Maryville University Online FNP-MSN Program?

[nd311]

Hello!

I am currently looking to apply to schools in order to obtain my FNP-MSN. I am based out of the St. Louis area, and am looking for programs that can be completed fully online (minus clinical hours). So far, I've looked into SLU and Maryville. SLU's reviews are good, but it is decently pricey. Maryville might be along the same lines, I haven't gotten that far into my research, but I was wondering if anyone has recently completed/is currently enrolled in either program? Most reviews I've come across are from several years ago so I'm looking for more recent input. Do you feel like your education is good? Learning a lot? Instructors? Manageable going to school full time and working full time? Hard/easy time finding preceptors? Etc, etc. Or if there are any other programs you recommend, or advice you have about the FNP route in general! Currently I am not married and don't have kids so I would ideally like to obtain my degree when I don't have so many obligations. Ideally, I would love to work in an urgicare, or some sort of outpatient office and get on a regular weekly schedule eventually. But am open to exploring other things, still trying to research all the options with an FNP degree! My only RN experience is with pediatrics, which I love, but I think FNP would make me more marketable, especially in an already oversaturated area.

Thank you in advance!

[traumaRUs, MSN, APRN]

Moved to student NP forum

[nicu_RN88]

Hey! I'm in St Louis too and applying to FNP school. I only applied to UMSL so far because SLU's tuition is way too high and Maryville I've heard mediocre things about.

[nd311]

Yeah that’s why I’m trying to get more input on people who have done Maryville’s program cause the only reviews I’ve seen are from several years ago. Hoping things have gotten better lol. Did you apply to UMSL’s DNP program then? Any estimate on cost?

[JBMmom, MSN, NP]

I am starting the clinical portion of the AGACNP program at Maryville University. I have friends that are already practicing FNPs and they were happy with the program. I find the quality of the courses to be subpar compared with what I would expect for preparing me to be a practitioner. Specifically the pathophysiology and pharmacology courses seemed quite inadequate. I've supplemented the school resources- basically books and your own reading, with lots of additional online lectures, programs, and review question banks that I can find. Will it be enough? I'm not sure.

Basically there is NO teaching of any sort. Teachers post short exam reviews that range from reading some answers to review questions, to just outlining the topics that will be on the tests. If you just want to pass tests, there are resources that spell out almost all the test material, so getting an A is not much of a challenge. But does that mean anything for future practice? Probably not. I've heard that the pass rate for the practitioner exams is good, so I guess there's a level of competence achieved by those that graduate.

I'm happier with the quality of the Health Assessment course, and that could be related the professor, who I find is the first professor that seems to put in a reasonable amount of effort as a professor to help students learn. But again, she's not really lecturing us or presenting material herself.

I already had a MSN, so I am only taking the post-master's course work. I think there are WAY too many group projects (and I wonder how some of my classmates can function as RNs, much less future practitioners), and I've read complaints about many papers in the MSN portion. But my MSN program also had many papers, I think that's par for the course.

Basically, I don't highly recommend it, but I think the quality of on-line education these days has really lowered the standards overall. If my life were set up for it, I would be much happier with a brick and mortar institution education, but I've got really good preceptors lined up for my clinical experiences, so I'm going to do my best with what I've got. Good luck.