It should be noted that nursing careers tend to be rather stable and are actually expected to increase as the elderly population grows. It is relatively easy to advance in nursing careers with education, training, and on-the-job experience.
Online Degrees in Nursing
An online degree in nursing can provide individuals with the education, training, and credentials that they need to find a career they like in the nursing sector. There are many different types of nurses as some are specialized in particular fields or departments. The more advanced the degree that an individual acquires is, the more likely they are to advance in their nursing career provided they have the on-the-job experience to back up the degree.
- Online Nursing Certification may enable individuals to achieve an entry level nurse position such as licensed practical nurse, licensed vocational nurse, nurse assistant, or other related position. Additional education, training, and experience are needed to advance.
- Online Nursing Associate Degree is the most common degree among nursing positions. However, a higher degree is more likely to provide greater opportunities for advancement in a nursing career. Programs for an online nursing Associate degree provide individuals with the basic education and training that they need to enter the nursing field.
- Online Nursing Bachelor Degree is the minimum requirement for individuals aspiring to become registered nurses or higher positions. This degree, along with on-the-job experience, provides individuals with the credentials they need to succeed and advance in a nursing career.
- Online Nursing Masters Degree gives individuals the opportunity to work in research and high level positions. This degree enables registered nurses to provide better care for their patients or advance to a higher position. An online nursing Masters degree also enables nurses to better understand the field they may choose to specialize in.
- Online Nursing Doctorate Degree enables individuals to advance to research or administration positions. Although a lot of education and training is required to achieve this level, the resulting advancement or career opportunities may be worth it.
Online Nursing Courses
Coursework in programs for online nursing degrees may vary depending on the college and degree level. However, some common courses to expect include information on anatomy and physiology, biology, sociology, pharmacology, ethics, psychology, writing, nursing care, microbiology, math for nurses, medical and surgical nursing, medical terminology, professional community-based nursing, concepts of disease process, behavioral health disorder care, adult and family care, human diversity and health care, pathophysiology, statistics, biochemistry, health assessment, principles of health care budgeting, advanced health assessment, theoretical and conceptual foundations of nursing, current health care issues, health care principles and methods, curriculum development and evaluation, nursing management, marketing, health care epidemiology and infection control, leadership and ethics, legal issues in clinical practice, nursing research, nursing in health care systems, and others.
Nursing Degree Careers and Salary Information
An online degree in nursing enables people to enter a career as a licensed practical nurse, licensed vocational nurse, registered nurse, specialized nurse (i.e. geriatric nurse), or other position related to nursing. The median entry level salary for people with a degree in nursing is $45,000. However, this may range from $30,000 to $50,000 depending on the person's employment setting, job position, level of education, and on-the-job experience. Employment settings may include hospitals, offices of physicians, outpatient care centers, nursing care facilities, and other related health care facilities. The number of nursing careers is projected to grow by 23% by 2016, which is much faster than the average for all occupations. A growing elderly population will increase the demand for health care services and health care related workers, especially nurses.