Online Practical Nursing Schools
Online Practical Nursing Schools
By Brenne Meirowitz, B.A., M.S., M.A.If you are amongst the many Americans who are facing downsizing in their company or industry, and are looking for a career with job security, you may be interested in exploring online practical nursing schools.
In today’s shaky job market, many people are switching to more practical, high demand careers such as nursing, where the demand is high. Moreover, a busy schedule and family obligations often interferes with the desires of a full-time working adult to return to school. There are a number of factors, which may seem discouraging such as the commute, location, the hours spent in a classroom, and often-inconvenient classroom schedules. However, there are a number of universities that offer terrific online practical nursing programs.
For example, ECU College of Nursing (East Carolina University), offers nine online practical nursing programs. As a matter of fact, U.S. News & World Report listed ECU as having the largest programs for distance, i.e. online education, in the May 2009 annual best graduate schools edition. The online practical nursing school offers a BSN and a MSN for Registered Nurses. The MSN programs include Adult Nurse Practitioner, Clinical Nurse Specialist, Nursing Leadership, Neonatal Nurse Practitioner, Family Nurse Practitioner, Nurse Midwifery, and Nursing Education.
One of the unique online practical nursing programs offered at ECU is their nurse-midwifery program, which is the only one in North Carolina. In 1991, it was initiated as part of a North Carolina legislative mandate, which sought to combat high infant mortality, especially in rural areas. Upon graduation, graduates are eligible to receive certification from the American College of Nurse-Midwives. The Nurse-Midwifery MSN online practical nursing school requires a potential graduate to complete a minimum of 46 credit hours, which may be completed on a full-time or part-time basis.