Are online NP programs good for the profession??

Purple_Scrubs, BSN, RN · Apr 29, 2010

I think it does lessen our credibility to some people, not that I think it is right or that it is a valid argument. I too am applying for NP programs and this was a big part of my decision. While I think other nurses understand that it is just as rigorous a curriculum, the non-nurse colleagues might view it differently.

It is sad, because when I look at curriculums, Rush has one of the most demanding (80 some-odd hours versus 48-ish for most others, and requires courses in epidemiology and biostats), but since it is online I wonder how it will be perceived. (They also have an on campus option but I can't move to Chicago.)

I ended up choosing a Brick and Mortar school, partially because of this perception and partially because I am a tactile learner and my top choice school has a kick-butt skills lab/virtual hospital.

mom2cka · Apr 29, 2010

From comments I've seen on sites r/t news stories, etc... sounds like other professionals and some of the public are very skeptical about the 'online doctorate' piece of the DNP - I do agree that it may lessen the credibility. That said - my program (MSN-FNP) is a mix and I'm finding that I don't like the online format - I miss that important collaboration piece with others, learning from instructors, feedback, etc. Perhaps the classes will improve as I get more into the program, but I'm not all that happy right now... then again - I'll stick with it since I started it, will do what I can to improve the experience for myself, give feedback that might help to improve the experience for others, and not transfer, where I'd have to wait and then run into the same thing, since so many are switching to online.

PMHNP10 · Apr 29, 2010

absolutely, positively not; my experience is that online takes the teaching out of education, and that is not a good thing

RN+ · Apr 30, 2010

i am unaware of any np program that is delivered 100% "online". (corrections would be appreciated, not insulted). our coursework at texas tech does deliver the classroom didactic(classroom/lecture) portion online, however the clinical rotations are real clinical rotations in the various settings, not online case studies or retrospective studies. we actually see patients, not just charts. if the problem is with the perception of how we receive our didactic (bookwork) , i too lament the direct contact with the professor. the point is whether one sits at a desk and listens to lecture or sits at a computer and watches that very same lecture, we are responsible for processing, integrating, and regurgitating that very same knowledge when test time comes.

as for collaborations, in undergrad traditional school, we spent very little time at school discussing matters and more on the phone and via e-mail. i do not see this differing from my graduate studies.

of note, there are at least two md online programs as well.

when it comes down to it, i think what matters most is how well we affect the health of our patients. in the end, the model of education is not more important than how the knowledge gained is applied to our patients. also, when we take our proficiency exams, there is not one for partial online and one for brick and mortar schools. you either know the answers or you fail.

llg, PhD, RN · Apr 30, 2010

I think the point of the OP is not whether or not online programs are any good or not ... but whether other healthcare disciplines are respecting / embracing online education as much as nursing has.

That's a good question.

I don't see online PA programs ... medical school classes ... PT programs ... etc. I have seen a couple of pharmacy ones, but that's about it.

I wonder how much of that is related to the fact that nursing has been traditionally a "women's" profession -- one which has been quick to accommodate the desires of students to have education in a format that fits their existing lifestyle. Crudely stated, "When a man wants to go to school, make a career move, etc. he moves and takes his family with him. His wife is expected to move to help advance his career. However, when a woman wants the same thing, the family is less likely to make great sacrifices, move, etc." That's changing in society, but maybe the fact that nursing is offering more education online than other health disciplines is related to that traditional tendency of the other disciplines to not be so accommodating for their students.

Just throwing a thought out there ....

Dixiecup · Apr 30, 2010

When people ask me where I went to school I just say SLU (Saint Louis University). I don't elaborate and no one has ever asked further.

My resume doesn't reflect that I attended an online program and no one has ever asked otherwise.

mom2cka · Apr 30, 2010

I have to say - only my advanced pathophys had lectures - the rest is reading myself. I think if any program had a brick/mortar class like that - where students read by themselves without interaction - there would be lots of complaints. I'm hoping my school includes more of the interaction piece...

ALCCRN · Apr 30, 2010

Since the knowledge level on the national exam has not changed, the answer to your question may lie in the pass rates of online programs.:)

Advanced Practice Columnist / Guide · Apr 30, 2010

It seems like many in the general public perceive online education as easily attainable and less rigorous. Also, Medicine as a field is steeped in tradition and would understandably be averse to online format in education with some minor exceptions. In that regard, the online access to a degree offered by many NP programs may have a negative connotation to the public regardless of how rigorous the program is. But as Dixiecup stated, unless someone is intimately familiar with specific online NP programs, how would another person know that an NP attended a program online when the established schools that are otherwise regarded as brick and mortar are also offering the online option? What the NP field needs right now is standardization across the board and a better system of program accreditation.

gerry79 · Apr 30, 2010

I prefer online education. It allow many to continue their education who would otherwise not be able to do to life's circumstances. And I agree, online programs can be quite rigorous, but some believe that until there are online medical schools, PA programs, pharmacy programs, or physical therapy programs, online NP programs will be viewed wearily. And no, the degree does not state "U of What Ever online Masters Degree", but health care professionals do keep up with the education standards of their counterparts, and I wonder what is the prevailing thought on this is.

G

elkpark · May 1, 2010

I don't think it really matters that one individual's degree or resume' doesn't state "U of Wherever (Online) Degree" -- the fact that so many other professions (esp. in healthcare) are aware of the existence of the large number of online nursing degree programs means that "the damage is done." I hear lots of comments from other professionals about how nurses get their graduate degrees online (with the implication that, therefore, they must not be worth much ...)

Whether it's right or wrong, the perception is out there.