RN to BSN degree programs on the Internet have been around for years. Many have already obtained their degree online and benefited from the flexibility it offers. But while these people have embraced the idea of distant learning, others still have to look at online schools as legitimate schools.

The root of all these feelings of mistrust is generally in the many misconceptions people have about online studies and the Internet as a whole. Internet scams involving online schools do not help at all. But even though there are indeed scams, online universities and certificates and degrees obtained online are very valid.

The mistaken idea that some people have of RN to BSN programs online is simply that, a mistaken idea. Find out what they are and make sure you don’t fall for them yourself. Here are five common misconceptions about RN-BSN degree programs.

1. The quality of education in online nursing schools cannot be compared to the standard of learning you get from traditional nursing schools. If this is true, then why do highly-reputed universities open their doors to online programs and why have they now adopted online learning in their curricula? And why would respected accreditation bodies risk their names accrediting online schools?

Indeed, Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (or CCNE) and National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission (or NLNAC) accreditations are granted to online schools, which only means that these online universities are meeting certain established standards of teaching. Some online colleges even have two accreditations to their names. Thus the quality of education has nothing to do with whether you get it over the Internet or not.

2. Online nursing degrees like RN to BSN degrees are not recognized by the Department of Education. People who think online degrees are not recognized at all are totally mistaken. In fact, online nursing schools are acknowledged by the Department of Education and you’d find online nursing schools with regional accreditations funded by the Department of Education.

3. You can’t get financial aid with online nursing schools. Again, this is untrue. You can get financial aid just as any eligible student of traditional schools can.

In fact, websites of online schools even facilitate applications for such. The official websites have spaces especially allocated for financial aid applications. Plus, it’s not uncommon for online schools to grant scholarships to qualified students.

4. Employers prefer nursing graduates of traditional schools over nursing graduates of online schools. Untrue, as employers prefer nurses who are bachelor degree holders because of their assumed increased competence in skills and expanded knowledge in leadership, management, nursing practices and many others. Whether the applicants graduated from online nursing schools or traditional brick and mortar schools is not important.

5. Online nursing students do not need clinical hours to complete their RN to BSN degrees. Wrong, online nursing students are actually required to complete clinical hours to be able to finish their degrees. That is why it is even recommended for online nursing students to look for online schools with partnerships and agreements with local hospitals or medical facilities so that they can easily complete their clinical training.

« »