Online Continuing Education for Nurses

What Is Available in Continuing Education For Nurses?

Your state's board of nursing determines the rules for maintaining your nursing license, but a common requirement for active licensure is earning continuing education credits. You'll find continuing education courses offered in a multitude of areas, but you'll want to take courses that address your focus area or that develop an area in which you are deficient. Continuing education courses are typically short, lasting just a few hours.

You can take courses in areas such as administrative nursing issues, medical conditions or patient care. Among the possible administrative courses you can take are managing patient records, legal issues in nursing and informatics. Examples of medical conditions covered by continuing education courses include cancer, Alzheimer's disease, autism and cardiovascular disease. Patient care topics may include working with diverse cultures, pain management, long-term care and issues regarding aging.

Source: *U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Are These Courses Available Online?

You'll find continuing education courses and degree programs for nurses readily available through online study. In an online program, you'll take the same courses you'd find in a campus-based program. The convenience of online study allows you to complete courses and seminars on your own schedule, taking courses asynchronously and at a pace that suits your life. This means that you can pursue your studies without interrupting your nursing career. Online continuing education programs for nurses often have support available if you have limited computer experience.

What Graduate Options Can I Pursue?

In addition to continuing education courses, you can further your nursing education through graduate study. You'll typically pursue a graduate degree in order to change or advance your career, rather than to seek license renewal. Master's degree programs are available in a wide variety of fields, depending on your area of interest.

A Master of Science in Nursing will prepare you for a leadership, administrative or educator role in the nursing field. Alternatively, you can pursue a master's degree to become an advanced practice nurse; this advanced degree includes programs that train you to become a nurse anesthetist, nurse-midwife, clinical nurse specialist or nurse practitioner.