Nursing demand means expanding on-line options

[cougarnurse]

Out at Northern Illinois: Nursing demand means expanding online options - - HealthyRockford.com

A unique hybrid online nursing program is looking to add a second class next year to meet demand for nurses and alternative learning styles.

Thirty-one nursing students enrolled in the Northern Illinois Online Initiative for Nursing program as part of the first class earlier this year and are on track to graduate in May. The program is a collaboration of four local colleges and area hospitals and health systems.

A second class of students is expected to start in January, pending acceptance of enough qualified students, program coordinator Kathy Johnson said.

The program is a combination of online nursing theory courses and clinical experiences in a campus lab or hospital setting. Students who complete the program receive an associate of applied science degree and qualify to sit for the national examination to become a registered nurse.

Information sessions about the program are taking place at the four colleges, and the deadline to apply for the program is Nov. 1. Johnson said it’s too early to tell how many people will apply.

“We are anticipating a big need once the recession lets up and people start retiring as planned,” Johnson said. “We’re looking for nurses for the future, but there are still some positions out there now.”

Applicants also must be certified nursing assistants on the registry in good standing and meet other prerequisites. Johnson emphasized that applicants need to really consider whether the hybrid program is the right learning environment for them.

“It really does depend on your learning style,” Johnson said. “If people do better in a face-to-face situation in a classroom, then they might find online difficult if not impossible. Our online students typically like studying more on their own and are strong, visual readers and learners who like to figure things out for themselves.”

The Northern Illinois Online Initiative for Nursing program is a collaboration among Highland Community College, Kishwaukee College, Rock Valley College and Sauk Valley Community College, as well as CGH Medical Center, Freeport Health Network, KSB Hospital, Kishwaukee Community Hospital, OSF Saint Anthony Medical Center, Rochelle Community Hospital, Rockford Health System and SwedishAmerican Hospital.

Northern Illinois University, Rockford College, Saint Anthony College of Nursing and the University of Illinois at Chicago act as completion programs for students wanting to pursue a bachelor of science degree in nursing once they’ve completed the program.

Go to nioin.org or call Kathy Johnson at 815-232-4309 for more information.

[suebird3]

On-line sure beats driving all that way to Northern, but still.....ya gotta drive to the Clinicals, I'll pass, thank you!

[cali510]

It is fascinating to see how some states take proactive steps such as described here and other states do everything possible to put roadblocks out there for prospective future nurses. The easiest thing to do is to continue to recognize the already existing Excelsior College program. Let EC educate your new nurses. No money or effort on your part. Instead, the decisionmakers make self serving statements and deny an educational opportunity to produce more working nurses for their state. I am fed up with hearing about nursing shortages and how impossible it is to recruit and keep nursing educators when viable programs are shot down because some other entity is responsible.