Difficulty of NP education

[studentFNP16]

This is a topic for those whom have already graduated Nurse Practitioner school; what was your experience? Did you find NP school to be more difficult, as difficulty, or less difficult than nursing school?

-Do you think we are doing enough to prepare future NP to practice safely

-What are your recommendations for the standards we should be held accountable to

[guest538567]

I found graduate school to be easy despite attending a credible state university. I believe that NP training can be lacking and wish that it were generally more rigorous. I would favor a model for NPs that resembled what is seen in CRNA programs. Increased clinical hours, admission standards, and scientific underpinning would help to improve the rigor of these programs. However, this would also change the economic model and would inhibit a student from pursuing an easy degree at for-profit-online-university.com

[sauce]

So making the boards harder would be uncompetitive inhibition since the student is inhibited after gaining the degree. Competitive would be making entry to the program harder. Non competitive would be making the program itself harder. Which one would be preferred amount you all?

[BCgradnurse, MSN, RN, NP]

I didn't find NP school to be terribly difficult-the volume of work was more challenging than the subject matter. I went into it with a BS in Biology/Medical Technology, so I had a lot of the hard sciences. Maybe that is why I didn't find it so hard. I think biochem is helpful along with more physiology.

I'd like to see all programs incorporate fellowships. Mentored experience in the NP role can only be beneficial. I don't think it matters if you have RN experience or not-the role is so different. What concerns me are the undergrads who go directly from bachelor's degrees to NP programs with no WORK experience whatsoever, regardless of what that work experience is. I think you do need some life experience in a work environment learning how to think critically and make decisions. There will always be exceptions, and some 20 somethings are mature and wise beyond their years. I am also concerned about the easy admission standards I see in some schools. It shouldn't be that easy to get into any advanced degree program. My program accepted 10% of those who applied. That's how it should be, IMHO. I also did not have to find my own preceptors, which is one of the reasons I chose this school. It bothers me to see all the posts here from students begging for preceptors. That's unacceptable.

[PG2018]

I think there needs to be more science oriented prerequisite course work and greater admissions standards. The addition of increased clinical hours over paper writing would lend to a mre optimal outcone as well.

[Will352nd]

sauce said:

Test, test test test test, multiple choice tests out the rear, then they can elaborate to preceptors in clinical to verify their understanding. You can word questions to test understanding of concepts, not just rote memorization also, unfortunately most nursing professors don't know this. We should at least have been provided 5000 multiple choice questions prior to graduation. Pound that information vigorously into our brains, so even those not interested in learning are forced to. That will weed out the weak and make the lazy still have to kick butt to pass. Make it hurt, make it burn, make it painful so only those who really want to do the job can make it through. If we are gonna make 6 figures, then we should get vicariously mentally demolished by the amount of information provided. NO PAIN NO GAIN.

Add in biochemistry, physiology, 1000 clinical hours

In a nutshell, you just described PA school.

[Dogen]

PsychGuy said:

I think there needs to be more science oriented prerequisite course work and greater admissions standards. The addition of increased clinical hours over paper writing would lend to a mre optimal outcone as well.

Yes. God, yes. My preceptor recently asked if we took neuroanatomy as part of our PMHNP program. I said, "Yes, wait, no." It struck me that everything I know about the brain beyond the level of "antipsychotics block dopamine receptors" I learned in my undergrad neuroscience degree. Which was harder than nursing school and grad school. Possibly combined. And this is a good school, with a good reputation.

[tuxedopenguino]

@sauce, NP-good points, lmao at your delivery.

[OwlNation]

Agreed. I just started a psych NP program and have been relatively surprised. The health assessment lab portion is identical to my ADN and the differential diagnosis is the same as my BSN. I wish that we were more trained scientifically and in depth as other medical providers, as NPs may be the only health care provider a patient sees.

I also find it ridiculous that I have taken essentially the same health assessment course 3 times now. Video tapes and all. An ADN nurse can use an otoscope and can view your retina.

[OwlNation]

Science courses geared towards nurses. This is starting to take off at some of the community colleges in Virginia. They should be geared towards future nurses as the majority of those in the classes are completing the pre reqs for nursing school (or will end up in the health care field).

[BostonFNP, APRN]

OwlNation said:

Agreed. I just started a psych NP program and have been relatively surprised. The health assessment lab portion is identical to my ADN and the differential diagnosis is the same as my BSN. I wish that we were more trained scientifically and in depth as other medical providers, as NPs may be the only health care provider a patient sees.

I also find it ridiculous that I have taken essentially the same health assessment course 3 times now. Video tapes and all. An ADN nurse can use an otoscope and can view your retina.

If your health assessment course is the same as undergrad then you need to figure out if you are either limiting your education to that level or if the program is just terrible. If you think an average ADN nurse can use an otoscope and see the same thing as a provider you are missing something; especially if they see a retina through it.

[Jules A, MSN]

BostonFNP said:

If you think an average ADN nurse can use an otoscope and see the same thing as a provider you are missing something; especially if they see a retina through it.

LOL, I was hoping they meant two separate assessments. The sad truth is both my health assessment courses in the Masters programs were not much more than my BSN.

[BostonFNP, APRN]

Jules A said:

LOL, I was hoping they meant two separate assessments. The sad truth is both my health assessment courses in the Masters programs were not much more than my BSN.

I hope so, I was just kidding around a bit!