Credibility of Walden University

Specialties NP

Published

I am looking into FNP programs and have heard good things about Waldens program, but I am just interested in the credibility this University has when employers look at at your resume? I am tossing up Concordia University WI (which is completly online except a 2 week assessment course and you find all of your own clinicals. The cost is 570-620/credit.) and Walden Univerisity, which I am aware is entirely online and you find your own clinics. I am unaware of the cost of Walden, if anyone knows that would be great information too!

Specializes in ACNP-BC, Adult Critical Care, Cardiology.
Regardless of anyone's opinion, online, for-profit school are here to stay, and will likely take over education in the future.

That's a scary thought. I'm sorry if that offends you.

Specializes in Certified Family Nurse Practitioner.

Regardless of the topic, nursing or otherwise, profit as apposed to non-profit wont change. Now we can argue about the quality of education one might receive, but unless we both graduated from one another's schools, as well as our own, the arguments will be pure speculation on everyone's part. Before you get defensive, I am not suggesting that Walden's education is better than anyone's. What I am saying, is that I am getting what I need, and what my state BON needs for me to practice as an FNP. Will that make me an inferior NP...well that will be left up to history to decide. If I am an inferior NP, I doubt seriously if it will have anything to do with where I attended school. One might argue in some circles, that having attended nursing school in Mississippi, or for that matter school in Mississippi at all, will make me an inferior "Whatever" (Doctor, nurse, basket weaver...etc.). I personally reject that assumption, and know that I will be the best I can be at whatever I choose to be, because I choose it. Where I get my degree won't define me or my profession, and those who think otherwise are just uninformed (code for ignorant), arrogant, and bigoted. You cant tell a book by its cover, nor the NP by the school he/she attended.

Specializes in Certified Family Nurse Practitioner.
That's a scary thought. I'm sorry if that offends you.

It doesn't offend me, but I doubt you would be sorry if it did. I suggest, just like I do to everyone with whom I have these types of conversations, if you don't like the way the system is, take it up with the CCNE accreditation board, who allows these colleges to receive accreditation, and makes them legitimate in the eyes of many state BON. I didn't just WILL them into accreditation, and I certainly wouldn't be attending school there if they weren't accredited.

Specializes in ACNP-BC, Adult Critical Care, Cardiology.

Again, Mark, never in this thread did I judge your choice of going to Walden. You can even look back through all my posts in this topic. My last question to you was not a judgment. I asked why you picked Walden over other online programs in schools not classified as for-profit to satisfy my curiosity about your individual circumstance. I think you can be successful, no doubt, in spite of the unfortunate turn of events and opportunities that were not available to you. I do have to stick to my opinion that not all students fit the Walden ideal. That's why I didn't like your comment about for profit schools taking over education in the future. I really don't like it when for profit schools market to prospective students unaware of the limitations of their educational model. I have an older family member who have been fooled by the promise of a career from those types of schools and maybe that is why I am biased. I will not mention the school's name. Again, I mean you no disrespect for your choices.

Specializes in Certified Family Nurse Practitioner.

We can agree on one thing for sure. Walden like many online universities are not for everyone, in fact I will suggest that they are probably not for the majority. I know from the high attrition rate in the NP program here that many people weren't prepared for the rigors of the program, the demand for self motivation, and self study. They will not hold your hand, that is for sure. Many people will not succeed in this type of environment, but they worn you about all of this up front. I am not suggesting that you are judging me based on my choice of schools, but you get a lot of people who are more than willing to judge people from the deep south based on what they think they know or what they have heard from the news. Couple that with the concept that attending a for-profit school automatically classifies you as receiving and inferior education, makes for a recipe of assuming we are all ignorant "rednecks", down here who cant pour pizz out of a boot with written directions on the bottom. I, for some reason, feel compelled to defend Walden University, I guess because I will soon be an alumni. What kind of person or professional would I be if I just agreed with all who would besmirch my school?

Specializes in ACNP-BC, Adult Critical Care, Cardiology.

Mark, I'm not trying to be funny here but do you know that Walden's Associate Dean for Nursing once served as President of AACN and still serves on the CCNE accreditation committee?

...and there are some impressive credentials in this list, I must admit: Faculty | About the School | School of Nursing | Walden University

Specializes in Certified Family Nurse Practitioner.

I'm not sure what the associated deans affiliation with the CCNE has to do with our conversation, other than she would certainly know what the curriculum requirements would need to be to be CCNE accredited. After reading over the list myself, I will agree that no one on the list jumped out at as a complete "dumb azz" for sure! I can say from personal experience that all of my instructors have had impeccable resumes so far. I had not seen this list before now, and I must say I am impressed as well.

Markyour previous comment "I cantell you that one of the professors I spoke with has her DNP from the LouisianaState University, She is a tenured professor at Tulane University, an adjunctprofessor at Loyola of New Orleans, and an adjunct professor and WaldenUniversity. Or was this a rhetorical question that you were try to stump me on,or make me appear foolish? I didn't think to ask any of them what they feltlike the curriculum strong points were. My question to all was, "in yourexperience, how do you feel that Walden University's curriculum compares toother schools". The for mentioned professor told me that if she didn'tthink that the curriculum was up to par she would not at all, be associatedwith the university." Now you say she is not a NP or does she teach any specialty courses and yetshe feels that Walden's curriculum compares to other schools.

In addition,you suggest Walden is the only option you have as you are rural. You also say "I don't have the option to go to a"better" university". I strongly disagree. there arebetter online programs, more established and with quality faculty. Someprograms require a week on campus per semester, others have differentexpectations. The point is that as there are "weak" online programas well as weak brick and motor. I also agree with the garbage in garbage out philosophy.I do not agree with your statement "I also contend that the quality of nurse, or nurse practitioner is not aproduct of the school they attend, but more so of the drive and desire tosucceed based on their own principals and internal fortitude "The same philosophy exists for schools, inmy 25 years' experience, the best prepared NPs have the drive, desire, intelligencealong with attending an institution that will hone those skills with acurriculum that challenges and prepares them to be a healthcare provider.

Specializes in ACNP-BC, Adult Critical Care, Cardiology.
I'm not sure what the associated deans affiliation with the CCNE has to do with our conversation, other than she would certainly know what the curriculum requirements would need to be to be CCNE accredited.

You can interpret my statement however you want.

After reading over the list myself, I will agree that no one on the list jumped out at as a complete "dumb azz" for sure! I can say from personal experience that all of my instructors have had impeccable resumes so far. I had not seen this list before now, and I must say I am impressed as well.

I do have a problem with that faculty list, and trust me, I'm being really objective here. You have mentioned a faculty member who is tenured in one institution and yet have part-time appointments in 2 other institutions one of which is Walden. Then I opened the links to some of the Walden faculty proflles and found out that a number of the Walden faculty actually have similar patterns of employment -- they are really part-time faculty at Walden and have full-time commitment somewhere else. Now I am not an academic nor do I claim to be an expert on academic integrity, but doesn't that constitute a conflict of interest? I took the liberty to search how schools view this practice and it seems as though at least one institution prohibits faculty from engaging in that practice. Please look at NYU's academic policies and go to page 9: http://www.nyu.edu/content/dam/nyu/compliance/documents/AcademicConflictofInterestCommitment8.24.12.pdf

Thefurther we dig, the deeper the hole! The FNP director is adjunct with a fulltime position in Louisiana as the director of a NP program. The DNP director isadjunct. Thus, the faculty "list" is impressive but that is all, thedirectors of the NP and DNP are adjunct faculty with full time positions elsewhere.Which faculty actually coordinates the program? Which faculty are invested in theNP curriculum/students?

Juan, most program frown on additional faculty positions outside their own university, especially when a conflict of interest. I would think having two additional adjunct positions, one of which is a director of a FNP program at another university is a problem. Doing the same job for another university is often a conflict of interest, being a NP program director for two different programs with different curriculums, big problems.

Specializes in Certified Family Nurse Practitioner.

Here are more examples of academic bigotry at it finest. You both are taking every opportunity to attempt to dismantle any credibility that Walden has....and for what purpose, to make people feel bad? I already explained how I chose Walden, so I wont do it again. I will say it again...If you don't like Walden, and its accreditation, take it up with the accreditation board! Your opinion about Walden wont effect the school or the accreditation board...I assure you! As far a conflict of interest is concerned, why would that conflict of interest (if there is one) concern me as a student as long as I am getting what I need. I'm sure if we dig hard enough we can find discrepancies in your schools as well, and I predict some conflict of interest. In the end, dose any of this really matter? Is bashing Walden going make your education experience any better? You have put a great deal of effort into discrediting Walden, and to what end? It wont change anything, it wont change the fact that I and many will graduate from there and become NPs (some good and some bad). With all this negative rhetoric, nothing will be accomplished and there will still be no proof that an education from Walden is inferior, or discredited. Who would know more about credibility, YOU or the CCNE accreditation board? Delusion of grandeur...

So very true! This is BTW 2013 and online education is the future!! I have been offered future NP positions from physicians in the field before I even received an acceptance letter from Walden.

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