Online Nursing Schools

According to the U.S. Bureau of Health Professions, the
United States will need more than 1.7 million nurses by the
year 2020 and just 635,000 are expected to be available.
The National Sample Survey of Registered Nurses found that
there is currently a shortage of registered nurses.
Nursing is a growing career and online nursing programs
make it easier than ever to get the necessary training.

Early Show contributor Rachel Lewis found that more than
seventy-five percent of colleges now offer online degree
programs. Nursing programs requires students to learn from
educational materials as well as through training in the
field. The non-clinical part of the nursing course is
taken online. Since it would be impossible to complete the
clinical requirements over the Internet, clinical training
is generally held at a medical facility close to the
student's residence.

Nurses are licensed through the Board of Nursing in the
state where they live. Each state determines the
requirements for nurses to practice within that state. The
criteria the boards use is based on the Model Nursing
Practice Act, the Uniform Core Licensure Requirements and
the Model Nursing Administrative Rules created by the NCSNB
(National Council of State Nursing Boards). Nurses must
renew their licenses periodically and continuing education
is required in some states for renewal. Nursing schools
online make it easier for busy, working nurses to fulfill
continuing education requirements.

There are a few different types of nursing degrees to
choose from including Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN),
Registered Nurse (RN) and Advanced Practice Nurse (APN).
An APN can specialize as a nurse practitioner (NP),
certified nurse specialist (CNS), certified registered
nurse anesthesiologist (CRNA) or certified nurse midwife.
Students attending traditional schools would take eighteen
to twenty-four months study to complete the LPN program,
two to four years study to complete the RN program and a
doctorate degree with additional certifications (possible
six to eight years of study) to complete the APN program.

Online nursing schools offers students some flexibility
regarding course completion time. Online courses usually
take six to eight weeks to complete. Some schools requires
students to follow a traditional calendar, while others
allow students to accelerate or slow their pace according
to their personal preference.

Nurses can work in many environments, such as hospitals,
clinics, private practices, schools and health facilities,
to name just a few. The United States Bureau of Labor
Statistics revealed that the average income for a
registered nurse as of 2005 was nearly $57,000. Online
nursing programs offer students the opportunity to study
for one of the most rapidly growing professions in the
United States today.

SUMMARY: Online nursing schools offers students some
flexibility regarding course completion time. Nurses can
work in many environments, such as hospitals, clinics,
private practices, schools and health facilities, to name
just a few. The United States Bureau of Labor Statistics
revealed that the average income for a registered nurse as
of 2005 was nearly $57,000. Online nursing programs offer
students the opportunity to study for one of the most
rapidly growing professions in the United States today.


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Rose M. is the editor of
http://www.distance-learning-college-guide.com where you
find answers, information and advice on distance learning
colleges, accredited online degrees and online courses. See
more related information at
http://www.distance-learning-college-guide.com/online-nursin
g-programs.html