According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the field of Nursing provides the greatest number of jobs in the health care industry. It continues to be a highly regarded, unwavering, and yet very accommodating career opportunity for non-traditional college students who cope with employment and domestic commitments.
In 2006, the US Department of Education and Federal Student Aid reported that forty percent of all college students in the United States were above the age of 25, placing them in the category of the non-traditional student. Based on current economic hardships and increased unemployment rates it is highly probable that this number has amplified since that time. As a result, there is no better period than the present to pursue higher education in the field of nursing.
For most non-traditional nursing students, family obligations and financial necessities do not easily permit attendance in a conventional college setting; therefore, innovative learning opportunities become essential. Traditional nursing programs comprise a rigid schedule with time constraints, which drastically extinguishing the student's ability to attend to other important external commitments such as effectively taking care of the home, preparing meals, or meeting religious devotions. Additionally, the strenuous theory and clinical requirements monopolize the prime hours of the workday, preventing consistent employment. Uncompromising lecturing methods habitually neglect to acclimate to the various styles of learning used by diverse students. Sadly, these are only a small number of the types of barriers, which impedes the achievements of the non-traditional student.
Fortunately, current educational trends are acknowledging and eliminating countless hindrances to accommodate non-traditional adult students. The World Wide Web supplies immeasurable benefits for distance learning LPN to RN bridge programs, particularly in the specific areas of convenience, flexibility, accessibility and affordability.
Non-traditional learning conveniently provides the student security of being able to work at support their families financially while pursuing higher learning.
In most cases, the student is able to work from the comfort of their own homes, giving them optimum reassurance of consistently addressing domestic matters. With minimized time constraints, the student is able to adapt material to their particular learning style. Internet instruction is accessible from many different places at the student discretion. Additionally, it provides the students access to reputable colleges in different parts of the country without the hassle of relocating. The curtailed gas expenses are noticeable because the reduced need for commuting to different areas of the community. The excess cost of additional childcare needs during irregular instruction hours is obsolescent for single parent households, already in financial restrictions. The advantages of non-traditional learning opportunities are priceless.
What does this paradigm shift in education signify for the nursing profession?
It promotes an increase in availability of competent nurses on hand to provide adequate healthcare. It supports desirable relief for reducing the gap between the aging baby boomer population and the reportedly reported shortage of professional nurses. It also indicates a decrease in the number of nurses who succumb to leaving the practice in pursuit of higher learning. It reinforces the ability of medical facilities to aide their nursers in keeping abreast of new information and medical technologies that are available. It also eliminates much of the obstacles, which interfere with successful completion of an educational program.
Bottom line, online LPN to RN bridge programs are a practical option for self-disciplined adults actively seeking this gratifying occupation.