FNP Specialty Hour Requirements

[PA_RN87, BSN, MSN, RN, APRN]

I'm looking for thoughts from current FNPs, both experienced and new grads. I'm currently in Simmons College's online FNP program; our clinical hour requirements must include a minimum of 112 hours of pediatrics and 112 hours of women's health specialty hours. As I'm sure many of you know, specialty sites are near impossible to obtain (especially in my area). I know there are many other FNP programs that either have fewer required minimum specialty hours or no minimums whatsoever. What makes this even more frustrating is knowing that many of the things done in specialty offices are not routinely done in family practice offices.

SO... My question to you all: Did your program have minimum specialty requirements, and do you feel it benefited you in your clinical practice? Or do you feel that you would have been just as prepared with solely family practice-type clinical experiences?

[lhflanurseNP, APRN]

My clinical rotations were a minimum of 180 hours!

[PA_RN87, BSN, MSN, RN, APRN]

My clinical rotations were a minimum of 180 hours!

I should clarify, we need 224 hours per semester, for a total of 672; of the total 672 hours, 112 need to be in each pediatric and women's health.

[Rnis, BSN, DNP, APRN, NP]

No they preferred us to be in family practice. I did do my final clinical in a women's health facility which was helpful. I do see a fair amount of kids in my family practice......and I see even more women's health issues. I got very little of these experiences with either population in my clinical rotations. Partly because of the new guidelines for pap smears, but also because the patient's would often refuse a student. There was a small learning curve when I got to practice, but honestly both of those populations are usually not too complicated. the majority of the kids I see are either physicals, croup, otitis media, or mild viruses. Your learn your way pretty quickly.