Determine what level of nursing degree you need to obtain. This will affect how you search for online programs. An associate degree in nursing is a 2-year degree offered by colleges and community colleges across the nation that can prepare you for an entry-level career as a registered nurse. If you already have a bachelor's degree, you can likely obtain a second bachelor's degree rather than obtaining an associate degree. If your bachelor's degree is in a health-related field and you have the necessary science background, you may be able to enter directly into a master's degree program in nursing. (These are sometimes referred to as "bridge programs.")
Visit the websites of schools in your immediate area or state to determine whether or not they have online nursing degree programs. There are two advantages to this approach. First, some state colleges and universities still offer lower tuition rates to students who live in the state already. This can save you an enormous amount of money on tuition costs. Second, most nursing programs have a clinical or practical component that you will have to complete. Schools in your area will already have established relationships with local hospitals and other health care facilities where you can gain the required hands-on education that you need to complete your degree. Out-of-state schools may require you to do much of the legwork on your own. The University of Texas at Austin maintains two web pages that list all 4-year and all 2-year community colleges nationwide in each state.
Consult online references or rankings lists of nursing programs. There are very few credible lists online, but you can find online nursing degree programs in this way. Nursing Online Education Database provides a list that includes some valuable information regarding the nursing programs it lists. Most of the programs included there are, however, schools that are non-traditional and have built their reputation mainly through online classes. They are all fully accredited institutions, however, which means that your degree will be recognized as legitimate.
Avoid websites that simply list seemingly random nursing programs. These are pretty simple to spot. Most of them have no rhyme or reason to the way they list online programs, and many have an inordinate amount of banner ads with links to other schools running down both sides of the page. These sites usually provide very little helpful information and will list both accredited an non-accredited schools.