Who has taken an online nursing program??

Rob72, ASN, RN · May 3, 2011

I just completed an on-line program in December. For me and my cohorts, it was the only way we could have completed a nursing program. As long as you are self-disciplined enough to do your reading and homework, it is great. Typically, you won't have as much volume as the on-campus group. It allows some semblance of real family life, and you can (generally) work full time, if you need to.

Potential downsides:

1) if the porgram is "new" to on-line format, your instructor may or may not be web conversant. I.e., they may not be active on a discussion board, may try to deliver a lecture via a messaging or bulletin board.

2) Watch the clinical schedule. We were told our clinicals would be nights/weekends. Kinda important, since we all needed our FT jobs and benefits. Second semester, we were scheduled to have F-S clinicals, 12 hours each night, in addition to labs and test days, which meant we all would lose our FT status. We were told that we "misunderstood". We basically had a mini-strike, and filed a complaint. things worked out, but we were known as a "problem" class after that.

woknblues · May 5, 2011

may try to deliver a lecture via a messaging or bulletin board.
We were told our clinicals would be nights/weekends. Kinda important, since we all needed our FT jobs and benefits. Second semester, we were scheduled to have F-S clinicals, 12 hours each night, in addition to labs and test days, which meant we all would lose our FT status. We were told that we "misunderstood". We basically had a mini-strike, and filed a complaint. things worked out, but we were known as a "problem" class after that.

Wow. I think it would be hard to misunderstand something like that. "Can I work?" would certainly be near the top of my list of things to work out.

So, they placed you in your clinicals, then took you from FT to PT status?

saxytoo · Jul 16, 2011

So for someone just starting out is there an online school you could recommend?

kconne4 · Oct 3, 2011

Hi!

Was this program any of the ones in Houston?

Rob72, ASN, RN · Oct 10, 2011

Sorry to be late in responding, just got back from vacation.

This was Rose State, in Oklahoma.

No, we all stayed FT employees, because we were all given the same (incorrect) info by the program advisor, and because we all said we would have to drop or go elsewhere, if they forced the change. It does not look good, during re-accreditation, to answer for an entire class dropping out.

As far as an on-line school, ala University of Phoenix, or what have you, I honestly couldn't say. I've heard Excelsior alumni say some less than enthusiastic things about that program, but some (very time-management capable) said it worked for them. IME, a community college was right, because it was local and (somewhat) more responsive to "community" needs.