St Joseph's College of Maine FNP program students

Nursing Students NP Students

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I wanted to start this thread for all of the new (and current) students at Saint Joseph's College of Maine FNP program.

Any info, news, updates or questions/concerns could be asked here for all the new and current students.

Any advice that the current students can give us new students would be greatly appreciated :)

For example...

1. How many books are required for NU 501?

2. Has setting up clinicals been difficult?

3. Have the current students had any trouble communicating with your advisors? Do they get back to you promptly?

4. Overall, how has the experience been? Are you glad you are in this program?

Thanks so much!

LJames13

Specializes in ER.

Future NP: St. Joe's needs to stop promoting the program as self paced. It is self paced up to a point----once you get to clinicals, you are in a cohort. If you are lucky, like me, you get in a cohort right away. If not, like many other students, you will have to wait until the college gets a cohort together. Other delays could include finding preceptors (the college does not help you with this), and, when you finish, you may have to wait for the college to "confer" your degree. They give out diplomas 2 times a year-May first and September 1st. If you finish any time in between, you have to wait for the next confirment date. Example: you finish May 20th, you wait until September to get your degree, so you cannot take your boards or work as an NP for several additional months. This has happened to a couple cohorts who are graduating the middle of May, 2013, and they will not get their degrees until september. The college does not tell you this.

My advice to anyone who is considering an online degree: Make sure it is really self paced, and make sure they will hand you your diploma the day you finish, or shortly after. Having to wait for the diploma you paid for because of a school policy is rediculous.

I completed the program in just under 2 years, and I experienced absolutely no delays. Other students in the cohort behind mine will finish in 3 years, due to delays by the school. Keep this in mind when chosing a program!

Thanks TraeyMarino for the advise & info! I specifically asked the advisor of there were cohorts for clinicals and he said no they are all on your own when you're ready. So this is the 2nd college who has flat out lied to me! Did you do the rn to msn fastrack or only the bsn to msn for 2 years total time? If I stay where I'm at I have at least 3 1/2 more years to go and that is if there is no delay between the bsn and the msn.

Specializes in ER.

Dear future FNP-perhaps the college has changed their program, but, all the students I know who were a class or two behind me are in cohorts....perhaps this arrangement caused too many problems and they are truly self paced now. I would definitely get this in writing from the school if you decide to go through st. joe's, or any other college for that matter.

Also, a bit of advice for anyone looking at any online program for NP. Be sure you have preceptors lined up for clinical before you enter an online NP program. If you check this site and others regarding NP school you will find nightmare stories about students who have put in 12 months of classes only to find you cannot find good preceptors that the school will accept. Be aware that there are rules regarding students in many facilities, and it is not that easy to find preceptors or facilities. I have several friends who experienced extensive delays in finishing NP school because they could not find preceptors, or, preceptors expect to be paid for their responsibilities for precepting. This is where brick and mortar programs have an advantage. Just be aware!

Best to you,

Tracey

Tracey - The admissions advisor clarified a little today...he meant there aren't cohorts for the bsn but there are for the msn. I have a couple preceptors lined up already. How many did you need and all fnp's or did you need docs as well? Also, was your 2 years for the bsn to msn only or the rn to msn?

Specializes in ER.

Glad they clarified that for you.....be very aware the cohort thing can slow down your progress if you have to wait for a cohort to start.

I already had my bachelor's, so I just had to do the MSN. I don't know much about the RN to MSN track.

You have to have at least one FNP preceptor, and they have to have 2 years of experience to be a preceptor. I had mostly MD preceptors. You need some family practice exp, some OB (I did 200 hrs of OB women's health because I had a great preceptor and loved it). The college uses a program called Typhon to keep track of the type of visits you do---you need to do so many of this and that, ie pelvic exams, newborn exams, etc. To get a preceptor, you have to submit the preceptor's CV, a preceptor/student agreement, 2 references for that preceptor, and a written agreement with the facility where you will be working.

Before you can begin clinicals, you must be approved by the college through a program called "certified background". You must have a physical on record, a record of an MMR and varicella titer, HEP B immunity, up to date tetorifice shot, and basic CPR. You also need a letter from your employer stating you have worked at least 1000 hours as an RN. You also have to submit proof that you have been through hippa training. Our annual training at the hospital where I work sufficed, but it was difficult to get a copy of proof of attendence. Getting all this crap together, scanned into the computer, and accepted by certified back ground took a couple weeks and was a real pain. Keep in mind that you have to pay a hundred bucks to sign up for certified background, and then pay for the physical and all the titers to be drawn! You will also need a TB test. If you are working, your hospital will make this stuff available to you cheap or free. I had a couple friends in the program who were not employed, and they had to pay for all the titers tb test, tetorifice, and physical exam out of their pockets.

You should get a scanner to upload all these documents, and you will need a scanner to upload your clinical notes into typhon to prove you have seen the patients you say you have seen. All in all, it is very exhausing, but worth it in the end!

If you have any specific questions, private message me! I will be happy to answer your questions

Tracey

Tracey, Your posts are so informative!! I feel like we are all on our own in this program which is hard to swallow with the price we are paying. Anyways, I appreciate all the feedback you leave and hope you keep helping us all out even when you get close to graduate or graduate! I just started NP 603-I have looked over the class assignments etc. Seems very overwhelming esp. to not have any hands on class time. With that do you offer any advice on what was essential for you in Patho? Your last post also mentioned buying a scanner ( you think the instructors would help us understand what we need for class) Any recommendations on scanners? Thank you again for your feedback!!

Richcu1- Did you find any particular books for Patho helpful besides what they recommend?? Also, it seems you were able to complete patho and pharm in about 8 weeks? Thanks~

Specializes in ER.

Hi guys: I will check what scanner I bought, haven't used it since graduating from the fnp program this past December. I am now working as an FNP yay! I reallly like the scanner I bought, very easy to use, and only cost me about 70 bucks at Staples.

I was very disappointed with the patho class. This is very sad, because understanding pathophysiology is critical to being a good practitioner, and it is my experience that most NP's are very weak in this area, no matter what program they went to.

I found the USMLE study guide for patho which are used by medical students to study for the USMLE boards were the best books to learn patho, as I feel I had to teach myself. You can pick them up used on B and N or Amazon for about 10 bucks. Very nice resource book to have, still use it frequently in practice.

I took patho and pharmacology at the same time and finished them both in 8 weeks. Physical assessment class was another story all together--only class it took me the whole time to complete, and there is so much homework I cried. Seriously. Teacher was horrible and gave only negative feedback, no positive. Assignment directions were extremely vague. I have heard they have reworked the class, hopefully for the better!

Please feel free to ask questions, I hope I can help. I was in the first group to actually graduate from the SJCME FNP program, and we were pretty much on our own in figuring out how to get through!

Tracey,

Thanks again for saying you will answer some of our questions! I feel like you should work for Saint Joseph's to help students get through. I emailed my advisor to clarify a preceptor question and her reply was read the handbook ( which I stated I already did and did not find the answer). Anyhoo, Congrats on your job!! That's great, now did you feel you were prepared after this program to work as a FNP? That's my only concern, I am driven but I also need some solid direction along the way to be a great FNP after graduation. I hope they get feedback from students that have graduated to better the program.

Tracey,

The USMLE study guide you recommended. Was it the "Step one Review" book or the "Step 3" white pocket guide? Apparently there are a bunch of them. Thanks a bunch!

"USMLE Road Map Pharmacology"

"USMLE Road Map Pathology"

"USMLE Road Map Physiology"

Purchased old editions from Amazon to assist with understanding the material.

Was it the "Step one Review" book or the "Step 3" white pocket guide? Apparently there are a bunch of them.

These helped too for NP theory portions:

"USMLE Road Map: Family Medicine"

"USMLE Road Map: Emergency Medicine"

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