Do any WGU graduates have jobs?

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Lots of in-school threads, but anyone here a graduate of the program with an actual nursing job because of the degree they obtained at WGU? I know someone who is thinking of doing the bridging program, and I'm just wondering if a well-known, prestigious hospital is going to question a degree from this school.

Thanks.

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Specializes in hospice.

I believe The Commuter, one of the mods, is a WGU grad.

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Specializes in NICU, ICU, PICU, Academia.

There are literally thousands of us.

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There are literally thousands of us.

Wow, great to hear! I don't think it's all that surprising that someone is wary of an online program. Which MSN program did you complete?

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Also, just wondering, what kind of job must you have to be enrolled? Can you work in LTC, for example? Any nursing job?

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Specializes in Nurse Leader specializing in Labor & Delivery.

I have a supervisory job because of my BSN, which I got at WGU. And my manager is grooming me for her job, based on the fact that I want to pursue leadership and I am a few months away from getting my MSN in Leadership.

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Specializes in Nurse Leader specializing in Labor & Delivery.
Also, just wondering, what kind of job must you have to be enrolled? Can you work in LTC, for example? Any nursing job?

Any job as an RN.

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Specializes in NICU, ICU, PICU, Academia.
Wow, great to hear! I don't think it's all that surprising that someone is wary of an online program. Which MSN program did you complete?

I think actually that it's very surprising that a person in 2015 is 'wary' of online education. Nearly every brick and mortar school has an online component these days.

I completed both my BSN and MSN through WGU and am currently enrolled in a DNP program. My research completed at WGU has been published and presented to national audiences.

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I think actually that it's very surprising that a person in 2015 is 'wary' of online education. Nearly every brick and mortar school has an online component these days.

I completed both my BSN and MSN through WGU and am currently enrolled in a DNP program. My research completed at WGU has been published and presented to national audiences.

That's great for you, and I am glad you had such a good experience.

That being said, I am surprised you find it surprising that people are wary. I don't hire people, but I have heard anecdotally of people not being able to get jobs or paying exorbitant amounts of money to get a degree they can't use. As nurses, it would be unwise to not have some corroboration or evidence when making a decision about furthering one's education, which is why I checked in here.

I seem to have struck a nerve, and that was not my intention, but let's be honest, some online programs ARE looked down upon, weather or not they deserve to be... hiring managers make that decision, not the person who went through the program.

But thanks for your insight and congrats on your publications.

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Specializes in Outpatient/Clinic, ClinDoc.

I work at a federal institution and they have no issue with WGU degrees - mine was accepted with no comment at all. Quite a few RN to BSN degrees are online now.

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Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.
That being said, I am surprised you find it surprising that people are wary.
It is 2015. Online degrees have been around for about 20 years, since the mid 1990s. If a particular employer is unwilling to change with the times by refusing to hire someone with an online degree, it is their problem and not mine.

If you aspire to secure employment at a low-paying, albeit ultra-prestigious medical mecca such as Duke University Medical Center, it is common knowledge that Duke graduates have an unspoken advantage in the hiring process.

However, with the $21/hr pay rate Duke offers nurses, they can take the prestigious job and shove it somewhere. And with the extreme amount of debt that comes with an education from Duke, they can take the prestigious degree and shove it.

I work at a hospital that is owned by a multinational healthcare company. I have a great job in lower management and received two nice raises while attaining my education. I am in the process of applying to graduate school at a regional state university. As a result of the BSN I earned at WGU, I qualify for unconditional admission to the state university's MSN program in nursing education.

WGU has well-known working relationships with several renowned prestigious hospitals such as Cedars Sinai Medical Center (hospital of the stars) in West Hollywood. It is backed by governors and politicians, and was nationally recognized by the White House.

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Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.
Lots of in-school threads, but anyone here a graduate of the program with an actual nursing job because of the degree they obtained at WGU?

WGU Graduates' Impressive Careers

WGU graduates hold responsible positions in many major companies throughout the U.S.:

The University of You | WGU Student and Graduate Success | Online University | Online Degrees

College of Business Graduates

Area Manager Amazon.com

Manager, Global Business Development AT&T

Vice President Bank of America

Program Manager Cisco

Project Manager Citigroup

Vice President of Information Technology Franklin Covey

Quality Systems Manager General Dynamics

Operations Manager Hewlett Packard

Chief Information Officer HSH-Nordbank

Technical Sales Engineer IBM

Manager, Worldwide Training John Deere

Contract Administrator Kaiser Permanente

Quality Manager L-3 Communications

Human Resources Manager McKesson Corporation

Lead Program Manager Microsoft

Sales Manager Xerox Corporation

College of Health Professions Graduates

Director of Human Resources Adventist Health

Manager of Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation Anne Arundel Medical Center

VP, Marketing, Community Relations, and Business Development Bloomington Hospital

Vice President of Operations Covenant Hospice

Director of WCS HCA

Nurse Manager HealthSouth

Nursing Department Chairperson Iowa Wesleyan College

Director of Education Medical Center of Plano, Texas

Pediatric Clinical Educator Methodist Children's Hospital (HCA)

Director of Med/Surg Southern Hills Medical Center

College of Information Technology Graduates

Senior IT Manager Alliant Techsystems (ATK)

IIS Support Engineer Bank of America

Information Security Advisor The Boeing Company

Materials Manager Cardinal Health

Network Engineer CDI Corporation

Business Modernization Specialist Defense Logistics Agency

Information Technology Specialist Department of Veterans Affairs

Senior Support Engineer IBM Internet Security Systems

Senior Project Manager Kaiser Permanente

Software Engineer Lockheed Martin

IT Manager L'Oreal USA

Operations Engineer Microsoft

Deputy CIO NASA

Systems Engineer NATO

Director, Network Management/Defense Northrup Grumman

Information Systems Security Manager Raytheon

Engineering Development Consultant Texas Instruments

Network Engineer UNISYS

Special Projects Manager U.S. Department of State Messaging Systems

Director of Network & Information Security Services University of Illinois Springfield

Teachers College Graduates

Graduates of WGU's Teachers College can be found in almost every major public school district in the U.S. A number of WGU graduates have been recognized for their work through awards and grants:

Alameda Elementary School Teacher of the Year

Association of Public Charter Schools Educator of the Year

Distance Education and Training Council Outstanding Graduate

Elementary Educator of the Year, Davis School District, Utah

Fulbright Scholarship Recipient

Gates Foundation Empowering Effective Teachers Grant Recipient

Montana Teacher of the Year PTA Lifetime Achievement Award

National Finalist for IBM ThinkSmart Program

Texas Medical Association's 2010 Ernest and Sarah Butler Award for Excellence in Science Teaching

Texas West Region Teacher of the Year

Toshiba America Grant Recipient

Volusia County Florida Crystal Apple Teacher of the year

Wilhelmina C. Robertson Excellence in Science or Mathematics Teaching Award

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