Drexel PC PNP 2014

IrishIzCPNP, MSN, RN, APRN, NP · Jun 13, 2014

I'll give you some info later....be prepared to work hard! More to come...

my3suns · Jun 16, 2014

I'm starting this fall to for peds. I'm excited but also nervous. I'll be waiting for the " more to come" IrishIzRN.

IrishIzCPNP, MSN, RN, APRN, NP · Jun 16, 2014

Okay here we go...The program at Drexel is not easy. You will have moments of "wow this is hard" and "are you kidding me" and "do they have any clue what they are doing" and "wow she's an amazing instructor" and more. Be prepared for the full range of emotions.

The first year has changed a little...they removed a class and then kind of put that into another. But overall the first year isn't bad.

Patho...I had a GREAT instructor. I know others who had somebody who they were not fond of. That is the first class where it is in your best interest to LEARN everything. This isn't the patho you had before...LEARN!!!! You need to understand the material!!!

Advanced Pharm...great instructor if you get Zarro. This is again a class where you will need to make sure you learn the material but Zarro is wonderful.

Pharm for peds...this class was rough but the instructor is VERY approachable. You will see this instructor again in the last year. She is a very nice lady, very approachable, down to earth and just nice.

The assessment class for peds also has some great instructors and really isn't a bad class. Learn the material...there are no tricks here. The final check out...know exactly what they tell you to know. There are no tricks...you just have to know the process. The nerves are what get you...but the instructors aren't looking for fail you. The instructors are really just making sure you are following the process and not missing an assessment. These instructors are also super sweet and approachable. If you have an issue or are confused...let them know because they will help you.

Now watch that elective in your first year!!! FYI...later on you may need to take more electives. You need 4.5 credits in order to qualify for financial aid. So your first 3 quarters in the 2nd year won't qualify for financial aid. So what do people do? Well some pay in cash or drop. Then the rest of us take an elective for those 3 other quarters. That ends up being 3 quarters of electives. There are a few certificate programs that are 4 classes...so you can end up taking all 4 classes between the elective you need and the 3 quarters of needing financial aid and get a certificate out of it. There is a certificate for complementary therapies and an autism one (I think this is 4 classes). So keep that issue in mind when picking your elective....you may change how you do things if you need to take the extra classes for financial aid.

Preceptors....I will be honest that finding your own can be a nightmare. NIGHTMARE. They say everyone always gets a preceptor...that doesn't mean you aren't going to bust your butt finding somebody. I have easily spent 20 hours looking for a preceptor for just the first 2 quarters and with at the times I hear "no" I am kind of at a loss of who to turn to for the last 2 quarters. You will want to formulate a plan of attack...you need to expect to work to get preceptors. You need to know this can take a lot of "man hours" on your part. Be prepared...finding preceptors is not easy.

Be prepared to spend a lot of time on school....you are not going to breeze through this. I found my RN to be not so bad, my BSN to be mostly easy....this is none of the above LOL This is work. The quarters for clinicals...be prepared to spend 16 hours at your clinical site each week plus you will have class one night a week for 3 hours. They expect you to be there. If you are working full time and have a TON of responsibilities...you will probably need to cut back. You are going to need to have some flexibility. Oh you also have mandatory class online for the peds pharm and the assessment class.

Hope this helps!

my3suns · Jun 18, 2014

Thank you so much IrishIzRN! I am trying to prepare myself for this! I did make note of the advice you gave, so I can come back to it as needed! I do work full time right now but I will evaluate that as time goes on.

For the classes, I thought about doing electives instead of a cert class but is that an option?

IrishIzCPNP, MSN, RN, APRN, NP · Jun 18, 2014

Thank you so much IrishIzRN! I am trying to prepare myself for this! I did make note of the advice you gave, so I can come back to it as needed! I do work full time right now but I will evaluate that as time goes on.
For the classes, I thought about doing electives instead of a cert class but is that an option?

The classes that are part of the certificate really are electives. It started with being told "here's a list of electives" for that quarter where it says "elective"....and when I needed 3 more I took electives that met the certificate requirements.

cab683 · Jun 24, 2014

Hi IrishIzRN-- can you tell us a little more about the requirements for each course? Do they put parameters on the type of setting you can choose for each class? How stringent are they? Tell us everything :) You are SO helpful-- thank you!

IrishIzCPNP, MSN, RN, APRN, NP · Jun 29, 2014

Hi IrishIzRN-- can you tell us a little more about the requirements for each course? Do they put parameters on the type of setting you can choose for each class? How stringent are they? Tell us everything :) You are SO helpful-- thank you!

When it comes to clinical based classes they are pretty specific as to your preceptor. You have to use a board certified PNP in primary care. You can't use an FNP. You can use a pediatrician one time. You spend most of your time in primary care offices. There's one quarter you can go to a ped ER but as a student you can't contact CHOP, DuPont or st Chris. So just look for primary care PNPs in regular offices and you will be good.

PRNketamine · Sep 28, 2014

IrishIzRN-

Could you tell us who your Patho teacher was? I am planning on starting as a non-matriculated student this spring. My plan is to then start the Acute care PNP program in the fall. I am really looking forward to learning in patho and pharm and hoping to have a good experience like you did…

Thanks :)

IrishIzCPNP, MSN, RN, APRN, NP · Sep 28, 2014

IrishIzRN-
Could you tell us who your Patho teacher was? I am planning on starting as a non-matriculated student this spring. My plan is to then start the Acute care PNP program in the fall. I am really looking forward to learning in patho and pharm and hoping to have a good experience like you did…
Thanks :)

I am drawing a blank at her name. I know others had a male teacher...I had a female and that's really all I can remember.

PRNketamine · Sep 28, 2014

I was looking online at instructors… Was this the instructor you had? This is the only female patho name i found-Krista L Rompolski Taney. Thanks for your help!

IrishIzCPNP, MSN, RN, APRN, NP · Sep 28, 2014

I was looking online at instructors… Was this the instructor you had? This is the only female patho name i found-Krista L Rompolski Taney. Thanks for your help!

Rompolski! That's the one!