Accredited Online Nursing Programs

Bring Out Your Caring and Compassionate Character with an Online Nursing Degree

Online nursing programs are one of the best ways to enter the rewarding field of health care. If you're looking for a satisfying career helping and nurturing people that will give you excellent job security and pay, a career in nursing could be for you.

Nurses play a vital role in health care today, caring for patients while providing doctors and other healthcare specialists with professional support.

More importantly, nurses represent the heart and soul of health care and are life-giving connections between doctors, patients, and families. Without the compassionate care of professional nurses, modern health care would not be as efficient.

Online nursing degree programs prepare students to provide acute, preventive, therapeutic and rehabilitative nursing care to patients of all ages and educate the public on how to take better care of them. Most of the programs also make necessary arrangements for clinical experience in the areas convenient to students.

Today, online nursing programs are making it easier and more affordable for caring people like you to become qualified nurses who make real differences in people's lives. Take a few minutes to study this handy guide to online Nursing degree programs by eDegreeSteps.

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Who Should Enroll in Online Nursing Programs?

The picture most people have of a nurse is a white-clad, motherly figure who offers warmth and compassion to suffering patients to aid their recovery. Indeed, having a big heart and a self-sacrificing nature are important characteristics for all nurses.

But nurses are more than caring people. Today, professional nurses must be proactive workers who are detail-oriented and can handle pressure-packed situations where life and death is at stake.

Nurses must be adept at math and science to better do their jobs in today's tech-driven healthcare industry. Most people only see the face of compassion, not the scientist behind the scrubs.

If you have a strong desire to help people in a highly demanding field, you should consider earning your nursing degree online, where you can get your professional degree in less time than at a campus-based program.

What Will You Learn in Online Nursing Programs?

Because nursing is such a technically challenging field, you can pursue a career in nursing at many different levels. In online nursing degree programs, you will master all of the academic and clinical skills you need for health promotion, disease prevention, and treatment of acute and chronic illnesses.

Instruction in online nursing programs revolves around the specialized knowledge you need to enter the workforce at your chosen level. The syllabus comprised of core courses in general education, science and nursing.

Based on your specialization and level of degree, you may take courses such as biology, chemistry, human anatomy, physiology, psychology, biochemistry, microbiology, foundation of nursing, health assessment and nursing process, pathophysiology, pharmacology, care of adults, maternal child nursing, mental health nursing, public health nursing, palliative care, acute care, holistic nursing, management and leadership, nurse administration, and innovations in health care information technology.

And while most of your instruction will take place online in virtual classrooms, the nature of nursing requires some hands-on, clinical instruction at some point in your online educational program. Most of the programs incorporate online learning with specially selected clinical activities at convenient time and location.

Careers in Nursing

If you have a passion, commitment and dedication for nursing profession, online nursing programs open vistas of great career opportunities in a very demanding but lucrative and ever-growing field in health care industry.

Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN): To become a LPN, you need at least a certificate degree and pass the NCLEX-PN (National Council Licensure Examination for Practical Nurses) exam. If you are entering in the field of nursing, this is the shortest option to start your nursing profession.

Licensed practical nurses work under the direction of registered nurses and doctors and provide basic nursing care including administering medication, and monitoring and recording vital signs such as blood pressure, pulse and temperature.

Registered Nurse (RN): An online associate degree in nursing (2 years) or Bachelor of Science in nursing (BSN) (4 years) can lead you to a fulfilling career as Registered Nurse (RN). However, you have to pass the NCLEX-RN (National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses) exam before officially working as RN. This is the most common pathway to the nursing profession.

Registered nurses provide and coordinate patient care, educate patients about various health conditions, maintain medical history of patients, and provide advice and emotional support to patients and their family members.

A masters degree in nursing is best suited for experienced registered nurses who are aiming high. The degree prepares RNs for an advanced managerial roles in the hospital or healthcare center administration.

Nursing Career Job Overview and Growth Prospects

Nurses work in hospitals, health care facilities, physicians' offices, home healthcare facilities, and nursing care services. They also work in community centers, correctional facilities, schools, and military.

Qualified nurses are in high demand today and the demand is expected to go north in future. In fact, the US Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates a shortage of 800,000 nurses by 2020. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, positions in nursing are expected to grow faster than other occupations through 2020:

Salary Guidelines for Careers in Nursing

Nurses are among the best-paid occupations in the healthcare industry. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, average annual salaries for nurses in 2010 were:

Future Trends in Nursing

The rapidly changing technology and huge demand for quality healthcare services will drive many future trends in the nursing profession.

• The aging population is also changing the way nurses will do their jobs in the future. The rise of home care is one of the biggest trends to consider as more people hire qualified nurses privately.
• Information technology will continue to play big role in shaping US healthcare system, and nurses are expected to adapt technological changes and new developments in medical equipments and machines swiftly.
• In addition, the nurses of tomorrow will be trained toward more preventative care and education.

Earning your nursing degree online is the best way to increase your healthcare career prospects, and eDegreeSteps can guide you to your dream career in nursing.

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