Online NP Programs

[aejRN]

I am in the process of looking for and applying to nurse practitioner programs. I am looking for an online model or even a nearby hybrid program (live in southwest GA) that really promotes learning and not just memorization. So far my experience with online classes has been read Chapters 1-15 and take a test. No online lectures or real discussion. Have any of you been through an online NP program in which you have online lectures similar to what you would get in a classroom? Or even recorded lectures you could listen to at your convenience? Thanks so much!

[applesxoranges, BSN, RN]

No, in general it is more of reading and then working on assignments that help with comprehension. This is our first NP class that isn't with the MSN educators or MSN/MBAs this semester for me so it different and we had actual lectures. I personally would not do well with lectures in the traditional format personally so it does not bother me. I swear I have ADHD since I always had to do something on the computer while listening to teachers talk back when I was in my paramedic and then RN program.

[Buyer beware, BSN]

OP,

Many schools get off cheap by offering online degrees. You sound like you would consider online school if it were more like ground school.

It also sounds like you are deeply concerned about the quality of your education; especially concerning the price involved and the absolute demands of competency required to take care of patients.

The not so funny thing is that these days schools of NP education have decided that the keeping of students at at least arm's length is an enlightened way for an instructor and student to engage in the give and take of the Socratic method. This assumption would be somewhat valid if instructors were not permitted a cursory 24 hour turnaround response if you get one at all. Obviously some instructors are better than others but OP in the interests of comprehensiveness and rigor online instruction tends to fall short.

Another often heard complaint regarding online discourse involves the biweekly required reponses on what amounts to a message board to observations submitted by fellow students. The message board moderator is the instructor and will make a terse comment here and there. My point OP is that it boarders on expensive busy work garbage that you are paying top dollar for.

One would think that due to the reduced costs of providing online education to students some of that reduction would be passed on to students. Fat chance. No school would ever allow their nursing education cash cow to be tampered with.

So my advice would be to locate the most reputable, well established ground school you can find (collegescorecard.ed.gov) and do your own independent research at least at first. This is where real critical thinking comes into play.

Because most schools are not transparent about things like graduation and retention rate I have referred you to the above "college scorecard" you can also look-up the National Center for College Statistics.

Also, OP briefly but very importantly you must be certain of you ability to find and nail-down preceptors. Finding these people or not is the heart and soul of success in a NP program.

Feel free to PM me for specific questions.

[BostonFNP, APRN]

Both Nursing@Simmons and Nursing@Georgetown are quality programs that have synchronous and asynchronous classes.