Career possibilities for older student with 1 year of NP courses

[Hygaeia]

As an older nursing student with a 3.8 GPA who dropped out due to a joint fracture and a failed exam for which I had no preparation and only very distant memories (drug dosage calculations,the ONLY one I could not complete well), I am rethinking my career trajectory and seek means and further education so I can reenter the field for licensure and certification. I request advice in this forum to find a school or training center that accepts and nurtures the older professional student who has experience in a quasi-medical area (labor assisting), medical secretarial experience and one year of an accelerated NP degree. What recourse might I have if my preceptor avoided teaching the practical patient care skills one needed during clinicals? Who can one contact if one believes the quality and content of the clinical training was not equitable and contact time with my preceptor was extremely limited? Do professors purposefully weed out unwanted students by not teaching them overtly and getting them off the floor on other "assignments"? What recourse does one have if this was done and you have dropped out, incredibly disappointed, after the fact? I have told this story over and over again to people outside of the field and they believe it was a thinly disguised attempt to create an impossible situation by routinely sending me "off floor" to attend and observe patients who were not assigned to my floor; i.e. interview a dialysis patient, attend a patient undergoing paracentesis, etc. I wished to learn the rudiments of wound care, patient assessment and assisting patient with ADL's instead of being an orderly. What can I do turn this horrid and expensive situation into a boon instead of a breakdown?

[roser13, ASN, RN]

"Who can one contact if one believes the quality and content of the clinical training was not equitable and contact time with my preceptor was extremely limited?"

I'm quite confused by most of your post. You were in a NP program without previously having an RN license?

During your clinicals, did you ever attempt to discuss your concerns with your preceptor? In my opinion, in each instance that you cite as being sent "off floor" to observe other patients, the observation seems perfectly appropriate and part of a plan to broaden your exposure to procedures/conditions that were not happening on "your" floor.

Perhaps your expectation to learn "the rudiments of wound care, ADL's," etc. were off base, according to your preceptor's goals and requirements for your particular program?

[twinmommy+2, ADN, BSN, MSN]

I think if thats what you want to learn you indeed should be in RN coursework. Her job in those clinicals was not to show you wound care but to have you interviewing different types of patients which seems like a really good experience.

[dishes, BSN, RN]

In my experience people who routinely project blame on others, are not suitable colleagues to work with in any capacity.

[dirtyhippiegirl, BSN, RN]

...what? Were you in some sort of previous non-nursing bachelors to masters in nursing program? NP programs don't concern themselves with ADLs for a good reason -- you don't do ADLs as an NP. Are you in the US?

Otherwise, your nursing program sounds a lot like everyone's nursing program. I once spent three hours in the inpatient pre-op with my (only) floor patient who was getting...something routine done. The nurses thought I was his wife, at first. lol. In smurf-blue scrubs.

Most of your options make no sense. If you're in the US, you can't become a CNM without getting your RN -- you can become one of those unlicensed home birth midwives that some states allow, I guess? You can't get into healthcare education (?) without becoming a RN. You need a degree to do "medical research" generally, whether it's a biomed degree or something related to that field. You generally need *advanced* degrees to get into healthcare admin.

[HouTx, BSN, MSN, EdD]

If I am interpreting the OP's post correctly (reference to need to learn "practical patient skills") , it was an NP program for non-nurses. Based on my own discussions, this (lack of sufficient clinical practicum experience) is a common complaint associated with these programs. Traditional APN program students are all experienced nurses, so the curriculum focuses only on advanced theory and skills, not basic competencies. However, the 'entry level' programs have to cover both ends of the spectrum which is a very difficult thing accomplish.

It seems that the OP has a perception that there has been some age-based discrimination. Maybe there was an expectation that the instructor would provide special accommodation due to the fact that age was some sort of 'disability'? If OP feels that there was age-related discrimination, there are legal avenues to address this.

Unfortunately, 1 year of NP coursework does not equate to any tangible form of professional qualification. Nursing education is "programmatic" which means that it is pretty much an "all or nothing" construct when it comes to credentials. There is no partial credit. OP should meet with admission advisors for the other degrees/schools to determine whether any of this coursework could be accepted as transfer credits to satisfy those degree requirements.

FWIW, the time to address grievances with any educational process is when they occur so the problem can be corrected. All legitimate schools have defined procedures for this.

[dirtyhippiegirl, BSN, RN]

If I am interpreting the OP's post correctly (reference to need to learn "practical patient skills") , it was an NP program for non-nurses. Based on my own discussions, this (lack of sufficient clinical practicum experience) is a common complaint associated with these programs. Traditional APN program students are all experienced nurses, so the curriculum focuses only on advanced theory and skills, not basic competencies. However, the 'entry level' programs have to cover both ends of the spectrum which is a very difficult thing accomplish.

...but why? If anything, I hear quite a bit both on here and when I was in nursing school that nursing experience is not necessary to become a good NP because what LPNs/RNs do is so completely different from what NPs do, hence the direct entry option.

Obviously, a NP is never going to do ADLs. Or at least be required to do them. So that seems a bit silly. Assessment skills, yes. And I can see where that could be a problem but I also feel like, at least around here, even traditional NP programs have an entire class based on assessment skills. I don't know what "basic wound care" even means. Wet-to-dry? How to remove sutures?

[Havin' A Party!, ASN, RN]

IMHO, and with respect, the original post is confusing.

To the OP: You may wish to re-post to obtain responses that address the specific issue(s) you're seeking recommendations on.

Suggest you break up your inquiries into short paragraphs. Please also consider defining any abbreviations included, and attempt to mention details involved in your description of what happened and about your previous schooling, training and practice.

[RNsRWe, ASN, RN]

... I request advice in this forum to find a school or training center that accepts and nurtures the older professional student who has experience in a quasi-medical area (labor assisting), medical secretarial experience and one year of an accelerated NP degree.

It seems that your options for school would be the same as any other beginning nursing student. You would need to apply to programs in colleges with the prerequisites for those programs completed in order to be considered. To find the prerequisite courses needed, you'd need to contact those schools directly, as requirements vary GREATLY. What college coursework have you done (ie: A&P, microbiology, pharm, etc.)?

What recourse might I have if my preceptor avoided teaching the practical patient care skills one needed during clinicals? Who can one contact if one believes the quality and content of the clinical training was not equitable and contact time with my preceptor was extremely limited? Do professors purposefully weed out unwanted students by not teaching them overtly and getting them off the floor on other "assignments"? What recourse does one have if this was done and you have dropped out, incredibly disappointed, after the fact?

Sounds like you're looking for legal advice, which of course you cannot and will not find here, per the Terms of Service for this website. Aside from that, it is normal and customary to file any complaints about the school through their prescribed channels...and either during the issue, or immediately following. If this has been months or longer, you don't likely have any avenue of recourse; your school should have clear-cut outlines for grievances. Read them.

I have told this story over and over again to people outside of the field and they believe it was a thinly disguised attempt to create an impossible situation by routinely sending me "off floor" to attend and observe patients who were not assigned to my floor; i.e. interview a dialysis patient, attend a patient undergoing paracentesis, etc.

"People outside of the field" are generally the worst sources of support and information. People INSIDE the field were available to you while you were in school.....yes?

I wished to learn the rudiments of wound care, patient assessment and assisting patient with ADL's instead of being an orderly. What can I do turn this horrid and expensive situation into a boon instead of a breakdown?

Not clear about this. "Rudiments" of basic nursing skills in an advanced practice curriculum? Why? What preparation did you have for this program prior to entry, and what were the prerequisites? Did you complete them? Cannot say you CAN turn this into "a boon", as it looks like it was a disastrous experience....can you provide more information, answers to questions now asked?

[Wile E Coyote, ASN, RN]

OP, I too must admit confusion in reading your post. Exactly what kind of program are you speaking of? It sounds like a direct-to-NP variety which could make for a confusing and limiting credit transfer process.

I can't fathom a remedy with the former school that would benefit you directly.

It's really more about how to maximize your transfer credits with prospective new schools.

[OCNRN63, RN]

It's your responsibility to learn what you need to know. It's not your preceptor's responsibility to teach you drug calculations and the other "rudiments" of nursing.

Take responsibility for your own learning, and find a school that's willing to accept your coursework.

[BlueDevil,DNP, DNP, RN]

I'm a fairly bright guy, but I admit I am confused.

For clarification, this was a direct entry NP program, you were one year in and were dismissed for failing an important exam, but don't believe it was really your fault because your precepting was poor?

And now you are asking if there is some alternate career for which we think you might be prepared having had one year of credits from said DE NP program.

If I have it right, the answer is no. You are basically at square 1. Those credits give you no advantage in any medical field, except that a high GPA does help with applications to new programs. What is your undergraduate degree in? What else are you interested in? I suppose you could apply to nursing school if you are still interested in that. Frankly, the beauty of your situation is that, being at square 1, you can do anything you want to. You literally have nothing to lose, so to speak.