USA - Nursing Degree (RN) Possible Online?
In the UK, to obtain a Nursing Diploma/Degree, you must apply to a University, and the course is then 50% academic (Uni) and 50% experience (Vocational). They throw you into the deep end as Students, over 3 years, with experience in the work place in Hospitals, Doctors Surgeries, ER, Nursing Homes, Schools, Home Visits, Operating Rooms etc. I've recently learn't (mabye incorrectly), that in the US, a Nursing qualification to be an RN Nurse - is 100% academic? If correct, one could obtain the title 'RN Nurse' with never setting foot in a Hospital or other associated medical setttings?!!! Is this true? If so how? I find it incredible a graduate would be allowed to work with patients with zero practical experience before starting work? Please enlighten me my fellow Americans. I am not having a go at your system, I simply don't believe than one can be an 'RN' nurse by taking an online course - as is advertised by the University of Phoenix, for example. Many Thanks
Health Care - 6 Answers
Random Answers, Critics, Comments, Opinions :
1 :
You can take online courses for additional study but you can't become an RN online without classroom participation and study.
2 :
to get your RN you must do clinical studies as well as classroom studies. you can get your BSN from a university or you can get an Associates in Nursing through a community college. both require clinical studies as part of instruction and taking and passing the NCLEX-RN exam for licensing. there are "bridge" programs which you can do to go from LPN to RN or Associates,RN to BSN, RN these are done as self-study or on-line but still require clinical rounds prior to completion. the bridge programs require less clinical time due to the fact that those taking the program are already nurses who are advancing there degrees. as you mentioned in particular the University of Phoenix they have campuses all across the country and offer on-line studies as well (they do advertise a lot on-line) if you look into it further you will find that the University of Phoenix does not make the claim that you can become an RN on-line. EDIT: nothing wrong with "having a go" at our system, as it is said "what does not kill you makes you stronger" so ask questions of the system and help it to improve
3 :
In the U.S. the degree to become a RN involves alot of academics and alot of clinicals - in hospitals, etc. I have a 4 yr. Bachelor's degree. Freshman year was all academics and taking pre-reqs. to actually be accepted into the nursing program. Sophomore yr. was tons of academics - nursing courses, sciences, other requirements. Had clinicals in the hospital for 1-2 full days /wk. Junior year- more academics, concentration on nursing courses intensified and the clinicals increased each week. Senior year same - lots and lots of academics and clinicals in hospitals, clinics, public health departments, homecare, psychiatric wards, you name it every week (depending on what nursing course you were taking at the time). I can't imagine becoming a RN online only. I wouldn't think it would be possible to do. If U. of Phoenix is offering online only, you might want to see if their program is accredited and if it would allow you to sit for the licensing exam - also see what kind of degree you would get.
4 :
Please do NOT throw your money away at University of Phoenix. For-profit schools are definitely not the way to go. U of Phoenix does say they help you find clinical experiences near where you live, but they offer you very little support in this area, and they offer you very little support as a student in general. So why pay them twice as much (or more!) per course when you can go to a locally based school, get the support as a student that you are PAYING the school to give you, and let them arrange your clinical experiences for you for far less money? Local colleges and universities will offer at least some portion of the courses for your degree online - at least many of your non-nursing courses (English, Math, History, Psych, etc.) can probably be completed that way. You can choose one of three routes here in the US to become an RN. The first is a hospital-offered "diploma" program which is about 2-3 years, and honestly they are going the way of the dinosaur and you would be hard pressed to find one of these programs. The second option is to obtain an Associate's Degree from a community college or a university that makes an Associate's Degree program available to their nursing students. An ADN is formally a 2-year nursing program, but you must complete pre-requisite courses in biology, chemistry, anatomy & physiology (all with labs) and perhaps a few more courses before you can apply to the school's nursing program. So technically it might take you 3 years. It's also recommended you complete as many of those non-nursing courses as you can prior to starting the nursing core, because it will be very demanding. Once you start the nursing core, the courses are sequenced and it will take two years to complete. You have both classroom (theory), skills labs (to practice hands-on with other students, mannequins, computer simulations, etc.), and then you will have at least one day per week of clinical rotations. They usually start you off in a long-term care facility like a nursing home and you function at the level of a nursing assistant, doing basic patient cares and assessments, etc. The following semesters they bring you into hospitals and rotate you through acute med/surg, psychiatry/behavioral health, maternal/newborn, pediatrics, and perhaps a few other observational experiences in places like the OR. The third option is the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN), which is offered by universities. You get admitted to the school as a freshman, during your freshman and sophomore years you complete many general education courses along with those science courses that are pre-reqs, then you apply to the nursing program during your sophomore year and start the nursing core during your junior year. The difference in the courses that you get with the BSN is you take more general ed and electives, and as far as the nursing courses you get more in-depth nursing theory such as history, care models, research, etc., they teach more about leadership and management, and you get a semester long course in Public Health which the ADN students do not get, which makes you eligible to be certified as a Public Health Nurse, if that interests you. You can always complete the ADN and later take a BSN completion program which commonly ARE found online, offered by local not-for-profit schools in your area. The bonus of taking your ADN first is that you might get to work a year sooner, find an employer who will pay tuition reimbursement and they can pay for your BSN completion. IMO, I wouldn't waste my time going for the LPN (licensed practical nurse) first and then going for the RN, but some people do like to have that bit of work experience first and having some money in their pocket while in school. But being an LPN first is not required, nor will it necessarily make you a better RN, because in most job settings, the LPN and RN functions are very different than you might think. You might have the advantage in some basic patient care skills, but you won't have any advantage in terms of the broader picture of the RN profession. Good luck to you!
5 :
You are mistaken, there is absolutely no way to get your RN without tons of clinical experience in a hospital. The online courses that are advertised are only part of the deal - they also have to do their rotations and have them signed off for their hours just like regular nursing schools!
6 :
Sorry, I'm in Canada, but generally this would be the same. NO, you cannot become a nurse (RN or LPN) without ANY clinical practical hands on experience. Any program offering that is not legal and not legit. You CAN complete your *theoretical* studies/courses online at some schools, and you CAN earn a BScN if you are ALREADY a diploma (2 year) RN. All practicums and clinical courses must be done on site at the school or other placement. In some cases, an RN may take theory courses and get certification in a speciality area (i.e. mental health) without ever stepping foot in a classroom. But this only applies to theory courses without labs. Good luck!
