Top Online Nursing Degrees To Choose Your Education Path

The nursing profession is in demand now more than ever. The pressure on the healthcare facilities during the coronavirus pandemic has proved the importance and need of all healthcare workers. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, data suggests that demand for registered nurses may increase by 12% by 2028. Therefore, if you were thinking about pursuing a bachelor’s degree or higher education in the nursing field, now’s a great time. The nursing profession offers countless career opportunities, from working in government settings to starting a private practice or simply working in private hospitals. A nursing degree can, with no trouble, help you earn a handsome annual salary. But if you want to make it to the top of your nursing career, then take a look at the following top online degrees you should choose:

1. MSN-to-DNP program:

You don’t need to be put off by the world ‘online degree’ because online education is the new normal these days. An online diploma and degree hold the same value as the degree earned through an on-campus program. Pursuing a master’s degree has already pushed you towards taking on a more advanced clinical role. With a master’s degree, nurse practitioners can prescribe medication as needed, examine the patient, oversee and develop treatment plans, and more. But do you want to assess the most considerable scope of career opportunities in this field? If yes, after going through the ccne accredited online MSN programs, you should go for online DNP degree programs. In a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree, you will explore and work with particular areas such as mental health, pediatrics, etc.

2. Neonatal Nurse Practitioner Program:

If you are looking for a solid-paying nursing profession, then a neonatal nurse practitioner degree would be the best fit. According to PayScale, neonatal nurses earn a whooping median salary of more than $97,000, which is significantly higher than nursing managers and family nurse practitioners. Neonatal nurse practitioners typically work in delivery and labor units, various medical facilities, and doctor’s offices. Depending on the setting, their responsibilities may range from assisting with labor and delivery in hospitals to providing prenatal care to patients in a physician’s office. With a much higher than average demand over the next decade in this field, you shouldn’t miss out on the opportunity of pursuing an online degree in this program.

3. Gerontology Program:

An RN pursuing an online MSN in gerontology will evolve their existing skills and develop an advanced understanding of chronic conditions, common health problems, and episodic issues. These skills are essential if you want to work in the particular area of studying the process of aging and taking care of elderly patients. Doing an online master’s degree in this program comes with its perks because an adult-gerontology nurse practitioner can earn a median annual salary of up to $89,000. As a registered nurse, if you decide to go for MSN gerontology programs, you’ll be able to diagnose, assess, and treat geriatric and adult patients along with other clinical tasks. A few of the common courses included in this program are adult-geriatric syndrome, adult-gerontology comprehensive assessment, common adult health problems, and more.

4. Health Informatics Program:

Want to try your luck in a rather unconventional field of nursing? Then an MSN in health informatics is your calling. An emerging yet promising nursing program, health informatics deals with the combination of healthcare and technology. That means that students will focus on the medical aspect of their profession and learn how the emerging technology benefits clinical nursing skills. You’ll learn nursing informatics leadership, nursing methodologies, and data management in healthcare in this program. It is a perfect career path for nurses who would like to improve the healthcare industry by using data and information. The nurse informaticists have to take on a crucial role in managing critical medical records such as medical histories, patient data, and imaging reports. Moreover, nursing informatics can earn an average annual salary of up to $85,000.

5. Online Diabetes Program:

Diabetes is an incredibly high-impact disease that is nowhere near an absolute cure. On the contrary, it stands out as the most expensive and fast-growing health crisis in the USA. Therefore, students and registered nurses looking for a dynamic and in-demand online nursing degree can give diabetes education a chance. Since experts suggest that about 54.9 million Americans will be diagnosed with diabetes from 2015-2030, the demand for diabetes care will skyrocket, requiring many nurses in the field. An online MSN in diabetes will allow registered nurses to pursue education in diabetes management, diabetes education, or endocrinology. It will enable them to learn clinical skills to deal with the challenges associated with diabetes care.

6. Family Practice Program:

Serving as both specialty and primary experts to their patients, family nurse practitioners can assist clients of all ages with different needs. Students or RN pursuing an online degree in this program will provide preventative care to a wide range of patients in many geographical locations. Through this degree, they will also learn to develop essential skills required to manage other RNs, pursue leadership roles, build a lasting relationship with patients, and prescribe medicine. Some advanced and interesting courses included in the program are advanced pathophysiology, nursing care of the childrearing and childbearing family, leadership, health policy, advanced assessment, and diagnostics. Luckily, the numbers are staggering and favorable for the scope and demand of family nurse practitioners. The earning potential varies according to the geographical location. An FNP working in outpatient care centers can earn up to $123,850 on average. The job outlook is lucrative as well and will increase by 45% through 2029.

Choose Your Future in the Nursing Field:

The nursing profession is one of the most in-demand and handsomely paid professions at the moment. With the world understanding how understaffed healthcare facilities can seem in place of a pandemic, the demand for all healthcare roles, especially nurses, has surged exponentially. Online education has made receiving education, no matter how advanced, more accessible than ever. Top universities provide opportunities to earn top degrees through online channels that hold the same value as an on-campus degree.