THECOLLEGEDEGREES.COM BLOG

When you graduated, all you knew was that you wanted to help people. You enjoyed learning new procedures, and found all sorts of continuing education programs fascinating. For the first few years, your highest goal and greatest aspiration was to become like the nurse who’d oriented you, and spent all of her career - and most of her working life - at the bedside taking care of patients.

At some point in your working career, reality set in. Taking care of patients is often hard, frustrating, and the rewards are few and sometimes far between. Employers aren’t always appreciative of a nurse’s efforts, and sometimes it’s hard to find enthusiasm or enjoyment in your job.

Most employers do, however, encourage nurses to return to school and earn a Bachelor Degree or enroll in graduate degree programs. This is because nurses with advanced degrees improve their organizational reputation. This trend is becoming more pronounced each year, a fact evidenced by the increasing number of employers who offer substantial reimbursement and increased pay to nurses who finish either traditional college degree programs or graduate from online degree universities.

Distance learning degrees for nurses are very popular and offered by a number of online university degree programs. Most of these programs are accredited, but a few are not, so make sure that if you do choose a program, you know that the university is accredited and not a diploma mill. All of the colleges listed on this site are accredited.

Nurses have the highest rate of back injury and an incredible rate of burnout. Most bedside nurses remain in their profession for an average of ten years or less. Before this happens to you, take some thought for your future. Earn a degree online or through a traditional college - and earn a chance for a change!