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!

If all of these online schools that have NP programs have such low standards, then would you care to share with us how the graduates are passing their certification exams and getting credentialed???

No need to be defensive, I'm just pointing out an ad I saw recently.

0 Votes

Myelin. Can you post a copy of the ad please? Or provide where you saw this ad I'm most curious. I've been searching on so many websites with job postings and they all seem to ask for accredited universities. I've yet to find one that post online need not apply. I know of 6 fnps who attended online programs whose universities are brick and mortar and found jobs that they wanted

0 Votes

Lol. Get this. There are med schools in which the didactic portion can be completed online. Is this a sign of things to come?

0 Votes
If all of these online schools that have NP programs have such low standards, then would you care to share with us how the graduates are passing their certification exams and getting credentialed???

They do have low standards, obviously a 96% admission rate is nothing to brag about. That isn't to say that people will not be successful coming from these schools. The OP asked if coming from Walden could hurt them. The answer is maybe. No employer is going to look at a Walden grad and a Yale grad (who are equivalent otherwise) and choose the Walden grad. However, people are not usually equivalent (as bluedevil pointed out) and it depends on your background and the market. I understand that the Walden students feel like they're being attacked, but pretending that all universities in the United States are suddenly equal as long as their graduates eventually get licensed.

I personally don't really care about the training being online (though I do worry about lack of standards when you require students to find their own clinical training). I think for-profit schools are the true problem (online or otherwise). If anyone is interested, frontline did a fantastic documentary on the for-profit university business and it's significant affects on the US as a whole.

Watch The Full Program Online | College, Inc. | FRONTLINE | PBS

0 Votes
Specializes in Certified Family Nurse Practitioner.

The funny thing about this discussion is, that for many prospective nurse practitioner students, we don't have the option of any other type of school other than "online". The closest university to me is an hour away, and its program is online as well. It is incredibly hard to get into the program primarily because they have a limited number of spots available. I was placed on a reserve waiting list with the chance of getting in this September....Well I don't want to wait that long. So what options do I have? "ONLINE PROGRAMS"

0 Votes

I would never hire an np who received her/his degree from either "University".

0 Votes
Specializes in OR, Nursing Professional Development.

Online education will more than likely only increase in coming years. The convenience of choosing one's own hours for studying and classwork, ability to use learning methods tailored to one's needs, and the fact that one does not need to find a way to attend classes at a set time is quite appealing to many nurses looking to further their own education. This was one of my primary reasons to choose an online program- my unpredictable call schedule would cause issues with attending classes in person. Are there online programs out there that are not up to snuff? Yes. Are there brick and mortar programs out there that are not up to snuff? Yes. Do both online programs and brick and mortar schools graduate competent practitioners/educators/leaders? Yes. Do both both online programs and brick and mortar schools graduate incompetent practitioners/educators/leaders? Yes. Those in hiring positions need to look beyond the name of the school to the skills of the individual. A particular school does not guarantee a good employee.

0 Votes

Its not a matter of a program's actual quality. I'm sure there are great quality all online programs from non-profit schools. Its a matter of perception of quality by decision makers. Whats very important in terms of jobs and professional respect is whether hospitals, institutions, managers, doctor/administrators and ultimately-patient/clients think (or don't think) online NP programs are high quality professional programs. I think mostly this is d/t the lack of good quality controls and high standards in allowing who can offer these NP programs online (or any nursing program online). It is well known that to be an MD in the USA, everyone MUST go through rigorous post grad education, 4 years of residency and often more years of specialized fellowship, etc. The educational requirements for NPs are so divergent from state to state, school to school. We should at least have some sort of national standard of what it takes to be an NP and be a board certified NP.

0 Votes
No need to be defensive, I'm just pointing out an ad I saw recently.

It was a simple question requiring a simple answer.

If the standards are so low, then how are the graduates getting nationally credentialed at online schools?

0 Votes
Its not a matter of a program's actual quality. I'm sure there are great quality all online programs from non-profit schools. Its a matter of perception of quality by decision makers. Whats very important in terms of jobs and professional respect is whether hospitals, institutions, managers, doctor/administrators and ultimately-patient/clients think (or don't think) online NP programs are high quality professional programs. I think mostly this is d/t the lack of good quality controls and high standards in allowing who can offer these NP programs online (or any nursing program online). It is well known that to be an MD in the USA, everyone MUST go through rigorous post grad education, 4 years of residency and often more years of specialized fellowship, etc. The educational requirements for NPs are so divergent from state to state, school to school. We should at least have some sort of national standard of what it takes to be an NP and be a board certified NP.

This is not true. Residency programs are consistent for the respective discipline in every state, that is why we have the infamous "match day" that is the same day, no matter where you go to medical school, in the country. You complete a fellowship if you want to sub-specialize. For example, if you want to be a neonatologist, you complete a pediatric residency and then a neonatology fellowship.

So no, there is no such thing as a "Maryland" MD requirement.

0 Votes
Specializes in FNP, ONP.
I don't think anyone from Walden has suggested that we are comparing the school to Harvard, all we are saying is that the online format, is no less capable of preparing nurses to nurse practitioner than "in class" formats.

I agree, completely. I said so, clearly. However, I do believe that Harvard et.al. offer superior education to Walden etc. I cannot see how anyone would deny that. Were we to randomly poll 1,000 people in North America, and ask them which College is superior, do you think the poll responses would be shocking? Would you expect Walden to best Harvard, Penn, Duke, etc? Or should we dispense with random opinion and just go with the US News and World Report rankings?

As inferior is the opposite of superior, then it stands to reason that Walden would thereby be "inferior" in comparison, but I would not have opted to use the pejorative because I think it is unnecessary. You are putting words in my mouth, so to speak. I stated clearly that Walden is no less capable of preparing novice NP graduates. How many ways do you want me to say it? Walden is sufficient.

The OP asked if a Walden diploma could be a disadvantage. Some of us have offered an opinion that is could be. I sincerely apologize if this offends you, but it remains my opinion, nonetheless. I accept the fact that you may disagree, but it remains my opinion, nonetheless.

Have a pleasant day, nonetheless.

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

I have to disagree on the comment about physician residency and fellowship programs. They are not all equal. There is a wide variation in their quality as well. There are competitive residency and fellowship programs and there are programs that would take anyone with an MD next to their name regardless of where that was obtained. I have worked in numerous hospitals with residency programs from small community settings to academic centers -- the quality of residents and the teaching experience is very different.

0 Votes
+ Add a Comment