Applied to study nursing via distance ed.... anyone currently doing this?

Hi,

I'm looking into doing this myself in about 18 months time, once my youngest is at school. So far, CQU and UniSA look good, at the moment I'm leaning more towards CQU. Which one's have you applied for so far? I'm very interested in hearing about other people's experiences with studying nursing via distance education. :)

I've applied for CQU next year also.
Unfortunately the degree isn't self paced, so you do have to commit to either a full time (4 units per semester) or part time (2 units per semester) study load.

Hi Sash,

With CQU you would do your clinical placements in Victoria. The residential schools would be done in Queensland. Generally when studying part time you would take 2 subjects. You should talk to CQU, but it is possible to take 1 subject in a semester. I'm not suggesting you would want to study the full degree only doing one subject a semester! This year CQU has offered subjects in semester 3 which will be great as it means the degree can be completed in less time. I'm planning on only doing one subject in semester 3.

CQU offer a WIST/LIFT course that gets you prepared for uni. You might consider looking at that as it is free and will give you a taster of what it is like to study part time.

Good luck,

Dave

Dave the WIST course sounds really good. i might look into that, and also into CQU now that you've told me placements can be done in Vic. I guess I would probably start out doing one subject and then increase it to two per semester, and definetely do some over summer if possible. Kind of ease into it so to speak.

I forgot to say I am already an EN, so yes CSU only offer their distance ed nursing to EN's. Sounds like the WIST course is very popular, and isfree? A lot of people seem to be doing it. How long does it go for?

It's great to see so many people doing/ contemplating distance ed.....

All the best with your studies everyone : )

Hi Summerly, Interesting about CSU's studylink programes, I will have a look. Thanks : )

I havne't been able to get a definite response from CSU about doing one subject at a time, but I read on their website under Bachelor of nuring (distance ed) something like "taking longer than four years to do the degree can allow clinical placements to be spread out more". However when I looked up the subjects and residential schools which are required for most of them, even if I can spread the degree out over say seven years, it means going interstate to the uni for res schools twice a year, for seven years, and expecting my husband to use up all his annual leave for four of those years, to look after our daughter while I do placement! Aaaaargh (unless we put her in child care, but I always said I didn't want to do that). And....... that is if I actually get placement in Vic, if not do I not see her for four weeks while I go to NSW? Hmmm this is getting complicated! Sorry to unload !

Sash

Hi Sash,

Well, from everything that Dave has said, and from all that I've read, I would enroll myself into CQU tomorrow if I could - only I haven't even started the WIST course yet - lol, still waiting for my study pack to arrive. I'm impatient. But hubby has come home and said that we may be moving to Adelaide next year (I hate packing and moving house) - in which case, it would make more sense for me to try and go with uni SA, even though the placements at CQU sound so much better, more family friendly. I could manage 2 days a week. It would be so much easier, and I wouldn't need family to come over from WA to mind the kids. And with the residential schools, well the cost of travelling and accommodation is another issue, although the CQU one's seem to be shorter than the uni SA ones, but don't quote me on that.

I admire your fortitude in trying to study with a little one. My youngest is 4 (oldest is 9) and has only just started sleeping through the night, mostly anyway. I did my cert III in aged care when he was 18 months and it was hard, being mostly like a zombie through class and then trying to do placement, when all I wanted to do was crawl back into bed and pass out. But Dave is probably the better person to ask about managing study with kids, as he's got 3. Do you mind if I ask how old your kids are, Dave? :)

....I just got off the phone with the future students centre at UniSA, and this is the info I was told. Although I am not sure that I trust it completely because the lady I spoke to had a really heavy cold and kept putting me on hold to ask her supervisor. So apparently all residential schools, exams and placements have to be done in SA. You can use another universities foundation course (like WIST) to help you get entry to the degree. And it may be possible to swap from external student to internal student, although you may have to reapply for the course and see if you get in.

Hi Sumerly,

My oldest lad is 8 and the twins are 4. It is hard work but its not impossible. I think enjoying the subject matter makes it easier.

Good luck in your choice of uni. I think you will enjoy it!

Dave

Cynn,

Thanks for your opinion : )

I guess I have decided that I will wait till my daughter goes to school or maybe even the year before, to do the course. It is really only 4 - 5 years away. I would rather not be stressed out with trying to study and do exams, and travelling to resi schools and doing placement, and trying to be a good mum at the same time!

Cynn,

Do you mind if I ask how old your kids were when you started the course? Who are you studying through and how long is it taking you to complete?

I work two evenings a week, at least, so i would need to find 4 hours to study, 5 nights a week to make up the 20 hours recommended. I guess it is possible, but hard, I will just have to decide which way will be best for me and my family. I've got some time to think about it, its only August and offers don't come till the end of the year or early next year.

You're right, I don't need to choose between studying and parenting. : ) I'm pretty sure though, I will wait until my daughter goes to school simply because it will all work out the same in the long run, but this way I won't have to travel etc and drag the course out. I can do it locally in only 2 years and finish about the same time as I would have if I'd taken a long time to study by distance.
All the best with your studies : )

I know someone who's also doing distance learning and it's quite okay.