Do you dream of becoming a nurse, but don’t have the time to commit to full-time, in-person studies? Maybe you already are working in the field and want to further your degree? It’s a difficult situuation when you can see the benefit of furthering your studies but just don’t know how you’re going to fit it into your schedule. This is where you should check out studing nursing online.
Yes, it is totally possible to study to become a nurse all from the comfort of your own home and according to your schedule, as long as you’re meeting your goals and submitting things on time. And of course, studying online comes with its own set of difficulties, but there are so many benefits. So, stick around and consider all the benefits and what to expect when studying nursing online.
Flexibility
Flexibility in your studies is by far one of the biggest benefits of studying nursing online, especially for those who need to balance a busy lifestyle. Online nursing courses are built to accommodate people from all different situations, which means you’ll have the ability to plan your study schedule around your commitments.
Studying nursing online also means you’re not confined to attending a lecture every day. You can study where and when you want. Going on a trip? No problemo, just take your coursework with you and stay up to date on your assessments.
Better Self-Motivation and Self-Discipline
With great flexibility comes great self-motivation and self-discipline. When you’re setting your study hours, you have to be self-disciplined, or you’re not going to become a nurse. If you’re the kind of student who thrives on doing things independently, you’re going to love studying nursing online. If you don’t, you’ll soon learn what it takes in order to succeed.
Gain experience while you learn
Maybe your commitments aren’t the driving factor as to why you’d want to study online, but rather, you want to work in the field alongside your studies. You won’t have the same responsibilities as a qualified nurse just yet, but after your first semester of studies, you might be able to work as a Personal Care Assistant (PCA) and report to a registered nurse for supervision. Being able to work in the field in any capacity while you study will give you invaluable experience.
Most online nursing courses also offer rich practical nursing experience and include short workshops and residential study at campuses like JCU. You’ll also have the opportunity to participate in supervised professional practice from the get-go. Throughout the duration of your degree, most courses will require you to complete a minimum of 920 hours (23 weeks) of placement to ensure you’ve got extensive experience.
If you’re already working as a nurse after completing your undergrad and want to further your studies, studying online is the perfect solution. There’s no need to sacrifice your current position and income in order to climb the ladder of success.
Affordability
Generally, this depends on the institution you are studying in; the cost of doing online nursing courses is more affordable than that of your traditional universities. We’re not just referring to the tuition, but the student accommodation, travel and everything else that comes with attending a traditional university can be costly. As of 2023, the outstanding debt owed by debtors of the Higher Education Loans Program (HELP) in Australia totalled to over 78 billion Australian dollars. So, if studying nursing online can help you keep expenses low, do it.
Multiple opportunities for interacting with peers
The typical layout of most lectures at traditional universities can make it quite difficult to interact with your peers. Interactive students will generally sit right up in the front, while those who are shy or those who tend to avoid interacting throughout the class will place themselves towards the back.
It creates a sort of hierarchy in the class. Online classes will often make use of multiple mediums to encourage students to interact with one another, whether it be on a live session or a class forum. This way, even the more reserved students can share their opinions comfortably.
Final Thoughts
For anyone who wants to study at their own pace, work alongside their studies, and find a good balance for themselves, then these are benefits that doing a nursing course online can provide for you, especially for those who are furthering their studies and want to get their post-graduate certificate or masters in nursing. Studying nursing online will require you to be a self-motivated and diligent student, so if that sounds like you, it could be the perfect fit.