Online Applied Learning in Nursing Education

Problem

Nursing education programs, along with other programs that prepare professionals in other health-related disciplines, require experiences where students apply concepts in practice settings. Practitioners cannot simply learn the theory of nursing or medicine, graduate, and safely care for patients; they need to have opportunities to apply concepts in practice under the watchful eye of faculty or other experienced professionals who can guide them while learning. This is particularly important when health care agencies need graduates who are work-ready and can safely and competently provide care. This is especially true given the shortage of quality health care professionals in the United States.

Nursing has used online education as a way to prepare nurses for advanced levels of practice. RN-BSN and graduate programs are online and serve as ways to prepare nurses for higher level positions such as leadership and management, nursing education, or Nurse Practitioner (NP). These education programs require skill development. As programs become more widely available to nurses, separated by geography where faculty cannot directly supervise but other qualified professionals can facilitate learning, there is a need to identify ways to include applied learning.