Online BSN

I'm almost done w/ an online RN-BSN program. I got my ASN through an accelerated program, started working & took a year off from school before starting this program. I work nights, so I have enough downtime to do schoolwork. It wasn't difficult except for the time demands. I suspect instructors overcompensate for the format by loading up on the amount of work. Maybe I'm wrong about that. It's all theory & nonsense & I don't really see what the advantage would be to doing it traditionally. A few classes, like Nurse Leadership, were worthwhile. Some instructors were fine, others were non-existent/absent/being paid for nothing. Either way, it's about learning the material yourself, which was fine with me. Another piece of paper & some more letters behind my name.

Hello John,

I'm glad you are interested in nursing. Since your name has Medic in it, please forgive me if I assume that you are not yet an ADN.

Before this topic gets murky with opinions, I would like to say that the most important things to look for in any nursing school online or traditional are:

A.) Accreditation, if they don't have it, or are "working on it", don't bother.

(B & C for undergraduate work)

B.) Nclex Pass Rate, a good school will brag about this as a measure of the quality of the education they deliver.

C.) Attrition, (how many people start vs graduate) most schools have around a 20% reduction in class size by graduation day, there are many factors that can bring this statistic up or down. for instance a low rate can be a great thing, or it could be a cause for concern if the NCLEX pass rate is only 70%.

That being said, I feel that it is beneficial to be in the classroom setting, online courses may be convenient and lower cost, but this has a tendency to come at the cost of quality of instruction. Remember, not all the lessons we learn come from a text or an instructor. Sometimes the most valuable insights come from a peer's experience or questions. I notice and value these types of incidental/accidental lessons.

Then again the nearest brick and mortar school may be pretty bad.

I'd look for the highest quality schools within your budget first and foremost. Only then would I factor in convenience, and personal preference.

Good luck in your endeavors.

-Dennis

Yes im already an RN.....

I am currently an ADN RN and am getting ready to start on online RN-MSN (both BSN and MSN at the same time) in January. I works nights as well so I think I will be able to handle the school work fine.

I've taken both online and real world classes.

While I did well in each, I really prefer classes that are face to face and filled with other students. It really enhances the free exchange of idea and spontaneous expression much more than non--synchronous typed communication can.