Online Nursing Colleges

Why consider online nursing colleges? Because careers in nursing are amongst the hottest in the medical profession.

Patients spend more time with nurses and nurse's aides, also known as Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA),than any other provider. Programs include CNA training, LPN to RN, RN to BSN, BSN to MSN and RN to MSN. As a nurse you can make a difference in a patient's care and community health and wellness. If you are empathetic, nurturing, caring, organized, and hardworking, turn that talent into a nursing career. Nurses play a very important role in the lives of their patients.

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Nursing Schools - Nursing Degree

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Selected Online Nursing Degree Programs

Walden University

• Post-Master's Certificates in Nursing - Nursing Education
• Post-Master's Certificates in Nursing - Nursing Informatics
• Post-Master's Certificates in Nursing - Nursing Leadership and Management
• Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) Completion Program
• Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) - BSN Track: For Registered Nurses entering the program with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN)
  • Education
• Leadership and Management
• Nursing Informatics
• Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) - RN Track: For Registered Nurses with a hospital diploma, Associate Degree in Nursing (A.D.N.), or bachelor’s degree (other than BSN)
  • Education
  • Leadership and Management
  • Nursing Informatics

Capella University - Online

• MSN - Nurse Educator
• MSN - Nurse Educator Bridge
• Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Education -Nursing Education

Kaplan University and Kaplan University - Online

• Online Forensic Nursing Certificate
• RN to Bachelor of Science in Nursing
• Geriatric Care Management Certificate
• Legal Nurse Consulting
• Life Care Planning Certificate
• Bachelor of Science in Nursing
• Master of Science in Nursing with specializations in:
  • Nurse Administrator
  • Nurse Educator

Colorado Technical University and Colorado Technical University Online

• Bachelor of Science in Nursing

• Registered Nurse, RN to BSN

• Master's of Science in Nursing -Women's Health Nurse Practitioner
• Master of Science in Nursing - Nurse Midwifery

• Master of Science in Nursing - Nurse Educator
• Master of Science in Nursing - Health Systems Leadership

Jacksonville University RN to BSN Online

• RN to BSN (licensed RNs only)

• Master of Science in Nursing - Nursing Administration

• Bachelor of Science in Nursing
• RN to BSN Online Program

• M.S. in Nursing/Women's Health Nurse Practitioner

• RN to BS

• RN to BS in Nursing
• MS in Nursing: Nursing Education
• MBA and MS in Nursing: Nursing Leadership in Health Care Systems (dual degree)
• MS in Nursing: Nursing Leadership in Health Care Systems
• RN to BS in Nursing
• MS in Nursing: Nursing Education

Benedictine University and Benedictine University Online

• Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) program

• B.S. in Nursing
• M.S. in Nursing - Leadership and Management
• Florida Hospital College of Health Sciences
• RN to Bachelor of Science in Nursing

• Online Legal Nurse Consulting

• Master of Science in Nursing - Nurse Educator
• Bachelor of Science in Nursing - RN - BSN

American Sentinel University

• RN to Master of Science, Nursing
• Master of Science, Nursing - Nursing Informatics
• Master of Science, Nursing - Nursing Education
• Master of Science, Nursing - Case Management
• Master of Science, Nursing - Management and Organizational Leadership

Nursing Colleges in Canada

CDI College

• Nursing Assistant

Vancouver Career College (VCC)

• Practical Nursing (PN)

Nursing Education and Training

Accredited online nursing colleges give you the foundation to work in many settings. Examples of places where nurses are in high demand are ambulatory care, burn care, emergency and intensive care, geriatrics, home care, mother/baby care, pediatrics, psychiatric settings, travel nursing, and rehabilitation. Nurses work in many areas beyond hospitals for example doctors’ offices, research, non-profit organizations, schools and universities. In these areas they can be involved in management and administration. Jumpstart your career in Nursing!

In the United States nurses most commonly enter the occupation by completing an Associate or Bachelor's degree program at an accredited nursing college. A few hospitals offer a 3-year training program resulting in a diploma. Individuals then must complete a national licensing examination in order to obtain a nursing license. Further training either at nursing colleges or on the job can qualify nurses to work in specialty areas, and may help improve advancement opportunities. Many RNs with an Associate degree or diploma later enter a nursing college with bachelor's programs to prepare for a broader scope of nursing practice. The most commonly offered degrees at nursing colleges are:

• LPN to RN
• RN to BSN
• RN to MSN
• Nurse Practitioner
• Doctorate

While some nursing colleges offer a variety of advanced degree and certificate options for students seeking online education, most schools limit their online degrees to a handful of programs. Be sure to check with the nursing college you are interested in to learn about the specific entrance requirements of your degree program. In general, BSN programs look for the following criteria:

• SAT or ACT score although the minimum scores vary by school or program
• Minimum GPA ranging from 2.0 to 3.25
• Three years of high school math, including geometry and algebra II
• Three years of high school science, including biology and chemistry
• Four years of high school English
• Two years of high school foreign language
  

The RN-to-BSN, RN-to-MSN and MSN programs generally look for the following criteria:

• Graduation from a National League of Nursing (NLN) accredited nursing school
• A current valid RN nursing license
• A 2.5-3.0 GPA (most want 3.0 and above as most programs are competitive.
• GRE in some cases for the MSN (masters in nursing program)

To practice as nurse, graduates of nursing colleges are also required to take the NCLEX exam. The NCLEX-RN (National Council Licensure Examination-Registered Nurse) is a computer-adaptive test (CAT) of entry-level nursing competence. Passing the exam is required of candidates for licensure as a Registered Nurse (RN) in the US. The NCLEX-RN® and NCLEX-PN® examinations are developed and owned by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing, Inc.

Nursing Careers

Nurses record patients' medical histories, ask about symptoms, assist with diagnostic tests and analyze results. They also administer treatment, help with rehabilitation and operate medical equipment. Even more important, they are advocates who meet the needs of their patients. From getting a drink of water to providing comfort to assisting in surgery, nurses are indispensable!

Some areas of nursing specialization include: Ambulatory nurses, critical care nurses, emergency nurses, hospice nurses, infusion nurses, perioperative nurses, radiology nurses, forensic nursing, nursing informatics, nursing administration, etc.

Expected Salary and Projected Career Growth

According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average salary for registered nurses is about $58,000. The median annual earning of licensed practical nurses is about $36,550. In 2002, the Bureau of Labor Statistics estimated that registered nurses across all specialties earned a median annual salary of about $48,000. Experienced nurses can earn $70,000 or more per year in base salary, in addition to bonuses, shift differential, and overtime. Nurse managers make about $65,000 a year and Nurse Anesthetists (CRNA) make about $99,400-$148,500/year. This of course requires specialized training and in most cases a masters degree.

Medical professions have been experiencing a shortage of qualified Registered Nurses (RNs), making nursing has been one of the most in demand jobs for the last 10 years. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that the field will continue to expand. The nursing shortage means that the need to provide programs of preparation, yet many nursing schools to not have enough space or qualified instructors to teach. To address this challenge, many schools are developing high-quality online nursing degree programs. For that reason more schools are offering online bachelor's nursing degrees.

The U.S. Department of Labor reports that employment of registered nurses is expected to grow by 23% from 2006 to 2016. This is much faster than the average. Technological advances are driving the growth in patient care. In addition, the aging population of the country will have a significant effect on the need for more nurses in the coming years and online nursing colleges are preparing nursing students for this shift.