Are you considering going back to nursing school? You’re not alone. Twenty-nine percent of RNs plan to pursue a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) in the next five years, according to a study published in theJournal for Nurses in Professional Development.

Whether you’re interested inobtaining a BSNor an advanced degree, ask yourself these four questions before you sign up for classes.

1. What Will the Financial Burden Be?

上学很昂贵，尤其是如果您需要拿出贷款来资助您的学业。在您承诺进一步教育之前，重要的是要考虑您的财务状况。

Although many large hospitals and healthcare facilities offer tuition reimbursement, you shouldn’t expect these funds to cover all of your costs. Caps may limit how much you’ll be reimbursed per year, or the program may not provide 100 percent coverage of tuition fees. The costs of books, laptops or other expenses might also not be covered. Some employers cover tuition for bachelor or master programs but may not reimburse students who enroll in doctoral programs.

If your employer doesn’t provide tuition reimbursement, you’ll want to carefully compare the financial aid package each institution offers and investigatenursing school scholarshipsprovided by the university or national or local organizations.

2. How Flexible Is the Program?

Does the degree program you’re considering offer classes that work with your schedule? The internet lets you take classes fully or partly online.

Although online classes can be convenient forbusy nurses, they’re not necessarily a good choice if you feel there will be too many distractions when you try to watch a lecture at home. As you compare programs, take a look at class types and scheduling options.

3. How Much of a Time Commitment Is Required?

除了花时间参加面对面或虚拟课程外，您还需要安排时间学习，撰写论文和研究研究项目。三分之二的学生回应2015 National Survey of Student Engagementreported they studied at least 15 hours per week.

Finding enough time for your studies can be challenging if you have young children or care for an elderly parent. If other family members aren’t available to ease your burden, babysitters or paid care providers may be an option.

4.这与我怎样Career Goals?

It doesn’t make sense to spend time and money on a degree that won’t improve your nursing skills or enhance your advancement opportunities. It’s helpful to first map out the path you want your career to take and then decide which degree will help you meet your goals.

For example, if your ultimate goal is to be a nurse practitioner, it may make be quicker and less expensive to enroll in an RN-to-MSN program, instead of completing a bachelor’s degree before enrolling in a master’s program.

Going back to nursing school offers many advantages for both you and your patients. In addition to boosting your satisfaction level andexpanding career opportunities，您的新学位将帮助您提高患者护理技术并发展重要的领导能力。vwin德赢app软件如果您对获得新学位所涉及的收益，费用和时间承诺有现实的期望，那么您的教育经验很可能会产生富有成效和有益。

找出如何在您的免费电子书中给您的患者提供最佳体验，How Nurses Can Increase Satisfaction Through Patient-Centered Care.