Enhancing Your Nursing Career Without More Degrees
Nurses are required to pursue continuing education opportunities in order to retain their licenses, and constantly upskills their nursing career. This obligation means that they will routinely take classes, receive new training, and even take tests from time to time. Upskilling, in other words, is built into the job description. Why not be strategic about it? There are many nursing-specific certifications that can be pursued through convenient online classes. Not only will many of these certifications fulfill your continuing education requirements, but they will also make you qualified to pursue a wide range of rewarding and lucrative professional opportunities. In this article, we take a look at online certificates and licenses that nurses should consider the next time they go in for another round of upskilling.
- Something to note
While all of the opportunities described below can be accomplished online, there may be requirements that necessitate acquiring first-hand experience. Many certifications or licensure programs require the participating nurse to log a certain number of hours in the professional setting for which they wish to work. These requirements, naturally, cannot be met online. When choosing a program, it is therefore important to select one that will be able to cooperate with hospitals or clinics in your area.
3 Degree-Less Ways To Upskill Your Nursing Career
Compact Nursing License
A compact nursing license allows you to work in different states without needing to jump through a bunch of locally specific hoops. It is a great option for many reasons. Maybe you live within 15 minutes of 2 states. A compact nursing license will allow you to choose between hospitals in both areas, regardless of where you live. Maybe you are interested in working as a travel nurse. In that case, a compact nursing license will make it easier to go where you are needed.
Diabetes Educator
When someone is newly diagnosed with diabetes, their life changes enormously overnight. Not only do they need to put a lot of thought into what they eat, but they also need to learn how to use all of the equipment that monitors and addresses their evolving health needs. Diabetes educators are there to help. They work closely, both with the newly diagnosed and with people who are experiencing serious diabetes-related complications.
While diabetes educators do not need to acquire specific degrees beyond the standard BSN, they will need to complete a certification program before they can begin their responsibilities. Often, you can apply for work in diabetes instruction without having already achieved certification. Depending on the circumstances, your future employer may be willing to pay for the coursework.
Midwife
Certified midwives work with people who are about to have babies. While they are there on the day of delivery, their interactions with the pregnant person generally begin much earlier. They may be involved in the regular wellness screenings and various other components of prenatal care. They will also probably play an active role in designing the birth plan. It is a rewarding role in which you will be able to support people during one of the most joyous and stressful moments of their lives.
How To Choose An Online Program To Upskill Your Nursing Career
If you punch "online nursing certification programs" into your favorite web browser, you will most likely be overwhelmed by the results. There are hundreds (maybe more) options out there. How do you choose between them? Let's take a look:
Confirm That The Program Is Accredited
This is an easy preliminary step. You want to make sure that the certification you are interested in is backed by a fully accredited online school. Verify this through a third party. It is the easiest thing in the world for a school to say that they are accredited, but you will want to confirm it before taking any additional steps.
Make Sure The Program Complies With State Requirements
Even if a program is fully accredited, it does not necessarily mean that it will satisfy the requirements set by your state regulatory authority. Nursing program licensure requirements are complicated in that the standards are regulated both by the state and the federal government. Your state should have a list of programs that they accept online.
Research Student Outcomes
How effective is this program at preparing nurses for their professional responsibilities? It's easy to find out. Look for online reviews. Find out what actual former students have to say about the program. You may even be able to learn about the teaching styles of individual instructors on review websites.
Variations In Online Programs To Upskill Your Nursing Career
It’s also important to choose what type of program you are interested in. "Online" isn't specific enough. Some online curriculums are completely self-guided. The participant watches prerecorded lectures and completes the required coursework. The only requirement is that they do so within a predetermined timeline.
Other programs are basically just remote versions of traditional classroom learning. You sign in for Zoom meetings in which the professor conducts a live lecture. Naturally, self-guided programs are more flexible. However, they do lack the spontaneity of classroom learning. You can't ask questions in real time. Students cannot shape the direction of the conversation with their thoughts.
Of course, neither online programs—nor any technology—can replace teachers. High-quality instruction designed and executed by human teachers is an important aspect of any good program. While it may be tempting to prioritize cost efficiency or convenience, you should also take special care to choose a course of study that adequately prepares you for your future job responsibilities. Ultimately, neither option is strictly better than the other. It's all about determining what learning approach is right for you.
Conclusion
Online certification or licensure programs are a great way to learn more about your profession in an environment that suits the needs of someone with a busy work and home life. Where once online learning was considered a second-tier option, it is now a standard method of getting your degree or certification—offered by virtually every major university in the country. Ready to get started? Begin researching online certification programs today.
