My sister sent an email today with the dreaded ‘six more weeks of winter‘ predictions. The Groundhog Day shadow view was actually a shock to me as it’s a cloudy, dark and dreary day here in Maryland. ‘How could he ‘see’ a shadow in this overcast day?‘ I wondered.

Since it also snowed/rained last night, the schools were on a two-hour delay today. As I looked out the window, I felt blessed that I am able to work from my home office. Yesterday at Yoga, I overheard two women talking about how they wished we got enough snow so that they wouldn’t have to go to work, which led me to realize: it seems that a lot of our world is turning to the digital age of telecommunication.

And the nursing profession is no stranger to this ‘work from home’ model. Jobs like telephone triage, telecommute case management and even nurse health coaching are options for nurses who want and need a flexible nursing career. An interesting one I found in this ‘5 Work-at-Home Jobs for Nurses‘ article was something called a Online Instructor/Course Developer. I got to thinking…

[Tweet “Would Punxsutawney Phil be able to use some type of virtual system for his winter weather predictions?”]

In this age of technology, it is becoming much easier for nurses to continue with goals of lifelong learning. Could this be the case for our pal the Groundhog as he looks to predict the rest of our winter weather?

Here are 3 ways online learning can up-level our nursing careers:

1. Unlimited connections. The world wide web, social media and digital devices make it so much easier to connect. We can ask questions of people across the county. We can introduce ourselves to referral partners among various industries. We can learn from nurse educators without ever having to meet them live and in-person. Think about the nurses you work with on a daily basis as your ‘core group’. Now call to mind your career goals. Are there people you need to meet, connect with or be introduced to outside of your close-knit circle that will help you expand your nursing career? LinkedIn is one place where quality nursing connections can be made.
2. Unlimited access. Another great thing about using the digital space for your lifelong learning is that you can get to it anywhere, any time. While I am also a huge proponent of in the classroom learning (Reiki cannot be taught in the virtual space; and I am a hands-on learner at heart), there is definitely something to be said for the ease and convenience that digital courses have to offer. A busy nurse can access the information on their time. You don’t need to travel far and wide to receive the knowledge. You can learn from your own home (in your own PJs, if you like!).
3. Unlimited spectrum. The neat thing about this age of information is that we can learn on any topic we choose. If we are looking for career advice, there’s a course for that. Looking to learn about technology and social media? You can do that too. In fact, what’s neat about this year’s ‘Art of Nursing 2.0‘ virtual conference is that each day has a specific theme. Via 30 minute webinars, speakers will touch on the overarching topics of leadership, communication, technology and resilience. There’s something for every nurse! Same goes for the lifelong learner in you; using the online space to educate yourself… the sky’s the limit.

So, what else? This list of three is certainly a short one and there’s much more to online learning. What would you add to the ways that digital learning can up-level our nursing careers? Leave a comment below and thanks for reading!