Individuals who are planning to earn their nursing license RN may benefit from campus-based and online college courses, as they may introduce them to innovations in the industry, such as robotic surgery.

News Daily reports that many healthcare providers are beginning to use robots to treat patients who are suffering from diseases such as gynecological cancer, coronary artery disease, kidney cancer and bladder cancer.

For example, a British hospital recently used remote-controlled robot to treat an irregular heart rhythm. The physcians used the tool - which is called a Remote Catheter Manipulation System - to carry out the procedure remotely while communicating with staff members who were near the patient.

As similar innovations become more commonplace, nurses who have worked with these tools in campus-based or online college degree programs could see improved job prospects.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the demand for registered nurses is expected to increase by 22 percent over the next eight years, which is much faster than the average for all other occupations.