Online Excellence

by Susan Neale

The Ohio State University College of Nursing has been a pioneer in online education for several years now. Our online programs consistently earn top ranks from U.S. News & World Report and this year our online master’s degree programs rank #3 overall nationally, with highly ranked specialties including FNP (#3) and PMHP (#5). Ohio State’s online programs, including our RN to BSN program, rank #5.

What do these numbers really mean? We asked students from each top-ranked online program or specialty to tell us why they chose Ohio State, what it’s like to study online, the unique features of each program and how it prepares them for the future.

Their answers tell a lot about what makes our online programs stand out – and also about the outstanding students we attract.

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Christopher Walker, MA, RN
Medical-surgical nurse, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center
RN to BSN online program student

The RN to BSN program has very diverse requirements. I’ve had many courses that focus on history of nursing, where it is going in the future and where nursing fits into all these different categories that you would not expect such as politics, infomatics, data analysis, independent studies and research. It has been eye opening and just amazing to see how many places nursing can have an outreach.

I chose Ohio State after I saw the nursing mission statement and what this program stood for. It really resonated with me: really looking at the evidence-based practice, not just doing practice without any backing to it. That resonated closely with my core beliefs. I never wanted to be at a place that didn’t suit what I believed in or what I felt to be the best care for patients, and I really love this program because of that.

There is a wealth of possibilities in having a BSN. So many career pathways are open. When you are applying for jobs or better opportunities, having that BSN gives you a stronger edge in the competition, especially when it comes from The Ohio State University!

My ultimate goal is receiving my DNP, becoming a nurse practitioner. I would love to help underserved areas, like Doctors Without Borders, and travel globally. Not just focus here – there’s a whole world of people.

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Alexa Tovanche, RN
Critical care nurse, Cleveland Clinic Fairview Hospital
Online master’s degree student

The program has been a great opportunity for me to continue my education. I’m busy all the time – I’m pregnant, taking care of a 3-year-old and working full time in the ICU. The online master’s degree program granted me the opportunity to have in-depth, evidence-based teachings from the comfort of my own home, while also allowing me to have that job-preparing training through clinicals. We learn very important topics at our own pace and then we’re able to apply them through our clinical sites.

There are a couple of reasons I chose Ohio State: I got my bachelor’s in public health from Ohio State and I loved it. And Ohio State is very prestigious. They strive for excellence in education, and they take the time to prepare students for life after graduation. I feel like they’ve really prepared me through this program for transitioning into a nurse practitioner when I graduate. I’m just very grateful for the opportunity to come back to Ohio State.

My online classes are small, and I feel like I have a more personal relationship with the teachers. I feel comfortable texting and emailing them, and I’ve had the opportunity to see and spend time with a few of them who are here in Cleveland. The professors genuinely care about how well you do in the program. I don’t think it’s just me – I think all of the students feel that way. They’ve also given me a chance to meet other nurse practitioners and get my foot in the door networking, so that when I look for jobs I can say, “Oh, hey! I know this person!”

After I graduate, I would love to do inpatient hospitalization for people deemed to need urgent stabilization or constant acute care. Acute cases are really interesting to me.

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Jocelyn Keaton, RN
Staff nurse, Pickerington Methodist Hospital
Family Nurse Practitioner online program student

I’ve been a nurse for over 16 years and worked in healthcare over 23 years. I’m a third-generation nurse.

From day one of the online degree program, it was just, “Success!” I feel like I’m really in the right spot. The instructors have a wealth of knowledge about their topics and cutting-edge ways to disseminate that knowledge.

It’s a robust, appealing type of learning environment that keeps your attention. We have guest lecturers from the medical center currently working in their field come talk to us about topics such as diabetes, cardiac health and heart failure.

The instructors have you write about topics that interest you. They’re giving you the opportunity to expand your knowledge base, your critical thinking skills and your assessment of problems. That piqued my interest because, as an African American healthcare professional, woman and mother, I was able to write about things that impacted my culture, my life, people that look like me, in addition to learning about people that don’t necessarily look like me or live in my zip code.

When you elevate yourself to the next level of education, networking is key. You’re making connections and tapping into other people’s knowledge and interests. One of my online colleagues is in California, another in Wisconsin. It makes me feel like a better healthcare provider because I’m able to connect with someone that maybe has a different way of thinking than I have. We can come together and figure out where the common ground is in both of our thoughts.

Nursing is my passion field – I want to explore the highest level that I can go in my profession. My ultimate dream goal is to be the director of a nursing program. I’m very passionate about wanting to be able to afford people robust education like the one I am getting at Ohio State.

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Kelly King, BSN, RN-BC
Staff nurse, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center East Hospital
Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner online program student

I definitely love the online aspect of the PMHNP program. I feel supported. We meet with our professors on Zoom every other Friday and go over situations and experiences we’ve had in our clinicals. I get to see and learn from the other students, too. All of our professors are available and, you know, you just feel connected. Sometimes I forget it’s an online program!

When I tell people from other schools the things we do at Ohio State, like meeting with professors and our clinical practice experiences, they can’t believe it. That’s how I know we’re doing top-of-the-line things. I’m grateful that our PMHNP professors currently work in the field. We learn invaluable “clinical pearls” from them. They treat us like colleagues. They are truly mentors and want us to succeed.

They have provided great clinical experiences and I feel like I’ll be prepared when I get out in the workforce. The program also has provided me with opportunities for personal and career development. I am a part of the Behavioral Health Workforce Education and Training (BHWET) program. We learn about caring for different populations like minorities, indigenous, LGBTQIA+ and victims of trauma. This training aligns with my career goal of working with underserved individuals. I don’t know if this training would be available to me anywhere else.

It makes me proud to come from a school with these rankings. Ohio State’s reputation precedes its name. As a nurse, of course I help people, but I want to help people on a different level. It’s my ambition to advocate and let people know it’s okay to get treatment for mental health.