An Online Nursing Degree: Key to Career Advancement

online nursing degree graduate

By Susan Jostrum

If you consider yourself a natural caregiver, or are looking to continue your nursing education with an advanced degree or certification, why not put your compassion to work in the growing field of nursing—or pursue your advanced nursing degree?

You can receive an online nursing degree or advanced degree in as little as two years—and you can obtain a specialty certification with as few as 12 credits.

You could even consider a nursing career in the international arena, as there is a great demand for nurses working for the Red Cross and other humanitarian agencies. Imagine assisting in saving the lives of thousands of children in the 2010 earthquake in Haiti. "Nurses play an important role in local, national and international disaster relief operations," according to the Red Cross.

Perhaps you aspire to serve your country as a military nurse. Or maybe you are just striving to increase your responsibilities and earning potential in your current nursing job. All of these opportunities are yours with online nursing degree or certification programs. "Overall job opportunities are expected to be excellent; employers report difficulty in attracting and retaining an adequate number of RNs," according to the Bureau of Labor and Statistics. With an online nursing degree, you will hold the key to your future, as there is currently a great demand for registered nurses in the health care industry.

Our Online Nursing Degree Career Center will answer all your questions about getting started in your online nursing education program. Here you'll find articles on the following:

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Online Nursing Degree: Advantages

Online nursing degrees have many advantages over traditional campus studies. With an online nursing degree:

  • You don't have to commute. The freedom to study and attend class in your own home allows men and women across a large age spectrum to further their education.
  • You're free to set your own schedule. You can continue to maintain a job or participate in extracurricular activities much easier than when you attend a campus degree program.
  • You'll eliminate the time constraints of travel. The amount of time spent every day commuting to and from campus can be applied to your studies.
  • You can skip material you already know. In some online nursing degree programs, you will receive credit for past work experience.
  • You can receive a 4-year degree in two years through an accelerated online nursing degree program.
  • You may save money by eliminating out-of-state tuition costs.
  • You'll have the flexibility to continue to work while planning your studies around your current job.

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Online Nursing Degree: Sample Certification Programs

There are new online certificate programs being developed regularly, as the medical needs of a community change. According to the Nursing 2006 Salary Survey, nurses who earn a certification in a specialty made $9,200 more annually than nurses who were not certified.

An example of a certification is the Medical Family Therapy Certificate, which teaches nurses to work specifically with patients and their families who are living with chronic illnesses. Other advanced online nursing certifications include:

  • Certificate in Nursing Administration
  • Certificate in Nursing Education
  • Accelerated Certification in Legal Nurse Consulting
  • Accelerated Certification in Forensic Nursing
  • Post-Masters Certification in Nursing Informatics
  • Certificate in Legal Nurse Consulting
  • Certificate in Forensic Nursing
  • Certificate in Medical Family Therapy

Online Nursing Degree: Sample Advanced Programs

You can become a nurse practitioner with an advanced online nursing degree. With a projected shortage of primary care doctors, 28 states are considering expanding the authority of nurse practitioners. You could soon be your patients' primary care practitioner. Some examples of advanced online nursing degree programs include:

  • Masters in Gerontology
  • Masters in Nursing
  • Masters in Nurse Practitioner

Pursue your dreams to advance your career. With numerous course offerings for advanced degrees or specialty certifications, now is the time to enroll in an online nursing degree program.


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