Herzing PMHNP

[NP_Student20]

Hello everyone, I will be starting the new PMHNP program at Herzing University in September. Trying to see if there is anyone else that will be starting the program so that we can connect. Since it's a new program, there is no topic about this specialty and maybe this can provide opportunity for potential students to discuss.

[stephcope]

So I am also in the psychopharm course and do not feel the workload is that over the top compared with other PMHNP programs.  A colleague of mine is in the post grad PMHNP at Liberty and has way more assignments than we do each week.

 

[studentnurse2018, ADN, BSN]

The program is what you put into it. I find the workload for advanced pharm to be good. My instructor does very good zoom meetings. I am taking two courses, and working  2 full-time jobs. It is very doable, but you must be organized and have a set schedule to do the content. I also know someone in another program and her content is very similar the only exceptions is they have exams instead of a weekly quiz, her instructors does not do a live session, and her program has lots of group work. All programs are going to have some busy work. 

 

[Themollylama]

2 hours ago, studentnurse2018 said:

The program is what you put into it. I find the workload for advanced pharm to be good. My instructor does very good zoom meetings. I am taking two courses, and working  2 full-time jobs. It is very doable, but you must be organized and have a set schedule to do the content. I also know someone in another program and her content is very similar the only exceptions is they have exams instead of a weekly quiz, her instructors does not do a live session, and her program has lots of group work. All programs are going to have some busy work. 

 

That’s easy to say: “the program is what you put into it.” Ya that is true on some accounts. However, that discredits other students major challenges that they’ve experienced with the program. I work 50 hours a week and I read, study, and do homework every single day. Do I feel I am getting back the same effort from the institution as far as content, assignments, lectures, resources, etc.? No. I can’t say I do. When I look at the type of education my peers or people I’ve met in clinical looks like from PA school and med school, there is no comparison. Saying the program is what you put into it makes it seem that others who have concerns are just lazy, which is not true. 

[pmh wannabe, BSN, MSN, RN, APRN, NP]

7 minutes ago, Themollylama said:

That’s easy to say: “the program is what you put into it.” Ya that is true on some accounts. However, that discredits other students major challenges that they’ve experienced with the program. I work 50 hours a week and I read, study, and do homework every single day. Do I feel I am getting back the same effort from the institution as far as content, assignments, lectures, resources, etc.? No. I can’t say I do. When I look at the type of education my peers or people I’ve met in clinical looks like from PA school and med school, there is no comparison. Saying the program is what you put into it makes it seem that others who have concerns are just lazy, which is not true. 

I am not discrediting either of your statements. However, when you bring in PA or Med school candidates- I do question if you are going for the PMHc or if this is your first Masters degree?

 

You are, however, correct - there is ZERO comparison. You are comparing apples to apricots. They are both fruits (in the HC field) but have entirely different methods of growth and practability.

 

My last couple of semesters for my FNP I was thrust into the Shadow health, online lectures (mostly live and interactive- which is a fear if starting Herzing based on pre-recorded lectures limiting actual  Q&A or general interactions), etc. I am a self-learner for the most part. I have to see, read and do, for my brain to retain. I understand the heavy workload of online learning - I, more so, question the actual availability of instructors if and when they are needed, the content of a pre-recorded lecture, the newness of the program and how smoothly it is running or how open they are to making adjustments to be a truly effective educational center vs another NP mill.

[gamecockgurl, MSN, RN]

I have to agree with @Themollylama here. I think others are taking her comments in the wrong way. From my personal experience, the classes that I have taken so far are pretty straightforward, however, the program starts to get highly disorganized during psychopharmacology. I believe this is one of the most important classes we will take so it is very crucial that we get proper education by high-quality lectures and not the Youtube videos they are posting. Most teachers who are "lecturing" are simply just reading off of the poor PowerPoint presentation they put together. I mean honestly, the Youtube videos are so much more helpful than their "lecture". There is only one professor so far that is doing a great job teaching (they take turns each week on the lectures). Another thing is that they give so much useless busy work during this course. The PowerPoint presentation and the video assignments are a total waste of time that I can use towards reading the book. Not only we are not getting a proper education. My teacher is horrible about getting back to me and answering my question about the assignment. Some assignments are vague and require clarification so it requires me to email her to ask her about the assignment. I pretty much got some clarification for the assignment 6 hours before it was due when I had emailed her about the assignment 4 days prior, which is sad (and oh she never emailed me back, she has posted the clarification on the announcement)! I think this program can do a better job by providing us with some high-quality, comprehensive lectures that we do not have to read the entire book and just simply use the book as a resource and for clarification. All I am saying is that either 1. give us high-quality, comprehensive lectures with the amount of busywork they are giving us now OR 2. continue to give us poor lectures and Youtube videos but just give us a quiz, so we are able to have that extra time to read the book to teach ourselves so we can actually LEARN. We either have time to do useless busy work or time to read the book, but not both.

[Agape practitioner]

I totally agree. I have emailed to program chair about the insane amount of busy work but got no reply. The busy work does not leave any time to actually study for the weekly quizzes. It takes me 3 days just to get through the busy work. 

 

[pmh wannabe, BSN, MSN, RN, APRN, NP]

6 minutes ago, gamecockgurl said:

I have to agree with @Themollylama here. I think others are taking her comments in the wrong way. From my personal experience, the classes that I have taken so far are pretty straightforward, however, the program starts to get highly disorganized during psychopharmacology. I believe this is one of the most important classes we will take so it is very crucial that we get proper education by high-quality lectures and not the Youtube videos they are posting. Most teachers who are "lecturing" are simply just reading off of the poor PowerPoint presentation they put together. I mean honestly, the Youtube videos are so much more helpful than their "lecture". There is only one professor so far that is doing a great job teaching (they take turns each week on the lectures). Another thing is that they give so much useless busy work during this course. The PowerPoint presentation and the video assignments are a total waste of time that I can use towards reading the book. Not only we are not getting a proper education. My teacher is horrible about getting back to me and answering my question about the assignment. Some assignments are vague and require clarification so it requires me to email her to ask her about the assignment. I pretty much got some clarification for the assignment 6 hours before it was due when I had emailed her about the assignment 4 days prior, which is sad (and oh she never emailed me back, she has posted the clarification on the announcement)! I think this program can do a better job by providing us with some high-quality, comprehensive lectures that we do not have to read the entire book and just simply use the book as a resource and for clarification. All I am saying is that either 1. give us high-quality, comprehensive lectures with the amount of busywork they are giving us now OR 2. continue to give us poor lectures and Youtube videos but just give us a quiz, so we are able to have that extra time to read the book to teach ourselves so we can actually LEARN. We either have time to do useless busy work or time to read the book, but not both.

I had no intention of taking anything the wrong way, with the prior post I took it for face value of what I read. I am not in the program which was why I reached out for clarification.  I feel that your post expands on her statements, as well as some of my fears. 

With this being such a new program AND in  pandemic/COVID, I wasn't sure how much was initiation of a program at poor timing (although - I do believe Teleheath should have been in place a long time ago and continue to be available to those in Mental health, just an opinion) vs the milling of NP students. 

Sounds like kinks haven't been worked out, nor any interest at this point in correcting the issues =(

[gamecockgurl, MSN, RN]

Oh and I forgot to mention the fact that our lectures are Wednesday evening, which is when our discussion is due. It would be super helpful if the lectures were on Sunday or Monday many of us are able to work ahead and take the quiz and complete the assignment. I feel like Wednesday night is late. Also what really had upset me is that they say that we have "live" lectures, however out of the 5 weeks, only two lectures were "live". I have planned my time around the lecture and canceled important plans to make it to the live lectures. However, I was waiting for nothing and told 30 minutes after the lecture was supposed to be starting that the lecture will be recorded and posted via email/announcement. I am fine with having them record it and posting it, but at least let us know ahead of time so we are not wasting our time waiting on the live lecture to start and can make other plans during that time. I just feel like they are very inconsiderate of our time. 

[pmh wannabe, BSN, MSN, RN, APRN, NP]

I absolutely agree! If they are going to be recorded, then say so from the beginning. I am a single, working mom - I will NOT schedule around supporting my family for a recording. The recordings/lectures should be posted at the beginning of the week if that is what the coursework is revolved around. 

[gamecockgurl, MSN, RN]

Exactly!! We are all just very frustrated due to poor lectures, disorganization/lack of clarity of assignments, teachers not emailing us back to answer our questions, poor communication about live lectures, and the useless busywork. And since we are all so busy with busy work (and don't get proper lectures), we sometimes do not have time to complete our readings. And because of these things we are not learning the basic foundation and going blindly into clinicals looking incompetent compared to other NP, PA, and med students. I am just wondering how we are going to feel when we start psych clinicals. We are at least specializing in psych from the beginning compared to PA and med students (since they learn a little of everything), so I feel like we should know a little more about psych than they do since they briefly touch psych. I guess we will see when clinicals start! I just feel like I have not learned much in psychopharm as I needed to  and don't feel well prepared for my psych clinicals bc I was so busy utilizing my time towards completing the assignments which did not leave me much time to read.  

[Agape practitioner]

Please,  make sure you email to program chair. The more of us let her know, the better.

[gamecockgurl, MSN, RN]

Yes, will def do! I'm hoping that these changes can be made so we are well prepared not only for clinicals but also for boards!