Online BSN

morecoffeepls, BSN, RN · Oct 16, 2011

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.

DennRN · Oct 16, 2011

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

MEDICJOHN · Oct 17, 2011

Yes im already an RN.....

PCU_RN_LKW · Oct 26, 2011

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.

llg, PhD, RN · Oct 26, 2011

Since you are already an RN ... you have dozens (maybe a couple hundred) options.

There are some RN-BSN programs run by respected universities that have converted their formerly "brick and mortar" programs to an online format. Those are the ones that are generally the most respected, have the proper accreditations, etc.

There are some RN-BSN that are little more than recent business efforts to cash in on the desire for ADN's and Diploma nurses to get a BSN. These "for-profit" programs care more about taking your money than providing you with a high quality education. Beware of dealing with those schools.

There are lot of programs that lie "somewhere in between" the two extremes I just described. You need to do a lot of research about them to decide whether they are worthy of your investment and the right choice for you -- but some of them are reputable and provide a decent education.

My suggestion is that you start with the state-supported universities in your state. See if those schools have a nursing school with an online option -- or at least a "mostly online" option. Such a school would probably be less expensive than a private school, and almost certainly cheaper than a "for-profit" school. They would also be likely to reasonably well-established an respectable -- with a name that would be recognized as a legitimate school by people outside your state (in case you ever move to a different region).

MrChicagoRN, RN · Oct 30, 2011

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.