is a Christian school that offers degrees in many subjects. The institution’s online nursing program is one of the most popular online degree programs in nursing today.

Conclusion

As a nurse, you will earn a high salary and enjoy the privilege of helping people in some of the most trying times of their lives. Fill out the form on the top of the page to request free information about online nursing education and begin focusing on the path to a promising and satisfying nursing career