An increasing number of people want to complete the practical nursing program via online learning. Still, no online practical nursing programs exist at this time. However, hybrid practical nursing programs allow the student to complete courses online and fulfill hands-on clinical requirements face-to-face.
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Many people want to enter the ranks of the nursing profession by becoming licensed practical nurses (LPNs). Moreover, a significant number of these people are busy adults who must contend with full-time employment, family obligations and other issues that lead to pressing time constraints. Thus, a growing number of these candidates would like to complete the practical nursing program via an entirely distance-based format or online delivery platform.
However, it is totally impossible for a student to complete a practical nursing education entirely online at this time. Therefore, no online practical nursing programs exist at the present time in the US. One might be reading this and asking, "Why?"
The answer to this question directly revolves around the hands-on clinical experiences that all pupils must receive during their nursing educations. In a nutshell, certain hands-on skills simply cannot be taught to students from a distance. Since almost all practical nursing students have never previously worked as a licensed nurse, every board of nursing in the US requires state-approved nursing programs to include a component of hands-on clinical rotations that run concurrently with the theory (classroom / didactic) portion of their nursing education.
Clinical rotations allow the practical nursing student to attain fundamental hands-on experiences that will fulfill state board of nursing mandates, including a deliberate blend of clinical competencies, professional interactions, patient care experiences, opportunities for therapeutic communication, and development of critical thinking skills. A practical nursing student's clinical placements normally take place in a variety of healthcare settings, including acute care hospitals, outpatient centers, psychiatric facilities, nursing homes, public health clinics, and home health.
Some people might respond, "I've been a medical assistant for 10 years and I know all the hands-on skills that an LPN knows." These individuals would still be able to learn something new by completing clinical rotations in a practical nursing program.
Even though no online practical nursing programs are in existence at the present time, hybrid programs are innovative because they enable students to complete theory coursework online and fulfill the hands-on clinical component of their education via face-to-face instruction. Since one of the main goals of distance-based learning is to promote increased access to higher education by offering flexibility to working adults, most colleges that offer hybrid nursing programs attempt to reduce the time students spend in physical classrooms. Therefore, most or all classes tend to be online. Each state board of nursing has its own clinical hour requirements, so hybrid programs do their best to meet them.
A list of hybrid practical nursing programs can be found below. Feel free to post a response if you know of any other programs that are not on this list.
