Online school boosts nursing curriculum

Online school boosts nursing curriculum

Saint Joseph's College of Maine has announced a partnership with The College Network to provide online education opportunities for busy professionals who want to boost their nursing qualifications.

The collaboration will allow students to earn a bachelor of science in nursing (BSN) from the college, and the degree is fully accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education.

The program will offer a host of flexible options that will allow students to complete their degrees in a shorter amount of time than traditional students, allowing them to do so through a combination of transfer credits, equivalency examinations and the school's online courses.

'This relationship will allow more practicing nurses the opportunity to pursue a BSN (and MSN) around their hectic schedules," says Dr. Lois Hamel, program director for distance nursing at Saint Joseph's.

"Nurses are feeling the pressure right now as facilities wish to gain AACN Magnet status, which requires a higher percentage of their nurses to hold bachelors or masters degrees," she adds.

The school also says the costs of the degree are up to one third lower than for traditional programs.

Online education is a great option for adults interested in nursing careers as the Labor Department predicts that by 2012, a total of 1 million nurses will be needed to care for the aging population, and some 587,000 new nursing jobs will be created nationwide.