Official NP "No Fly" list

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My health system has made it official that they will not accept students for clinical rotations from a list of schools that is almost exclusively made up of the "for profit" institutions. Online programs with no on campus component will be reviewed on a case by case basis for clinical placement but "clinical placement is not likely and these programs do not qualify for Health System tuition reimbursement." I spoke with someone in the education department and she said while they encourage employees to return for advanced practice degrees, they are finding that too many are ill prepared even for entry level NP work. No GRE, MAT or GPA requirement should be red flags as well as no requirement for recommendation letters or RN experience, per my education department. South University was specifically called out for not giving tests or exams for even their patho class! How do you teach patho without giving tests? I agree with and applaud my Health System's move. What are your thoughts?

Specializes in Psych.

I've worked with quite a few brand new NPs in the ED who graduated from schools with no on campus requirements. One from South U. All outstandingly good (ran circles around their PA counterparts). They all said it was their practicum experiences that really taught them what they needed to know. I'm of the opinion that each student is in charge of their own education and often the institution attended makes little difference.

bsnanat2

268 Posts

Specializes in ..

I think what you have said is the issue...should NP school be about student being taught or teaching themselves? Clinicals are to solidify knowledge and help translate education into practice, not to teach students. If the preceptor is having to teach instead of mentor, then the program has not done its job.

Specializes in Psych.
I think what you have said is the issue...should NP school be about student being taught or teaching themselves? Clinicals are to solidify knowledge and help translate education into practice, not to teach students. If the preceptor is having to teach instead of mentor, then the program has not done its job.

True. As an student nurse in the classroom I was "taught" the concepts I needed to know. But it wasn't until I spent time on the floor with my preceptors that I actually learned and connected the concepts from the classroom to practice. I could have easily taught those concepts to myself via an online class. That's not to say I didn't enjoy the interaction with my classmates and I did find some of the instructors interesting and engaging. But when it came down to it, I could have taught myself all of those book based concepts.

sauce

178 Posts

Good call for whoever you work for.

Jules A, MSN

8,864 Posts

Specializes in Family Nurse Practitioner.

While I agree there is an individual component regarding who will be a competent practitioner overall I applaud your facility's new policy. There are plenty of reputable schools who do have rigorous admission standards that aspiring NPs can attend. In my area there are mixed feelings about NPs abilities, rightly so, and I believe the more competent NPs that graduate the better for everyone, especially our patients.

allnurses Guide

BostonFNP, APRN

2 Articles; 5,581 Posts

Specializes in Adult Internal Medicine.

My two cents:

1. There is a a degree of self-learning required in all graduate level education.

2. If there are no exams than how does a program ensure that the self-learning is taking place?

3. There is an increasing number of sub-par NP programs that place nearly the entire burden of education on the preceptor.

My IPA will no longer take students from any school other than two quality local NP programs with excellent reputations without a personal recommendation by a staff member.

More than a year ago I attempted to take a student from an online school that paid preceptors, after the first day, I called to tell them to find another preceptor, the student couldn't even do a physical exam.

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Jules A, MSN

8,864 Posts

Specializes in Family Nurse Practitioner.

More than a year ago I attempted to take a student from an online school that paid preceptors, after the first day, I called to tell them to find another preceptor, the student couldn't even do a physical exam.

Sent from my iPhone.

A concern I have as this becomes more common place secondary to the large number of NP programs popping up all over and inexperienced nurses becoming advanced practitioners is that eventually the stats on NP outcomes will suffer.

allnurses Guide

BostonFNP, APRN

2 Articles; 5,581 Posts

Specializes in Adult Internal Medicine.
A concern I have as this becomes more common place secondary to the large number of NP programs popping up all over and inexperienced nurses becoming advanced practitioners is that eventually the stats on NP outcomes will suffer.

This individual had been a nurse (RN) for a long while. This was a problem with the fact the individual's NP program really did nothing to prepare them to begin clinical rotations. Both schools that we use now have required sign-offs on H&P demos prior to starting clinical experiences.

This is a different topic, but in my experience the length of a student's RN experience is a poor predictor of their success as a student NP.

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Jules A, MSN

8,864 Posts

Specializes in Family Nurse Practitioner.
This is a different topic, but in my experience the length of a student's RN experience is a poor predictor of their success as a student NP.

.

Interesting because I have found just the opposite but speaking only anecdotally. Maybe it is more psych specific where there are guidelines but fewer concrete diagnostic tools such as labs?

allnurses Guide

BostonFNP, APRN

2 Articles; 5,581 Posts

Specializes in Adult Internal Medicine.

I think there is probably more of an "art" to being a psych provider, at least the psych practice I am forced to do in primary care is a bit more of an art.

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Jules A, MSN

8,864 Posts

Specializes in Family Nurse Practitioner.
I think there is probably more of an "art" to being a psych provider, at least the psych practice I am forced to do in primary care is a bit more of an art.

Sent from my iPhone.

As I tend to say "trial and error with hopefully more trial than error" :)

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