Advice on NP Schools

Students NP Students

Published

Hello everyone,

I am completing the BSN program and will like to proceed on to the NP program.

Any suggestions on good schools, the ones with accreditation and good passing rate?

I don't want to do GRE, I noticed that some schools requires it.

I like Georgetown but too expensive. Tried another school in GA.

Please help!!!

Specializes in Family Nurse Practitioner.

Seriously consider completely online vs brick & mortar. I attended a hybrid program. During my interview process for my first job I was asked if I ever set foot on campus. I said yes we had specific dates and times to be on campus. I also became licensed in the state of my school and completed some clinical hours there. The panel interviewing me said "Good thing that you can tell us that and show us where you were licensed there. We aren't hiring NPs from completely online programs." This is a large hospital chain in my area. So my education made the difference between getting the job or missing many job opportunities in my area.

verene, MSN

1,790 Posts

Specializes in mental health / psychiatic nursing.

It might help to figure out what specialty you want to get your NP in. Not all schools offer all specialties.

AANP offers a searchable data base of NP programs in the U.S.

TheCommuter, BSN, RN

102 Articles; 27,612 Posts

Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.

Moved to the Student NP forum for more feedback.

MiaLyse, APRN

855 Posts

Specializes in Psychiatry.

Glad I chose a brick & mortar hybrid program after reading this.

dolapo16

2 Posts

Thank you all for the feedback. I will go for schools that offers online classes but requires that you meet up at the school every now and then. That's an awesome feedback.

I never knew that they do consider schools during job interviews for NP programs, on like the ADN or BSN.

Thanks for the feedback. I look forward to more advice.

Skippingtowork

342 Posts

Thank you all for the feedback. I will go for schools that offers online classes but requires that you meet up at the school every now and then. That's an awesome feedback.

I never knew that they do consider schools during job interviews for NP programs, on like the ADN or BSN.

Thanks for the feedback. I look forward to more advice.

Please do not conclude from one writer that employers are interested in whether you went on-line, B&M or hybrid. Many potential employers want to know if your course was on-line because your school is in one state and you live in another. If your school and your residence was in the same state would they ask that question? On-line graduates are being hired and if they're not, it[s not because of where they received their degree. I know people right not with jobs waiting for them, and so many others already working. The person who said they are not hiring on-line graduates was talking out of turn. One person cannot speak for an entire hospital chain. Also, local NP programs are also moving to on-line format. How would this person know? There are reputable schools with medical schools and all other disciplines, but put the NP program on-line.

Just be careful when you make a decision. Speak to people who have gone to the schools you are considering, then consider the pros and cons.

Good luck.

subee, MSN, CRNA

1 Article; 5,416 Posts

Specializes in CRNA, Finally retired.

To the OP: Go out and get a job before going back to school. I just attended the death if a friend and asked the nurse in the room where he went to school. He answered that he went to school X but was studying to be a NP. After my friend died, it was obvious that he was so uncomfortable around a dead body that he just stood and looked while I tried to make the body more presentable for wife. I had to strongarm him to help me with my very tall friend. I am not staff, but rather the LOL visitor. Can't our"profession" just require the NP students to have a minimum requirement for experience? Why is that so much to ask? BTW, thus was in a cancer specialty hospital.

Skippingtowork

342 Posts

To the OP: Go out and get a job before going back to school. I just attended the death if a friend and asked the nurse in the room where he went to school. He answered that he went to school X but was studying to be a NP. After my friend died, it was obvious that he was so uncomfortable around a dead body that he just stood and looked while I tried to make the body more presentable for wife. I had to strongarm him to help me with my very tall friend. I am not staff, but rather the LOL visitor. Can't our"profession" just require the NP students to have a minimum requirement for experience? Why is that so much to ask? BTW, thus was in a cancer specialty hospital.

So sorry about the death of your friend. It was very thoughtful of you to make him look presentable for his wife. I will say though, evperience as a nurse and experience caring for the deceased are not one and the same. Many nurses have never cared for someone after death, much less an adult. What should have happened was the charge nurse or another nurse who has performed post mortem care, should have immediately come to the aid of the young nurse and assisted. I have never seen a physician perform post mortem care, so obviously this is not a requirement to providing care to the living. I have also noticed, that nursing has really become a check-the-box-smile-get good ratings from patients-get magnet staus profession. Good solid experience is getting hard to come by when management is heavily focused on magnet status or rankings.

Buyer beware, BSN

1,137 Posts

Specializes in GENERAL.
To the OP: Go out and get a job before going back to school. I just attended the death if a friend and asked the nurse in the room where he went to school. He answered that he went to school X but was studying to be a NP. After my friend died, it was obvious that he was so uncomfortable around a dead body that he just stood and looked while I tried to make the body more presentable for wife. I had to strongarm him to help me with my very tall friend. I am not staff, but rather the LOL visitor. Can't our"profession" just require the NP students to have a minimum requirement for experience? Why is that so much to ask? BTW, thus was in a cancer specialty hospital.

The reason why experience is not required is for two reasons: Number 1 which is BS goes something like this: "Well the PA schools turn out qualified practioners with no experience and an undergraduate degree in philosophy so we can too."

Number 2 is the real reason: "We want your money and it's not our problem if the market is flooded with dumbos."

So the next time I'm asked "Would you mind seeing the nurse practitioner today?" My responce, knowing what I know about the "profession" will be "Damn right I would, moma didn't raise no fool!"

subee, MSN, CRNA

1 Article; 5,416 Posts

Specializes in CRNA, Finally retired.

No comparison between PA school and NP school. PA's require more hard sciences and ,IMHO, better separate the wheat from the chaff. Not that I haven't worked with wonderful NP's.. Don't see slackening admission standards for PA programs to crank'em faster.

+ Add a Comment