1. Overabundance of programs- schools are opening up left and right handing out these degrees. Why? Many of the online schools charge 40-60k + dollars for these programs. Outrageous, but with the hopes of landing a 6 figure job. People are cramming themselves through the doors for them paying up front with government money.
2. Lowered standards- Many of these for profit programs lower their standards to acquire more students.Sort of like lowering the price to acquire a greater share of the market. A good business opens up to a greater amount of customers. Of course lowering the price is not an option when people are paying upwards of 100k for an NP degree. Why not make it easy? No GRE, 2.5 undergrad GPA, no experience, failed the LolCLEX 4 times, no time, No problem! Pay us the money and we will make it as easy as possible.
3. the current promise of close to 100k a year. This is what they try to project, our national average salary, which has been rising for several years. Do I think this will continue? No. Why? Supply and demand baby.
4. Its cool. Wow you have a masters, you must be HIGHLY EDUCATED. People will always want power and to flaunt themselves in front of others. A simple stepping stone to a masters without any difficult entry barriers??? FNP!
5. Weak A$$ accrediting- Everybody who pays for the FNP exam is putting more money into the ANCC and AANP people's pockets. WHY CHANGE IT?? More money for 'prep' materials too. I bet Margaret Fitzgerald is wetting herself with joy over the number of fnp applicants.
6. Not so difficult board exam- yeah it was harder than the NCLEX, but still not difficult enough for our line of work.
7. TONS OF RNS- Schools are also pumping out tons of RNs, who are quickly learning that being a nurse is not as glorifying as they had hoped. Easiest way to combat this problem. GET A MASTERS in the same field.
8. It will all soon end. Soon this degree will be like the MBA.. highly dependent on personal ability and which college one graduated from. Law has also recently fallen into this situation. We are close to follow. What will you do to stay afloat? I hope you plan on going the extra mile, otherwise you may be disappointed holding a masters and still working as an RN since you did not heed the warning.
