Prerequisite Courses for Nursing School Online

Prerequisite Courses for Nursing School Online

Taking your prerequisite courses for nursing schools online is a great option for many. 

You will gain more knowledge in the nursing field. And do it without sacrificing too much time on your end compared to in-person classes. It also causes less disruption to your busy schedule. 

Online Classes, But Still Hands-On

Prerequisite courses for nursing school online often offer in-home laboratory experiences to help you learn and get more knowledge. Usually, these courses last anywhere from five to eight weeks. However, it varies depending on the college and the state.

Some colleges also offer a more hands-on experience while you’re at home with their home laboratory kits. The costs for these depend on each college. 

No matter which way you look at it, however, taking prerequisite courses online is a more affordable and more flexible solution to begin or expand your nursing education.

What To Expect In Online Courses

For these online courses, students, such as yourself, are still required to participate in presentations and learn from instructors. You will learn to practice everything you’ve learned. There are also group discussions and of course, examinations. 

Before enrolling to prerequisite courses, we highly recommend talking to an advisor, or someone with experience. If you’re enrolling at a new institution or college, it’s also best to speak with your current college’s registrar regarding their transfer credit policies. 

For accelerated courses, it’s best to take a maximum of two classes at a time. These are very fast-paced courses, so you’ll need to focus. Taking more than two classes at a time can get overwhelming. 

The great news is that for most colleges, there are classes more than 6 times a year, so it can be fairly easy to find the right class at the right time for you.

Different colleges offer different online nursing prerequisite courses. Take your time to review all of them to find out which one best fits your needs. 

Common Prerequisite Courses for Nursing School Online

Here are some examples of prerequisite courses for nursing school online you should look into:

  • Introduction to Professional Nursing
  • Nutrition – this is usually a 6-week or more course
  • Developmental psychology – 5-week course time frame, or more depending on the college or institution
  • Microbiology
  • Nursing Care of Adults (with clinical practice)
  • Anatomy & Psychology I
  • Anatomy & Psychology II
  • Statistics
  • Chemistry for the Allied Health Professions
  • Health Assessment in Nursing (with clinical practice)
  • Fundamentals of Nursing Practice (with clinical practice)
  • Nursing Care of Clients with Alterations in Behavioral Health (with clinical practice)
  • Nursing Medication Mathematics
  • Contemporary Issues in Professional Nursing
  • Nursing Care of Adults with Complex Health Care Problems (with clinical practice)
  • Patho/Pharm Integrated Concepts
  • Nursing Care of Women, Children, and Families (with clinical experience)
  • Genomics in Nursing
  • The Older Adult
  • Leadership and Management in Professional Nursing – Capstone
  • Research/Evidence Based Practice
  • Health and Illness in the Community (with clinical practice)
  • Morality and Contemporary Health Care
  • Global Health and Health Policy
  • Synthesis of Learning for Nursing Practice (with clinical practice)

Prerequisite courses for nursing school online are great for a variety of reasons. Most of the time, they can be taken within five to  eight weeks. It all depends on your schedule and the college’s schedule. 

They are also very convenient, comprehensive and efficient. These courses will develop your skills and enhance your learning as you go throughout your career.

Bottom line is doing them online is a great way to knock out the requirements you need to be ready for nursing school!

More About Online Nursing

This article is part of our series about getting a nursing degree online.

Check out the next topic in the series: Tips for Getting Your Undergraduate Nursing Degree Online