So this was my first week of NP school through ODU. I am on the WHNP track right now. It's the end of week 1, and I am having some serious doubts about whether this is something I want to do or not.
When you were in NP school, how did you feel? When I am sitting in class and they are telling me the work that is required, instead of being up to the challenge, I find myself not being excited at all. Usually, I like school, but I can't even imagine myself doing all this work. It seems overwhelming and I wonder if I can even keep up. There is a lot of self-teaching involved, and I am also working part-time.
I am taking Advanced Patho, Advanced Pharm, Advanced Health Assessment and Lab, a research class and a class in family health.
Does my lack of enthusiasm mean that this might not be right for me?
well............ i'm doing my fnp online and i feel so slow. first of all i feel lost at times in my classes and even though my gpa is very good i sometimes wonder am i getting the most out of my education. this semester i am taking advanced health assessment, selected topics of pathophysiology of the adult and i'm doing an independent study. i feel overwhelmed in the advanced health assessment class and the school i'm attending recently stopped their onsite nurse practitioner program so the class is not being offered onsite. i took the class last semester and withdrew from the class . i dont know if maybe it would have been better if i took the program onsite but at this point in time i find myself questioning if i am doing the right thing. i feel so lost at times
Having a lack of enthusiasm for class... although I wasn't out of school for as long, I remember feeling deflated when I realized NP school had some impractical "hoop jumping" in it. Or that some of my profs were PhD's who hadn't touched a patient in years trying to teach me about ARDS... um hmm. For some reason I thought it would be different. That first semester was frustrating.
Wait until you get into clinical. That is where the rubber meets the road and the real people live and work. Then you will know if you could see yourself in that role. The learning also makes much more sense after you've been with an NP in action. It also may help to think about why you decided to pursue this in the first place.
Good luck!
The one thing I liked about both of my schools was that they required all their professors to practice a minimum of 20 hours per month in their specialty. They would tell us about the cases they had seen and this made their lectures much more interesting. I'm curious, were your professors certified NP's? If so, how are they able to keep up their certifications if they aren't practicing?
I agree with everyone here. This is the start if my first semester of grad-school. I am in ANP/WHNP program. I have similar classes [advanced A&P, Advanced assessment, research, primary care of women]. I'm trying to take a deep breath.....Good luck to us all!
The one thing I liked about both of my schools was that they required all their professors to practice a minimum of 20 hours per month in their specialty. They would tell us about the cases they had seen and this made their lectures much more interesting. I'm curious, were your professors certified NP's? If so, how are they able to keep up their certifications if they aren't practicing?
One complaint of the faculty was that there was no time for practice in their demanding schedules. This university was very research focused. In the clinical courses, most were NP's - they got their practice volunteering at free clinics over the summer, in between lecturing and research. It was a sore point between faculty and administration.
In the didactic courses, like patho, most were PhD's... like a nurse with a PhD in physiology. She had a clinical background, but it was a long time ago. The majority of my 1st semester courses were this type, hence the frustration. I enjoyed clinical because my preceptors had a better view of NP issues and practice.
I am in my 3rd semester of GNP/APNP and University of South Alabama. I fell overwhelmed with little enthusiam. However, I keep thinking about what I will be able to do once I finish, I perk up. I try to keep focused on the final product. Right now I am taking 8 hours and doing clinicals. I am also working full-time but will be going to part-time next month. There is no way I can work full-time and complete NP school. So hang in there. You are not alone.
Last night was my first round of classes....and let me say, I am right there with you in feeling a lack of enthusiasm, at the moment, for doing all this! And I am only taking 8 credit hours- advanced patho, and research.
I am trying to remember that in undergrad, I felt overwhelmed at the start of EVERY semester when I read the syllabus...thinking about all that work as one big chunk. Then, when I was done hyperventilating, I would remind myself to take one day at a time, one assignment at a time. It never failed that as the semester progressed I was, indeed, busy but I calmed down and gained confidence in my ability to keep up.
I have faith (Lord, let it be true! ) that this will be the same way. I have my elephant on the plate, and took a bite last night (although it felt like I was using a plastic fork).
We'll get through it.....if it wasn't doable there would be no APNs out there, right?
Your classload seems very heavy. I was married and had 2 children when I started my program. I only took 2 classes/semester. I ended up slowing down even more because I had another baby while in NP program. My program was very flexible. Most of my classmates were working full-time so they were only in 1 or 2 classes. It became more of a time constraint when they were trying to fit in their clinical hours AND work full time. I was fortunate because I was only registry at my hospital.
If you are feeling overwhelmed, it may be "load" that you have right now. Perhaps trying to take less on each semester will better fit your needs.
@valair55: How was the GNP/APNP program at USA? I'm currently taking bridge courses and will be starting the GNP/APNP courses in aug.2012. I don't see many comments from ppl who have gone through this program. Please, give me your advice and opinions!
That load is INSANE. Anyone would be overwhelmed with all those classes. You have the 4 toughest courses in the whole program in one semester. I am in research right now and it is a PAIN!!! It is sooooo time consuming and boring. I took Health Assessment and Patho in my first semester along with health policy. It was tough but i got a 4.0. Then I took Pharm and theory over the summer. Now I have research, and women's health didactic and clinical (I'm in a FNP distance ed program). Anyway i am only taking 8-10 credits per semester and will finish in two years so I'm not sure why you have to take so many credits in one semester? Are you in a DNP program? How many credits is your total program? Are you taking summer courses? I don't see how anyone could keep up with a load like that if you want to have any type of life. Especially if you work. That's just way too much.
) that this will be the same way. I have my elephant on the plate, and took a bite last night (although it felt like I was using a plastic fork).
xos4eva
107 Posts
well............ i'm doing my fnp online and i feel so slow. first of all i feel lost at times in my classes and even though my gpa is very good i sometimes wonder am i getting the most out of my education. this semester i am taking advanced health assessment, selected topics of pathophysiology of the adult and i'm doing an independent study. i feel overwhelmed in the advanced health assessment class and the school i'm attending recently stopped their onsite nurse practitioner program so the class is not being offered onsite. i took the class last semester and withdrew from the class . i dont know if maybe it would have been better if i took the program onsite but at this point in time i find myself questioning if i am doing the right thing. i feel so lost at times