Need Advice! CA BRN Will Not Accept My WGU Advanced Pharm Classes!

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Specializes in FNP-C, NICU RN.

I am a new graduate FNP in California with 6 years of RN critical care experience. I earned my BSN and MSN-ED from Western Governors, and then went on to complete a Post-Master's FNP program at The University of South Alabama, which accepted my 3p with no issues.

Western Governors told me specifically that these classes met the requirements for an NP Program advanced pharmacology class when I enrolled. I was very specific with the enrollment counselor about my intention to continue on and enroll in an NP Program immediately after and they assured me these classes were acceptable. I wouldn't have enrolled otherwise.

I applied for my initial licensure and received my NP license with no issues. When I applied for my furnishing license, Western Governors declined to sign the form, stating that my pharmacology classes, 3 unit C155 Pathopharmacological Foundations for Advanced Nursing Practice and 2 unit C352 Contemporary Pharmacotherapeutics do not meet the requirements because there wasn't a doctorate-level faculty member involved in the course. 

I am freaking out right now. I have been contacting both the CA BRN and Western Governors for four months and no one has given me a straight answer until they told me this last night. I am at a complete loss as to what to do, since I have already accepted two separate jobs, one of which I am supposed to start immediately.

Does anyone have any advice on what to do? I feel like Western Governors intentionally misled me, and the CA BRN is impossible to get help from. I've even written the governor for help. 

I need my furnishing license to work. This is a nightmare! ?

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I am so sorry.  CA is very stringent, it is a crime that oversight of schools is not as stringent.  

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And people continue to vehemently back the Walden’s of the world as if they aren’t doing irreparable harm for even those who go on to get certified. ?

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I would contact an attorney, the licensing board that accredited them, and the US Department of Education for starters. No way in hell would I complete all that education, spend all that time and money towards a degree, for the school to come back years after promising everything was on the up and up to tell me I couldn't get licensure because they lied. The lost wages, the financial burden of paying for their substandard education, and so forth and so on. They'd feel all of my wrath. Nobody has time for that nonsense.

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Specializes in Psychiatry.

This is one of the reasons some diploma mills are finally getting investigated. They intentionally mislead students!

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Specializes in Psych/Mental Health.

One thing to consider is to sue the school for refund for tuition if you've paid out of pocket or had taken out loans. If you can move, maybe another state will accept the school's degree.

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Specializes in FNP-C, NICU RN.

I'm going to try to come to a resolution with the school first.

Luckily, I have emails detailing all of this from when I originally enrolled. What an awful headache and disappointment. 

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Specializes in Psychiatry.

Contact the Dept of Education and open a formal complaint.

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Specializes in NICU.

Can you take a pharm class at another school?

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Specializes in FNP-C, NICU RN.

I'm looking for anywhere that I can take a class if I have to. This sucks, it's neverending .... I seriously could have gone to med school for less effort. At least I would have had more support. This is such bs, they need to standardize APRN education so this doesn't happen to anyone else.

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Specializes in Community health.
22 hours ago, RNADN said:

 they need to standardize APRN education so this doesn't happen to anyone else.

Amen. How can this possibly fall on the shoulders of the students?  Because there’s no oversight and shady schools are allowed to get away with murder. 

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Specializes in Psychiatric and Mental Health NP (PMHNP).

WGU is not a "diploma mill."  It is a reputable school.

I suggest you contact CANP and ask for their advice.  There may be an online course you can take.

Good luck.

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