Nursing

nursing school programs southern california

Distance Learning College Programs Offer Nursing Students An Accelerated degree Track

Students interested in pursuing campus and online nursing degrees have more options these days of which to choose. Nursing programs throughout the country are expanding and becoming more innovative, flexible and convenient. They're available at undergraduate and graduate levels and are tailored to those with high school diplomas, as well as undergraduates working toward liberal arts bachelor's degrees, individuals with nursing backgrounds or bachelor's degrees in other disciplines.

The Bureau of Labor forecasts that employment growth for registered nurses between 2008 and 2018 is expected to be much faster than the average for all occupations and is to include some 581,500 newly created jobs and hundreds of thousands of replacement jobs. The fastest rate of growth is to be in physician's offices followed by home healthcare services and then nursing care facilities, according to the Bureau of Labor. Registered nurses with bachelor's degrees are to have better employment prospects, and those with advanced practice specialties, such as clinical nurse specialists, nurse mid-wives, nurse practitioners and nurse anesthesiologists are to be in high demand particularly in inner cities and rural areas, the Bureau of Labor Statistics notes.

While some report that the nursing shortage in many parts of the country has eased others, such as the Tri-Council for Nursing, have expressed concerns about a diminished “pipeline” of registered nurses. As well, the Bureau of Labor Statistics notes that there have been reports from parts of the country about a lack of young workers to fill the positions of an aging registered nurse workforce, at least in part of because of a faculty shortage in nursing programs. The Tri-Council for Nursing, encouraging registered nurses to recognize entry-level nursing trends, has also encouraged them to advance their careers. There are urgent needs particularly for nurse educators and Advanced Practice Registered Nurses, the Tri-Council noted.

At least half a dozen New Mexico institutions alone have nevertheless added new nursing programs as of late, according to a May article in New Mexico business Weekly. The new programs include a nursing offering from ITT Technical Institute's Albuquerque location, the New Mexico Business Weekly article noted. A master's degree nursing program scheduled to begin at Mountain State University in Altamonte Springs, Fla., in October, on the other hand, is designed to address a rarely recognized nursing instructor shortage, according to what Mountain State Orlando Executive Director Randy White was quoted in an August Orlando Business Journal article as saying.

The new ITT Tech nursing program, for one, is an associate's degree program where some non-core courses might be taken exclusively in class, exclusively as distance learning courses, or through combination distance learning and in-classroom instruction, the ITT Tech website shows. At Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tenn., the School of Nursing webpage shows that it offers an accelerated masters degree program where students can spend blocks of time on campus and receive instruction via distance learning. Regis University in Denver, Colorado, provides undergraduate and graduate offerings whereby students can participate in courses online or on campus.

With the new ITT Tech nursing program, students working toward an associate's degree have opportunities to take some non-core courses in class or online or through a combination of distance learning and in-classroom instruction, the ITT Tech website shows. The School of Nursing webpage for Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee, shows that this institution offers an accelerated graduate program where students can spend blocks of time on campus and receive instruction via distance learning. Undergraduate and graduate programs in nursing at Denver's Regis University allow students to take courses online or on campus.

Working professionals might also find the flexibility they need in a CHOICE (Connecting health Occupations with Innovative Curriculum and Experience) bachelor of science in nursing from Regis University. Through this program, students attend evening classes twice a week on campus and participate in clinical experiences during weekends. Students working toward liberal arts degrees at a variety of institutions throughout the country might, through Vanderbilt University partnerships, combine their undergraduate studies with graduate courses in nursing. Regis and other institutions also offer accelerated bachelor's in nursing programs for non-nursing bachelor's degree holders.

Through this accelerated, full-time program at Regis, students can obtain a bachelor's degree in nursing in 12 months. Creighton University in Nebraska and Quinnipiac University in Connecticut also offer full-time, 12-month bachelor's level accelerated nursing programs for non-nursing bachelor's degree holders. With accelerated programs, students might expect intense instruction without liberal arts courses and without breaks between sessions, the American Association of Colleges of Nursing notes. Quinnipiac University's accelerated nursing program, for one, concentrates on nursing courses, its website shows. Entry requirements vary, with some institutions, such as Creighton University, requiring that prerequisite courses be fulfilled in advance.

With expanded and innovative nursing distance learning degree programs such as these, it's likely a lot easier to advance nursing credentials and earn a nursing degree. Students who complete programs such as these at nursing degree programs might find themselves in a fulfilling position where they're helping others. Registered nurses who advance their credentials by obtaining nursing degrees might also open doors to advanced careers.
USC-CN BSN batch 2006

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