Hello everyone. I am finishing up my first semester in an FNP masters program at a brick and mortar school. This semester I took Advanced Health Assessment/lab and Advanced Pharmacology. I am doing well in the program (grades over 90% on every exam taken) but, I just feel so disappointed. The program is fairly disorganized. The content is to be expected as in it is definitely not fluff in the classes I am taking, but with health assessment, it is surely teach yourself. I am okay with and expect self-study to an extent, but I can't help to question why I am spending 1k per credit hour for this. They do not provide clinical placements and when I have asked for guidance, I am simply told to keep trying or receive no response from the clinical liason (not sure what her job actually is since she offers little to no help). I start clinical next spring and have contacted over 50 pediatric/family practices (up to 3 hours away) and have nothing. Most places simply say they do not take NP students and the ones that do said "we are booked with students for 2 years." When I discussed this with my adviser, he said it is becoming near impossible to find a pediatric site (and women's health). It irritates me to no end that they are accepting so many students (anyone with a BSN and a pulse) and are aware of the lack of clinical sites. Not only that, but there is no quality control with sites so even if you do secure a site, you could end up simply just shadowing for the entire time (yes, students have told me this is what their experience was like). It's crazy to think that this is the education in place for NPs, and I know it is not just my school. I have done a lot of research on this and have found that some schools are wonderful and truly prepare students (and supply clinical sites!), but it is mind boggling that there is such an inconsistency in the education in place.
At this point, I am not sure I want to continue. I am discouraged by the program itself and the hundreds of NPs being pumped out just in my area and across the nation. I know that if I do continue, I risk not finding clinical sites and having to sit out and waste more money. I also fear not being prepared when I come out of this due to the lack of a formal clinical experience and then trying to find a job that offers good mentoring when jobs are hard to come by at all in many areas. I am finding myself very envious of the PA students and regretting not going that route a long time ago(right now, it's not going to happen in my life).
I am blabbering on, but is anyone else in the same boat? Is anyone else questioning your continuation in your program or becoming an NP in general? Thank you for listening/reading.
Sure did, had a preceptor all lined up, started the semester and just before clinicals started the preceptor decided they weren't going to take students. I was left high and dry with not so much as a sorry from the school. I had to sit out a semester, it was conveniently too late for a full refund so I sat out the semester only to just find out I was flunked by my clinical preceptor that I secured for the re-take of the course. This preceptor told me repeatedly "I think too much time has passed between when you took pharmacology and A&P and now you are out of the loop". Not my fault the preceptor I had lined up had an issue. I was moving along just fine until the clinicals started and now it seems like I'm derailed at every turn. I wrote the dean of the college when the first preceptor backed out asking if I had any recourse and was told nope, you should have had a backup plan. Really? It took me 3 months and alot of legwork just to find the first preceptor, your basically screwed if your preceptor falls and breaks a hip or has a family emergency but the college still collects the tuition. My school has in the fine print of the handbook that they are not responsible for mishaps involving the preceptor so they are divorcing themselves from the issue and the student is on their own. It is time the paying public stands up and demands something be done as these schools know full well what is going on yet they continue to accept 30 or more students per semester. The area I live in is overloaded with healthcare facilities and medical/nursing schools so there are herds of students vying for the schools and the clinical preceptorships. The new solution is the DNP which believe me is more about extra hours of paper writing than teaching any clinical skills.
It is insane. My program used to accept around 70 students. That already seems to be a lot. Come to find out, this year, they admitted closer to 200!! Not every BSN with a pulse should be an NP, yet many of these programs make it so anyone can...because $$$$.
Specializes in Psychiatric and Mental Health NP (PMHNP).
I am sorry the OP is going through this. However, it is an excellent cautionary tale for prospective NP students to do their homework before starting an NP Program. ONLY attend programs that provide clinical placement sites. This information is on the school website.
As for complaints regarding online programs, online is fine for the didactic content. However, for courses which require hands-on training, like physical exams, this must be done in person. And of course, clinical rotations must be done in-person. For a course that requires the student to read the text, attend lecture, and take exams, there is no difference between doing those things in person versus online. A good program makes online learning interactive, with Q&A sessions and online office hours so professors and students can engage in real-time. Online programs should still provide clinical placements; if they do not, then avoid them.
There is a saying in business: You can have it cheap, fast, or high quality, but not all 3. At most, you can get 2 out of the 3. For schools, you can have it cheap, easy, or high quality, but not all 3.
In addition, for-profit school tend to be much more expensive than public schools or reputable private schools. Private schools might seem to have a high price, but they also tend to offer very generous financial aid that includes scholarships and grants. For-profit schools just want the student to take out a bunch of loans so they are in indentured servitude for the next 20 years.
Please remember to look for and apply for NP scholarships like HRSA, that provide full tuition and even a small stipend for living expenses. Many states have similar programs for their residents. In addition, there are numerous loan repayment and forgiveness options.
naptimeRN
188 Posts
It is insane. My program used to accept around 70 students. That already seems to be a lot. Come to find out, this year, they admitted closer to 200!! Not every BSN with a pulse should be an NP, yet many of these programs make it so anyone can...because $$$$.