What are Nursing Intensives?

Let’s bust a myth right out of the gate: just because you're an online nursing student doesn’t mean you miss out on hands-on experience. Not even close!

While online students have the flexibility of pursuing their degrees from various locations, they also have the chance to practice their skills. At Herzing University, online students still get plenty of face time with real people, real equipment and real-life scenarios thanks to our nursing intensives.

What are Intensives?

Think of intensives as the nursing version of “crunch week” meets clinical boot camp, only shorter, more focused and kind of fun.

Intensives are short but immersive sessions that provide students with invaluable opportunities to interact with their peers and professors in a classroom setting, bridging the gap between virtual learning and real-world application. The on-campus intensives allow nursing students to exercise their skills through interactive activities that aren’t available through online coursework.

At Herzing University, online nursing students are required to attend 2–4-day intensives three separate times throughout the program at a designated Herzing campus or at a partner site. If you are currently enrolled in an online program that requires you to complete an intensive, you may be directed to our Herzing University Nashville campus.

What Goes Down During Intensives?

Let’s paint the picture. You walk into a Herzing skills lab. There’s a stethoscope in your hand, a simulation manikin on the bed and a faculty member giving you feedback as you perform a physical assessment.

This is just one example of what you could experience during intensives. During intensives, students immerse themselves in a range of hands-on activities tailored to their program and specialization. Here are some things you might do during an intensive:

• Conduct head-to-toe physical assessments
• Walk through simulation cases and primary care scenarios
• Present case studies and get feedback from professors
• Practice wound care, office procedures, and handle “emergencies” in a clinical setting
• Dive into skills checks and get prepped for clinical rotations
• Attend mini-workshops on hot topics like scholarly writing, pharmacology, medical imaging and more

The few days that you spend at intensives are jam-packed. It’s where theory meets practice, and your future nurse self gets to shine.

Why Do I Need It?

Great question. You’ve been watching lectures, studying terminology, maybe even acing exams—but now you get to do all the things you’ve only read about. Plus, it's not just about the skills.

• You’ll finally meet some of the classmates you've only seen on Zoom.
• You’ll get personal feedback from faculty who want you to succeed.
• You’ll connect the dots between coursework and clinical work.
• You might even make new friends, study buddies, or professional connections.

Even better? If you’re further along in your program, you may get the chance to mentor someone who’s just starting out, because in nursing, we lift each other up.

Nursing Intensives Are the Secret Sauce

Intensives are where the magic happens. Where you turn knowledge into know-how. Where your online journey becomes a hands-on adventure, and where your nursing dreams start to take shape.

While intensives are a time commitment, they are immensely important for all future nursing students. If your program includes intensives, embrace them! Show up ready to learn, ready to grow and maybe even ready to have a little fun along the way.