Online nursing program stigma?

[goldenanchor]

I'm not in an online program, but some of my classmates are talking about looking into an online RN-BSN program. I am wondering if there is a negative stigma to online BSN or MSN programs? How do employeers view it?

[Rose_Queen, BSN, MSN, RN]

I think it's really going to depend on the employer. Many don't care where the degree comes from. Others may have a preference for programs that they are associated with. I looked at the directory of faculty at one of the schools I contemplated applying for an adjunct position for, and the majority of them had competed many of their higher degrees at an online school. (No, it wasn't the online school degrees that turned me off but the fact that because of the affiliation with my current facility that I would have had to give up my current position to teach- and I don't want to do that.)

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

Let's see. . .many of my previous and current employers who made hiring decisions were/are online degree holders.

1. Former chief nursing officer earned an online MSN degree from Walden U.

2. Another former chief nursing officer earned an online BSN degree from Northern Arizona University.

3. Current manager of the nursing department is currently in the process of earning an online nursing degree from Western Governors U.

4. A coworker who is the director of nursing services at another facility earned a distance-based nursing degree from Excelsior College.

I think online degrees and distance education are becoming increasingly accepted by more and more employers in this day and age. Whereas less than one million students were enrolled in online programs 15 years ago, that number increased to more than 5 million students last year.

Online degrees are a permanent part of our educational landscape and employers would be foolish to disregard them.

[klone, MSN, RN]

Nope, not in my experience. In fact, most of my "superiors" who have graduate degrees have also gotten them online.

[jaycam, RN]

This seems especially true in nursing that online programs fit into the chaos that makes finding a regular, school friendly schedule harder. I know several nurses who did online degrees or are in programs now. Their advice is almost always the same you'd get for any program. Make sure the program is accredited and look into their pass rates.

[llg, PhD, RN]

The reputation of the school matters far more than whether the courses were online or face-to-face. Some very respectable schools have online programs these days. But I recommend avoiding the "for-proft" ones with questionable reputations.