Are NP online degree frowned upon?

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With the increase in NP online programs, would an employer hesitate to hire a NP that graduated from an online program? In addition, what is the likely hood of this 2015 doctorate law will be enforced? If this is enforced what if any effect will this have on the MSN NP in the job force? Thanks

What about Loyola? It's all online except we are required go to the campus once a year. It's private and not-for-profit.

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Specializes in Nephrology, Cardiology, ER, ICU.

There are many very reputable online programs and again I stand by my opinion (and just my opinion) that in the 7 years I've been an APN (and I'm very involved in my states APN organization) I've never known a school name to be a hiring decision.

What you want to consider is the accreditation.

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I was speaking towards for-profit colleges, not online based. There are a lot of very good reputable distance accessible programs. Walden, Phoenix, etc., are NOT some of them however.

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Specializes in Nephrology, Cardiology, ER, ICU.

I just laugh when folks cont to put down the "for profit" schools. Yes, they are "for profit" so what? They are accredited. I passed the same certification exams (2 of them in fact) with ease that those that went to Yale, Harvard, etc. did ..and I have a great job, have interviewed at multiple places and always gotten an offer.

I've just never had anyone ask where I went to school or think somehow that it was inferior.....

I go back to these FACTS, not conjecture or "I've heard that...." Show me some statistics that say my education is inferior!

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I cited academic sources in my original post. Apparently you neglected to read them.

For-profits are demonstrably worse academically than not for profits. This upsets you, but is fact.

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I've just never had anyone ask where I went to school or think somehow that it was inferior.....

Potential employers don't have to ask where you went to school -- or are you saying that your CV and the job application forms you've filled out over the years don't have sections listing your education?

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I was speaking towards for-profit colleges not online based. There are a lot of very good reputable distance accessible programs. Walden, Phoenix, etc., are NOT some of them however.[/quote']

I have been following this thread for some time and I have to say from an outsiders point of view 16semesters you are coming off some what of an elitist. I have read your references and on some points I will agree with you. However, I believe schools are just like tools... it is not the tool but the person using it that makes it effective. I know people who have gone to very prestigious brick and mortar schools i.e. ivy league that I wouldn't give two cents for their opinion, knowledge or skills. I know a lot of people from online for profit schools who are very successful. My brother being one. He went to University of Phoenix and is now a regional manager for waste management and flies all around the country. Obviously if a big corporation like that is okay with his education than there has to be something to it.

Now you may say that's not health care. Okay you are right. I'm in the process of completing my RN to BSN program online thru Purdue University. But that's okay because it's a not for profit school. After finishing I am looking on continuing for my MSN NP with a post graduate specialization in Trauma / Emergency medicine / Flight. I am considering Walden or Purdue based upon my schedule or needs at that time. Walden's curriculum is accredited by CCNE and its how I work through the courses that determines how "good" of a NP I become. Its a tool to be used for the end result. When you go to sit for your license test there is not two separate tests one for the "good" schools and one for "for profit" schools. Its all the same. I'm not saying there are not some questionable schools out there but when you get to this level and you have preceptors for your clinical rotations not affiliated with a school it is their name being signed at the bottom and there reputation. So try not to be so hard on people because of the name printed on the diploma. Look at the person and what they truly can offer.

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Specializes in Anesthesia, Pain, Emergency Medicine.

You can tell the non NPs almost every time. All that matters is if you pass the national boards. Nobody cares what school you attended. The administrations have absolutely no clue about schools.

School rankings mean squat. You do the vast majority of your learning after school anyway.

You are way off base here. I would recommend going to school and becoming a NP before offering your OPINIONS on NP education.

Obviously an employer would select the best trained candidate for a position. A 98% acceptance rate means if you can pay, you can play, no matter your critical thinking abilities may be. We all know, very few go to Walden as a first choice. That is a safety school where people say, "if I don't get in to XYZ, I'll apply to (insert diploma mill), the board is littered with threads proving this. Have you seen Walden or Maryville ranked for the best education? I'll answer that. No. So who is going to get hired first? Walden or a University of XYZ? Lets not play stupid, we all know the answer.
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Specializes in Anesthesia, Pain, Emergency Medicine.

The people graduating from the schools pass the boards. So what is the difference between two school students that both pass the boards?

You really need to understand evidence. What you presented is not even close. You can't post articles as evidence. Especially as the articles target NON medical schools. Really?

The "mills" as you call them, still must be accredited to allow the students to take the boards. Did you forget about that little bit of information?

Thankfully, "hiring committees" are not that common. Hopefully most will have more knowledge about NP schools.

I'm a practicing NP, and on the hiring committee for NP's at my hospital. I promise you that for profit schools carry a gigantic negative connotation in hiring decisions. If you already have a job lined up and just need the slip of paper I guess then they are not bad ideas, but otherwise you should steer clear.

For profit schools have very, very, well documented problems with educational quality. I don't think anyone with a sound mind can argue that. There have been literal senate (U.S.) hearings about the poor quality of for profit enterprises.

Why would you think Walden would magically be the "good" one in a sea of very bad institutions? For profit institutions have lower scores on professional exams, including nursing (Field 2011) and higher rates of loan defaults (Deming, 2011)

What makes Walden different from all these?

David J. Deming, Claudia Goldin, and Lawrence F. Katz, "The For-Profit Postsecondary School Sector: Nimble Critters or Agile Predators?" National Bureau of Economic Research 2011.

Kelly Field, Demographics Do Not Explain For-Profit Colleges' Shortcomings on Student-Success Measures, GAO Says, Chronicle of Higher Education, Dec. 7, 2011,Demographics Do Not Explain For-Profits' Shortcomings on Student-Success Measures, GAO Says - Government - The Chronicle of Higher Education

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Specializes in Anesthesia, Pain, Emergency Medicine.

This is evidence.

[h=4]Course Comparison Findings[/h]Of the 14 students who graduated during the 2 years of the study, 8 students completed all evaluation surveys. Ten students also completed the end-of-semester surveys of their own learning.

The course evaluations for both the Web-enhanced and the lecture format were strong. The average score for the Web-enhanced courses for the 2 years was 4.7 out of 5; for the lecture format, the average score was 4.6 out of 5. Student grades for both courses were very similar.

http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/580315_4

The 5 questions that the students answered at the end of each module or class ( Table 1 ) were not as informative as I had hoped, even when positive ("good module," or "it was helpful"). There were a few comments about the suggested Web sites being especially helpful. One student wrote that she liked being able to review the lecture/PowerPoint presentations as many times as she needed. The negative comments included some about confusing content, but there were no comments specific to the modular or Web-enhanced format.

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Specializes in Anesthesia, Pain, Emergency Medicine.

If you believe rankings. Amazing. I see some "mills" ranking first.

BTW, can you post differences in board pass rates? That is the only thing I would be interested in seeing. Maybe your "hiring committee" has access to them or is the committee basing life decisions on opinions.

Best Online Master's in Nurse Practitioner - 2013's Best

[h=2]Editor’s Picks: Online Schools for Nurse Practitioner[/h]Value

The best online master’s degree in nurse practitioner for value isGeorgetown University, which offers an online Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) with a family nurse practitioner specialization. The annual return on investment (ROI) at the university was 8.9%, according to PayScale.com’s 2012 ROI Rankings. That percentage went up to 11.4% for students who received financial aid. In addition, Georgetown University was ranked among the nation’s 50 best value national universities, according to U.S. News & World Report, which takes into account an institution’s quality and net cost of attendance for students receiving an average amount of financial aid.

Flexibility

Kaplan University, which offers an online Master of Science in Nursing with specialization in adult gerontology nurse practitioner or family nurse practitioner, wins the award for best online master’s degree in nurse practitioner for flexibility. The university received an A+ in academic flexibility from College Prowler and CliffsNotes. Kaplan is committed to helping working adults earn an advanced degree on their own schedules, and the online program allows students to access their courses at any time of the day or night from any location with Internet access. In addition, students can complete practicum experiences at the healthcare organization or school of their choice, according to the program website.

Career Support

Georgetown University wins the award for best online master’s degree in nurse practitioner for career support because of the wide array of career services it offers, including career counseling, employment advising, career workshops, mock interviews, on-campus interviewing, and more, according to the university’s Career Education Center. One of the center’s most useful online services include the Hoya Career Connection, which allows students to create a profile, post a resume, search for jobs and internships, and apply for positions. This service includes access to the iNet Internship Network, where students from seven top universities, including Georgetown, MIT, NYU, and Rice, have access to internship opportunities in a variety of industries in different locations. In addition, the center provides the Alumni Career Network and extensive research tools for the job hunt.

Financial Support

The award for best online master’s degree in nurse practitioner for financial support goes to Saint Joseph’s College of Maine, which offers an online MSN with a Family Nurse Practitioner specialization. The institution has a reputation for providing generous financial aid; in the 2010-2011 academic year, 100% of full-time beginning undergraduate students received some sort of financial aid, and 100% received institutional grants or scholarships, according to College Navigator. Financial aid staff are available to help graduate students apply for Federal Stafford loans and utilize their military benefits, and nursing students in particular can apply for a wide variety of endowed scholarshipsoffered through Saint Joseph’s. Lastly, the college allows students to pay tuition in installments to spread out the cost of tuition over time.

Technology Support

Walden University, which offers an online MSN program with tracks in both adult-gerontology nurse practitioner and family nurse practitioner, wins the award for best online master’s degree in nurse practitioner for technology support. As a distance learning-only institution, Walden understands the importance of having a fully-operational course management system, and provides its students with 24/7 technical assistance. So if online students are having difficulty accessing their courses, email account, or experiencing any other technical issues, they can contact tech support by phone, email, or online chat.

Student Engagement

The winner of the award for best online master’s degree in nurse practitioner for student engagement is the University of Texas at Tyler, which offers an online/hybrid MSN degree for future nurse practitioners. UT-Tyler’s online graduate nursing programs were ranked No. 3 in the nation for student engagement and accreditation by U.S. News & World Report. One of the strongest factors contributing to such a high level of student engagement is the inclusion of Web-enhanced courses that combine online learning with face-to-face interaction with faculty and fellow students, according to the program website. In addition, faculty enjoy involving students in their research, providing more opportunities for engagement.

Disability Support

The award for best online master’s degree in nurse practitioner for disability support goes to Ohio University, which offers an online MSN with a specialty in family nurse practitioner. The Office of Disability Services provides an array of services for students with physical disabilities, health-related disabilities, mental health-related disabilities, and learning disabilities. Services include assistive technology, accommodations in graduate school, job search resources tailored for disabled individuals, and even scholarship opportunities. Ohio University provides information on documentation and guidelines, forms, and rights and responsibilities of both students and the university on its website, where students can easily access them at all times.

Library and Research Support

Georgetown University wins the award for best online master’s degree in nurse practitioner for library and research support because its online students have access to Georgetown University Libraries, which comprise 10 distinct libraries, including the Bioethics Research Library, the Dahlgren Memorial Library, and the Maternal and Child Health Library. Aside from having access to the university’s more than 2.4 million books, online students can connect with university librarians via online chat, email, or phone, and take advantage of interlibrary and consortium loan privileges. Distance learners also have off-campus access to e-resources, such as databases, scholarly journals, and e-books.

Learning Support

The University of North Dakota is the winner of the best online master’s degree in nurse practitioner for learning support because it provides an array of student services for distance learners, including online tutoring, library services, technical support, and advising, according to the program website. In addition, the University of North Dakota was ranked among the top online graduate nursing programs for student services and technology by U.S. News & World Report, which also listed career placement assistance among the many support services offered to students in online graduate nursing programs.

Faculty Credentials

The award for best online master’s degree in nurse practitioner for faculty credentials goes to Walden University. Walden ranked among the top online graduate nursing programs for faculty credentials and training, according to U.S. News & World Report. The publication reported that 87% of faculty have at least two years of experience teaching online, and training in online instruction is required before faculty can teach. The school pays for that training, U.S. News reports. In addition, 100% of the faculty who work in Walden’s School of Nursing hold doctoral degrees, according to the university’s website.

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Specializes in Anesthesia, Pain, Emergency Medicine.

What academic sources? As a NP you should understand the difference between articles and peer reviewed scientific studies. What you posted has absolutely no bearing on NPs and are pretty much crap, no offense intended.

I cited academic sources in my original post. Apparently you neglected to read them.

For-profits are demonstrably worse academically than not for profits. This upsets you, but is fact.

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