First things first, it’s not possible to become a nurse by taking classes entirely from home. You will need to get out of the house and into a lab setting to learn all of the things you need to learn. Being a nurse is a hands on job and there are some things that can’t be studied by sitting in front of the computer. For example, how would you practice placing an IV after watching a video of how to do it? Because of this and countless other skills you’ll need to practice many times until you get it right,
Find Accredited Programs – The biggest stopper for most students that try to become nurses from online classes is a lack of accreditation of the school. This is something that is relatively easy to verify and should only take a few minutes. Many of the schools you will find online will say they are qualified, but they are not registered with the proper
Take Necessary Labs – With every quality program you’ll have lab work to complete. Be sure you take this opportunity to learn as much as you can and interact with the other students. This is also a great time to talk to your professors and have them clear up anything you were foggy on at home. Your job as a nurse will entail this type of face to face interaction with people from all walks of life so make sure you soak it in and try to remember everything that’s presented to you.
Supplement With Real World Practice – Try to get as much hands on practice as you can as this will be what your peers are getting at traditional nursing school. Don’t be disadvantaged just because you’re learning from home. Do as much as you can to even things out and make yourself just as qualified to do the job as someone that’s received real world training from day one.
Take It Seriously – A stigma with taking online programs a course in miracles is that people think you are just trying to get out of doing the work involved. You have to treat your online classes as if they are just as important as going to a traditional nursing school.
If you enroll at the right school and take a strong program you’ll be able to complete most of your training online at home. However, if you want to be the best in your field you should consider going to a top-rate nursing school. Technology has advanced to the point where many things can be transmitted online but nothing beats being taught by the best in a physical setting. If you do your best though you can maximize your chances of getting a good job after you finish.