St Joseph's College of Maine FNP program students

[LJames13]

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

[TraceyMarino]

I graduated from St. Joe's in December 2012. Our cohort also struggled with this issue with the college. They agreed to allow our cohort to graduate early so we could be conferred on December 31, 2012. Otherwise, we would have had to wait til May, 2013! I thought the college had fixed this issue by admitting students at the right time to not have to go through this. Sorry to hear this is happening to you. Believe me, the delay by the college is not your only issue with getting a job and or working. You will have to get a DEA license (takes time), get your NP license from your state (takes time), get credentialed by your facility (takes time), so, it will take over a year for you guys to be full-fledged NP's. Hope the school fixes this. Other programs confer you when you finish. Keep this in mind when choosing St. Joe's!

[canyonforest, MSN, RN, NP]

canchaser,

I havent been to this site in a while...congratulations on finishing at St. Josephs,,,,all your posts were such an inspiration...it has been a rocky road, am in the first clinicals

[canyonforest, MSN, RN, NP]

Thanks your post have been a great inspiration also along with canchaser........I did something unbelievably not smart....chalk it up to working night shift and doing NP school, my 1st theory I did not finish all the modules in time and got issued a WF, back in May.....I should have applied for an extension for 1 month...now am suffering because I renrolled, got the same instructor and its been 7 weeks now, no grade, no feedback....to say I feel controlled and dangling on a string is an understatement...have been in touch with the advisor but that is not really effective...today emailed the program co director to find out why no grade in over 7 weeks...wondering what the strategy here is....seems so unusual....should not have let this happen in the first place and just can not seem to get back on track...taking the first clinicals and after being an RN for all these years, I hate being a student....

[canyonforest, MSN, RN, NP]

Thanks for this info...

[canyonforest, MSN, RN, NP]

there is a research project or a paper..or is it both...I have to ask this question because am not sure....

also exactly how many pages should a good capstone project consist of??

[canyonforest, MSN, RN, NP]

Tracy regarding the 20 tests, where did you purchase them from, was it Fitzgeralds?

[TraceyMarino]

I used exam master online. Very good tests. Really helped me prepare. As for the Capstone, mine was 45 pages. Be sure to follow the guidelines for writing a nursing capstone, you can find these guidelines by doing a google search. As an FNP, your paper will be based on the concept of practice excellence. I did mine on obesity, and the role of the FNP in the treatment and prevention of obesity. Be prepared to do at least 3 re-writes. I had a 4.0 going into the capstone....my capstone instructor/advisor ended up giving me a B on my capstone, the lowest grade I had received in the entire program. She did not like my negative attitude/research findings regarding gastric bypass surgery. Oh well, I has just glad to get the hell out of the program!

[SCgrl1]

I just finished the BSN program and am now transitioning into the FNP program. I am nervous as hell about this cohort issue, I am going to have to look further into that. I would hate to think I would be delayed in progressing through the program.

[canchaser, BSN, RN]

7 weeks?? For a grade. Turn it the next unit. Call the instructor, make sure s/ he got it. And call the advisor. They sent out the new email. You have to wait 7 days but not 7 weeks. What the director saying? Keep plugging away.

[Keels13]

Hello, I'm starting NP 603, online advanced pathophysiology, 7/31/13. Does anyone want to partner up as cohorts for clinicals? I'm just figuring that we can motivate each other and bounce ideas off each other.

[RN-In Maine]

Keels13

I just emailed my advisor regarding the clinical cohorts maybe you know a little bit more. I am wondering how would we know when there are cohorts ready? and what are you or anyone else telling there potential clinical preceptors when you will start? I feel like I look like I have no clue about my program when I ask potential preceptors and my response is- Im not really sure when I will start clinicals but within next 6 months or so? Also, say a clinical cohort is ready in Jan however I found a preceptor that will only start in Feb, do I have to wait for another cohort to be ready? And most likely lose the original preceptor I found? It seems like you would need a lot of luck to complete required classes, have grades posted, and have a preceptor just waiting around to precept, and a clinical cohort ready all at the same time. I hope I have a misunderstanding! Keels I start patho 8/31 (my final grade wasn't posted in time to sign up for 7/31) which is a little ridiculous too. I will be behind you a bit...but depending on this cohort thing I may be in yours or maybe not? Love to get some feedback. Thanks!!

[playboyesquiere]

I'm on campus now. You'd be suprised by how many people who are in cohort's lets just say there are alot. So you can pretty much start any month after you finish 601 which i'm taking now for the summer. I recommend taking it on campus if you can 2weeks/vs 15 weeks. I'd start looking for clinicals asap, b'c your competing with other np students in your area, go ahead and get that contract signed, sent it, get that drug test done, buy the malpractice insurance and stop worrying.