Opinions on Online/Hybrid ADN program?

[bsn2013]

Hi everyone,

I am still working on my prereqs for nursing school at my local community college, and recently my school announced that they had received accreditation for a new online/hybrid ADN program. The first cohort will be starting this summer and the next one would start in winter of 2012 (which is the one I would be eligible to apply for). The school also has a normal 2 year ADN program, but the hybrid program would take three years. The theory classes will be online, and labs and clinicals are supposed to be all weekend long- every other week. The program is geared towards students who have work or family obligations that don't allow them to attend daytime classes.

At first I was excited about the new program, because the thought of quitting my current job that pays well (with normal 8-5 hours) for nursing school terrified me. I do have normal bills of a 28 year old living on my own and about 10,000 in student loans from my previous degree. I really liked that I would be able to keep my job while completing nursing school, although it would take a year longer. I could probably manage to not take on any additional student loans that way, as long as I budgeted well. How awesome would that be?

Then it sort of hit me. I do fine in the couple online pre-reqs I have taken, but do I really want to take Nursing classes online? It is something I can teach myself? Would I be able to remain dedicated to coming home after a full day of work to a full night of reading/studying for three years, including summers?

I am hoping some current or former nursing school students might have opinions on this type of a program, and what the challenges might be for me if I choose to go this route. Thanks so much!

[bsn2013]

Bumping this to hopefully get some feedback...

I just attended an information session at the school and am really leaning towards the hybrid nursing program instead of quitting my current job to attend school full time.

I'd love to hear opinions on this type of a program. If this had been an option for you, would you have considered it? Why or why not?

Thanks!

[caliotter3]

My view on this is that your motivation would be high for taking a program where most of your work is on the weekend to allow for your weekday job. I would make it work. Anything that would allow me to continue working is a good situation. You will just have to make yourself adjust. Just as you would adjust to the regular program if you had to.

[CoffeemateCNA]

I do fine in the couple online pre-reqs I have taken, but do I really want to take Nursing classes online? It is something I can teach myself?

My school uses a variation of this system. All of our theory courses are online. We just show up for the lab portions and clinicals 2-3 times per week. I have taken several of these and have not had a problem yet. I'll admit, it does take extra work to teach yourself. For the portions that are difficult to understand, we would go over it when we met. If it was regarding an assignment that was due before we met, we were always free to email our instructors and ask. They did excellent at explaining the information and sometimes gave us some great websites to refer to. Good luck!