Is Walden a good school for pysch NP?

[Nurse Beth, MSN]

Dear Thinking,

While I can't endorse any particular school or program, I can give you some important things to consider when selecting an NP Program. 

It's an important decision and there's a lot to consider. Ultimately you have to make the best decision for you and your unique circumstances.

Accreditation Ensure that a recognized accrediting body accredits the nursing program. Accreditation ensures that the program meets specific standards of quality and can impact your eligibility for licensure and job opportunities. Walden's MSN-FNP program is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). 

Read What You Need to Know About Accreditation

Reputation  Research the reputation of the school and its nursing program. You can look for student reviews, graduation rates, and job placement statistics. You may see mixed reviews when you search. Reputation may affect hiring, at least for your first NP job. After that, employers look more at experience than graduating school.

Faculty Look into the qualifications and experience of the faculty members who will be teaching in the psych nursing program. 

Curriculum Review the curriculum to ensure it covers the topics and skills you want to learn. Consider if the program offers a good balance of theory and clinical experience.

Preceptors Finding a preceptor can be a serious challenge in many programs. If a program is known for having cumbersome software, preceptors may shy away. Ask the admissions counselor if they can help you find preceptors.

Flexibility Online programs like Walden University can offer flexibility, but make sure the format and schedule fit your needs.

Cost Consider the tuition and financial aid options available to you. Make sure the cost is manageable and aligns with your budget.

Licensure Ensure that the program prepares you for licensure in the location where you plan to practice . Different states have varying requirements. You want to be certification-eligible at a national level. Every state has its requirements for licensure to be eligible to practice as a nurse practitioner in that state, and each BON has a list of approved schools.

Contact the Texas Board of Nursing directly to ensure accurate information. Here is a link to APRN requirements in Texas

Support Services Check what support services, such as career counseling and academic assistance, are available to students.

Alumni Network A strong alum network can provide valuable connections and opportunities after graduation.

It's important to research and compare multiple schools to determine which fitsr your specific needs and goals best. Additionally, contacting the admissions department at Walden University to ask questions and gather more information about their psych nursing program is a good step, as well as contacting the Texas BON.

Best wishes on your decision,

Nurse Beth

[Daddie O, BSN, RN]

I have not attended Walden, but I have a few coworkers that have and I asked them about their experiences.  They both felt that Walden did not do a good job of preparing them to be PMHNPs.  They stated that they had to do everything on their own.  They were given a bunch of textbooks to read and papers to write without much interaction with fellow students or professors.  If they had questions they would maybe hear back via email in a week, which was sometimes after a paper was due.  Walden does not set you up with your clinicals, that is also left to you and can be a challenge to find.  Based on both reputation and anecdotal feedback from people I know well, I chose to not apply to Walden even though I get a discount due to a partnership with my employer.

[FullGlass, BSN, MSN, NP]

Here is why I will not precept for a student from Walden:

I am a PMHNP working for a very large outpatient telehealth practice.  Yesterday, out of the blue, I received an email from someone from Walden wanting my resume so I would precept.  No introduction, no polite request for me to be a preceptor.  Very unprofessional and rude.

At least Walden was trying to help this student find a preceptor, but the way they did it resulted in me saying no.

[FullGlass, BSN, MSN, NP]

Please don't go to Walden.  It is a for-profit school with a poor reputation.  I am a hiring manager for PMHNPs and I am reluctant to hire anyone that goes to a for-profit school like Walden because I have had bad experiences with their grads in the past.  For-profit schools are also usually more expensive than more reputable schools.  They lure you in with promises of being able to get loans for the whole program, but then you are saddled with a lot of debt.

Do not rule out getting accepted by a decent non-profit private or public school in TX.  They don't just look at GPA, but also at your experience, essays, interview.

Also, do not rule out going to a school not in TX.  Many excellent schools like Vanderbilt and Hopkins are online now.  Finding preceptors may be more challenging, but given the shortage of mental health care providers, many prospective employers are willing to precept as it is a way to recruit.  

So, apply to several schools and see where you get in and what kind of financial aid you get. 

Best wishes.

[FullGlass, BSN, MSN, NP]

I'd like to note that sometimes schools can't find preceptors for students.  For example, Hopkins has a great national alumni network, but students in their PMHNP program that are outside of the Baltimore/DC area may have to find their own preceptors.  This is true of many excellent schools that have online programs.  As a student, it is going to be a lot easier to find a preceptor if you are going to a decent school.  For example, schools like Hopkins and Vanderbilt have great NP and medical programs.  That means the chances of finding an NP or psychiatrist that went there and who would be willing to precept is far higher than going to a crappy for-profit school.  In addition, MDs and NPs are going to be more receptive to a student that goes to a reputable school that they recognize.  Here in California, schools like UCLA have very large, extremely loyal alumni groups that would be more likely to consider precepting a student that got some portion of their education there, even if it wasn't nursing.  The brutal truth is that some MDs and NPs will flat out refuse to precept a student from schools like Walden