What You Can Do with a Nursing Degree
Why Study Nursing Online?
With many baby boomers retiring, there is a large nurse shortage growing by the day. The demand for nurses will create over a million new jobs, & is already lifting nursing wages. Studying nursing online allows you to improve your career and salary with flexible hours that work around your current schedule.
Each school offers unique programs and exclusive financial aid opportunities for nursing students. We recommend requesting information from at least 2 schools so you can compare and contrast their programs.
Top Online Colleges With Nursing Programs
University of Phoenix - Certificates, Associate's, Bachelor's, Master's, & Doctoral Degrees. University of Phoenix offers a flexible high quality learning environment which focuses on helping nurses further their careers, at their own pace - online or on campus. With over 30 years experience, 100+ degree programs, 20,000+ faculty members, nearly 200 campuses, and 300,000+ enrolled students, University of Phoenix is the clear leader in online education.
Kaplan University - Certificates, Associate's, Bachelor's, & Master's Degrees. A leading name in education since 1938, Kaplan has a wide array of continuing education opportunities serving roughly 37,000 enrolled students.
Not Sure of Your Career Options?
We interviewed over a half-dozen well known nurses to get their favorite education and career tips, opinions, & suggestions in our special Nursing Beyond The Books series.
Directory of Online Nursing Education Programs
Online Nursing Schools
University of Phoenix Online / Kaplan University / Grand Canyon University / more...
Online Nursing Degree Levels
Certificates / Associate's Degrees / Bachelor's Degrees / Master's Degrees / Doctoral Programs
Nursing Careers
Behavioral Health / Cardiac / Case Management / Cath Lab / Clinical Specialist / Community Health / Complimentary Health / Correctional / Critical Care / Developmental Disabilities / Dialysis / Emergency / Environmental Health / Forensic / Genetic / GI Endoscopy / Hematology / HIV / AIDS / Home Health / Hospice / Infectious Disease / Informatics / Intravenous Therapy / Legal / Maternal / Medical Surgical / Military / Neonatal
Customize Your Future
If you are considering a career in nursing, you need to know all your options. There are degrees to choose, types of nursing programs to consider, and then choices to make about your intended specialty. Interested in pediatrics, cancer nursing, or care for aging adults? Or do you prefer a more heart-pounding, adrenaline-charged job?
Explore Degree Levels
Degrees come in a few different forms: one-year or certificate / diploma, two-year Associates degree in Nursing, four-year Bachelors of Science in Nursing (BSN), post-graduate Masters of Science in Nursing (MSN), and Ph.D. in Nursing. A one-year degree or a diploma typically prepares students to take their Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) exam. Graduates of a two-year degree and upwards may qualify to take the Registered Nurse (RN) licensure exam. If you are motivated, nurses that study in a post-graduate degree are also called Advanced Practice Nurses.
Choose From Nursing Program Types
When it comes time to apply to a nursing program there are still more granular options.
- Community colleges are very popular for nurses earning their Associates degree. These programs are available regionally and offer very affordable, practical curriculums. Decide at a later date you want your BSN and jump right into an Associates-to-BSN degree program available through many nursing programs.
- Four-year programs divide teaching models fairly evenly between classroom theory and hands-on clinical work. BSN degrees offer the widest array of career options when it comes to nursing specialties.
- For nurses that aspire to advanced practice degrees, a university environment is likely where most programs are clustered. Nurses at the PhD level are most likely tracked for educator and research positions.
Select a Specialty: Patient, Medical, and Setting
The category of nursing specialties is where you can get really creative with your career. Consider the type of patient care setting in which you might be most comfortable. Each is distinctly different and may be dependent on types of patient and/or medical condition/disorder:
- Hospital
- Ambulatory Clinic
- Mental Health/Psychiatric Facility
- Long Term Care Facility
- Home Health
- Correctional Facility
- Diagnostic Lab
- Research Clinic
- Education/Administration
- Private Practice
Many nurses make their choice of specialization based on the patient population. Your nursing program covers a wide sample of the various types of patients any nurse would come into contact with under normal circumstances. Patients may include:
- Neonatal
- Pediatrics
- Adolescents
- Adults
- Geriatric
Particular nursing specialties may focus more precisely on the care needs of disparate communities or groups, such as women, veterans, and cultural and ethnic populations.
If you know you’ve always wanted to work with cancer patients or in women’s health you will likely be innately drawn to a specialty this way. An example of types of medical conditions/diseases/disorders include:
- Oncology/Cancer
- Orthopedic
- Neuroscience
- Gastrointestinal
- Ob-Gyn
- Labor and Delivery
- Cardiac
- Respiratory
- Pain
Fine Tune and Maintain Your Career
Burnout and stress accumulate in any job, but nurses are typically prone to both. Morale-building and innovative staffing solutions are the realm of nurse managers and leaders whose jobs demand they attune themselves to their nurses’ needs. Most nurses turn to their professional associations where more grassroots work is carried out as far as nursing policy and professional development. Specialists may network, pick up continuing education resources, and stay current with the latest techniques applicable to their nursing skills. All RNs are urged to earn certifications that indicate their level of expertise.
Credentials earned based on industry experience and skills tests, help professional nurses negotiate bigger salaries, win more job responsibility, and make logical leaps to closely related specialties. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that RN jobs are one of the top growth industries in the next decade. Explore your chances for a nursing career.
Campus Based Courses & Degree Programs
Many colleges across the country offer offline nursing courses. Chose your state below to browse your options.
Find Nursing & Healthcare Degrees Fast
Find Nursing & Healthcare Degrees Fast
