Are online classes a good fit for me?

[Nurse Beth, MSN]

Dear Nurse Beth,

Do Nursing Facilities or Nurse Managers that do the hiring have a different opinion of online degree nurses. (when considering them for employment) I am a RN considering going back for my BSN. Trying to decide if online classes are a fit for me?

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Dear Trying to Decide,

Good for you, one of the smartest things you can do is to get your BSN. And there have never been more ways to do it, one of them being online programs.

Online programs are very popular among working nurses. Nursing managers are not biased against online programs for the RN who has working clinical experience.

An online program that is regionally accredited is every bit as rigorous as a brick and mortar program.

Nursing in general is not as school conscious” as say, business or law. Nursing tends to look at the degree, not the school, unless it has a bad reputation. Even then, having a degree is often more important than where the degree came from.

But it's still important to stay away from schools with a poor reputation.

Do your homework. Ask your colleagues what school they chose and why. Attend a job fair or conference and visit the booths of different schools. Search online for school rankings.

Be sure your program is accredited. Bachelor's or higher degree programs should be accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE).

There are some great discussions to read about online education here on site.

Best wishes,

Nurse Beth