Many travel nurses consider continuing their education as a way to progress on their career path, develop new specialties and hone their skills. However, the thought of taking time out of an already busy schedule is often too much for many people in the profession. With so much time spent away from home, the logistics of attending classes can be quite difficult. Luckily, modern technology has provided many people in healthcare careers with a way to get advanced degrees while keeping up with their demanding travel schedules.
Growing demand
As the need for more skilled nurses and technicians has grown, the enrollment rates for advanced education programs among nurses have followed suit. According to the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN), the number of registered nurses in advanced degree programs has risen each year in the last decade.
These figures show that many travel nurses are choosing to pursue further education as a way of keeping up with the industry.
"I think that is an indication that nurses know the world of healthcare is changing and they need more education to respond to it," Polly Bednash, CEO of the AACN, told Healthcare Traveler.
In years past, this might have meant that nurses had to take some time away from their work to complete their studies. These days, however, many nurses are taking the courses on their laptops and the prevalence of online degree programs has risen rapidly.
Finding the right program for you
Each year, more online programs aim to attract nurses. While this is good news in many ways, it can also make finding the perfect program seem like an arduous task. Thankfully, there is a great deal of information out there to help you sift through the many options and select the choice that seems best for you.
For example, U.S. News and World Report regularly ranks many of the programs, which can make it easy to quickly determine which options merit further investigation. The source divides its ratings into several categories – including faculty credentials, student services, student engagement and selectivity – which can help you focus on the schools that are tailored to your specific preferences.
Getting started
Once you've found a program that suits you, it is time to apply. This process can seem daunting at first, but with a little patience and commitment, it shouldn't be hard for you to present yourself in the best light. Focus on what made you decide to apply to the program and what you are hoping to accomplish by earning it. This approach can help you stand apart from the competition and put you in the best position to earn your next degree.