Are Online Nursing schools a Scam??

1. 39

   Deborah Rangelposted 13 years ago

   Are Online Nursing schools a Scam??
   
   Wanted to know your opinion about online nursing schools, a good option or a total scam??

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2. 67

   LoriSoardposted 13 years ago

   For the initial nursing program, I think you have to do some clinical work. Is the school accredited? However, if you are adding a master's, there may be more flexibility here, because you likely already have a nursing job where you can put in your clinical hours. I would advise calling your state's licensing board and asking some questions about the school you are considering.
   
   I'm not a nurse, but I have a ton of friends who are.

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3. 0

   SmarttChickposted 13 years ago

   As someone who has been an administrator of health programs at a community college, I have real concerns about how you could get the requisite nursing skills lab time, and clinical experience from an online program. Yes, they can assign you to a hospital but in a traditional program, the faculty at the college take you onto the clinical units and stay with you as you administer meds, change dressings, move patients, etc. If you are just on the clinical unit with working nurses, you may or may not get that kind of attention. On busy nights you may be stuck taking vital signs when you are supposed to be learning how to debride a wound because they are understaffed. Nursing faculty have a vested interest in you learning what you are there to learn. Staff nurses care about  getting through their shift so if that means you take temps and B/Ps all semester, you're stuck.
   
   There have also been reports of some questionable schools sending nursing students to a day care center for a "clinical experience in pediatrics". This is not appropriate any way you twist it.
   
   If you want to be an RN, find a local community college, OR a local Hospital-based school of nursing. Once you get that RN, taking your BSN (or master's) courses online is less an issue but I would be VERY suspicious of a basic RN program that is offered online.
   
   It is my professional opinion (as an educator and a health care professional for more than 20 years) that a nursing program needs to be face-to-face for students to learn what they need to learn to pass the state RN licensure exam and to have the skills needed to provide quality patient care.  Some things just can't (and shouldn't) be taught/learned online and I would suggest that nursing is one of them.

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4. 48

   cristinadlerposted 13 years ago

   I don’t think all online nursing schools are a scam, but you should be very careful if you decide to go for them. Look for things like accreditation, reputation, etc. Also, you will be required to complete the clinical part of your training on site even in the case of an online degree.
   
   I think a better option may be to get your first nursing degree on campus and then return to school to get your advanced degree online. Independence University distance learning programs designed as completion degrees for RNs are an example of such bridge programs that many nurses complete for professional advancement.
   http://www.independence.edu/

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