In search of an online nursing graduate degree program with hands-on experience, Adam Switzer, a registered nurse at a medical center in Texas, found the University of Texas–Tyler‘s hybrid family nurse practitioner program, offered primarily online with a component on campus.
Alongside professors, he says, he learns skills such as suturing, a method used to close wounds.
“There are certain techniques that you can see on video,” the 34-year-old student says. But, he says, having a professor critiquing up close is an added advantage.
Students considering an online grad degree in nursing might need to make a choice: whether to attend a program that’s fully online or one that’s blended, which usually refers to a combination of online and traditional education. However, experts caution prospective online students to research what “blended” or “hybrid” means at specific schools because it varies among universities.
[Explore the many definitions of hybrid and online courses.]
At the University of Central Florida, the master’s and Doctor of Nursing Practice tracks designated as hybrid have regular on-campus class sessions, says Mary Lou Sole, dean and professor at UCF’s College of Nursing. Still, some of UCF’s graduate nursing programs categorized as fully online might have the occasional on-site component, so students should be clear on those expectations before they apply, she says.
At UT–Tyler, at least half of a blended course is taught on ground with the remainder online, says Barbara Haas, executive director for the nursing school. When classes are designated as hybrid, so is the program as a whole, she says.
“Individual circumstances matter a lot,” Haas says. Sometimes, she says, it also boils down to the specific school a student is interested in and its reputation; for instance, if there are travel requirements for a program of high interest, they might need to sacrifice the total flexibility of completely online learning to enroll.
At UCF and UT–Tyler, school officials say, the definition of “blended” doesn’t account for the additional in-person clinical components that many graduate nursing programs have, though prospective students should determine whether that’s the case elsewhere.
[Discover ways to choose between blended and online classes.]
Given that nurses often work hours around the clock, prospective students should consider their schedule’s flexibility when choosing between a hybrid grad program and one that’s completely online, experts say.
Blended programs, for instance, might require students to be in class at a specific time on a predetermined day, experts say. At UT–Tyler, that means they need to come to Texas, and that might be difficult for the online student with a full-time job who’s also completing clinical requirements near their home.
But for Switzer, the UT–Tyler student in the hybrid nurse practitioner program, the decision to enroll there was easier given that he’s based in the same city as the school.
“Online is not easier, definitely, but it does save the travel time and keeps students from being obligated at a particular time in any given week,” says Haas from UT–Tyler. “It offers a lot more flexibility.”
Some nursing specialties — such as family nurse practitioner — are also better suited to have an on-ground component, experts say.
At the University of Hawaii–Manoa, students pursuing the nurse practitioner doctorate track need to learn certain procedures and tasks up close, says Mary Boland, dean of the school of nursing and dental hygiene. That’s similar to how Switzer learned about suturing and clinical assessments in person in his master’s program at UT–Tyler.
“Students really have to demonstrate competency in particular skills,” says Boland. “It’s very important to be able to do that face to face.”
[Learn five questions to ask when selecting an online graduate nursing program.]
Experts also suggest that prospective students assess their own learning styles and the level of interaction they want with faculty. Switzer enjoys working with his professors in person, for example, to develop hands-on skills.
Because they are working outside of a traditional classroom, fully online students usually need to have greater self-motivation, says Sole from UCF, whereas blended learners might receive more guidance.
Another advantage of blended learning in nursing, says Norma Conner, associate professor and associate dean for academic excellence at UCF’s nursing school, is that it might better prepare students for the positions they will take on after they graduate, which often require interacting with others in person.
“We engage in team science,” she says, which can be more difficult to practice strictly online.
Experts also say it’s critical for applicants to consider whether fully online learners have access to the same student services as students in blended programs, especially those traveling to campus.
For example, nursing grad students often complete research assignments, experts say, and would need access to library services.
Technical support is also critical in both cases, Boland says, and should be available around the clock, given that nurses work shifts at various hours.
“These are generally working people doing it evenings, weekends,” she says.
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Blended, Online Nursing Grad Programs Offer Varied Options originally appeared on usnews.com
