did they rescind the 2 year work requirement?

Specialties NICU

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Specializes in NICU.

Hey pals!

They told us today at school that the national requirement for 2yrs experience before beginning NNP studies has been rescinded. I can't find any info on this via google. Anyone know if it's true? I have very mixed feelings. I think it was a good requirement, but the temptation to get through my direct-entry program in less than five years is strong. Don't misunderstand - even if I go straight through, I plan to work as a staff nurse for as long as it takes to be comfortable - be that 2 years, or five, or ten. I was just wondering about the facts of the law. My school says they're deciding whether or not to continue the requirement themselves anyway.

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That's sad. If it's true it will only increase the perception that direct entry programs are NP factories that are only concerned with pumping out grads.

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The requirements can change but that doesn't mean that a hospital will hire you. They can be quite specific i nwhat they require of their NNPs, and most do.

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1 - Any school that has a worthwhile program will still continue to require 2 years experience.

2 - Ditto Suzanne - most job listings for NNPs that I have come across ask for 3-5 years NICU experience as an RN if a new grad NNP.

3 - I truly hope that this is not the case. It is NOT what is best for the babies and that should be the main focus when deciding entrance requirements. To lessen requirements undermines the profession, IMO. If the problem is not enough NNPs to go around, how about treating NNPs better and paying them more? This could be enough to make talented NICU nurses consider NNP rather than something else when pursuing advanced practice. Anytime you have good working conditions and pay commensurate with responsibility, education, and experience - you will have candidates for the profession, rather than having to beg people to do it and "dumb down" the requirements. They are in place for a reason.

Okay, off my soapbox...for now.

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Specializes in NICU/Neonatal transport.

Not that I've heard of. I doubt my program would let us skip it even if it was.

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I just found this at the NCC website in regards to eligibility to take the NNP certification exam: http://www.nccnet.org/public/pages/index.cfm?pageid=187

The requirement has not been rescinded. This kind of makes me wonder about the school you speak of. If they do away with the requirement, their graduates will not be eligible to take the NNP exam.

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Specializes in NICU.

I'm at Columbia, and it was mentioned by a student in a meeting, and the director of our program said the specialty director was mulling it over.

Can I just say, one more time, that I AGREE with the work requirement. I'm not trying to get out of anything.

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I understand that you're not. It just made me raise an eyebrow that a school (not you) would consider such a thing. Even if the national requirement was lifted, they would be hurting the employability of their grads. With the requirement in place, if they did not hold the same requirement, their program would not be recognized and their graduates would be ineligible to become certified as NNPs. I am just taken aback that they would consider such a thing, and if they would - do they really have any business offering an NNP specialty? That becomes a matter of them having no regard to what will happen to their graduates, just taking peoples' money and wishing them luck (while cashing their tuition checks.) Seems an unethical education practice to me.

Again, nothing against you, but raises concerns about the school and/or specialty director if they are, in fact, considering this (or maybe someone just had their info mixed up...)

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Specializes in NICU.

Sowwy, I can be a little defensive. I agree - this whole thing seems so disorganized. I've heard similar stories from ppl at other supposedly top-tier schools. It's like the more we pay them, the less they have it together. Honestly, I'm thinking of dropping out after I get the BSN and just work until I find a program that has it sorted. A lot of grads from Columbia have done this...

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Specializes in NICU/Neonatal transport.

That makes me so glad I'm at Ohio State.

Not only are they organized here, the program director is constantly advocating for improvements in our program. When we were making our curriculum plans for the next 5 or so years, she kept pointing out classes required for the general masters NP program, but told us that they were working on getting a better and more appropriate class for the NNPs.

Her biggest complaint is the nursing graduate program as a whole is not geared towards a high acuity setting like it needs to be for the NNPs, we have such unique needs in comparison to PNPs, WHNPs, FNPs or ANPs. Like, we shouldn't have to take the course teaching us how to do office billing, we need a class to deal with how to work with hospital billing depts.

Anyway, I'm just very impressed how she's constantly pushing for improvements in the program. She said they've had three direct entry students complete the program - 1, against her recommendation, decided to go ahead and sit and go to work as an NNP, the other two voluntarily decided to add the two years before attempting to sit for their boards.

anywho. just rambling on.

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Specializes in NICU/Neonatal transport.

Oh....I do have a question from elisabells....

Do you actually get a BSN out of your direct entry program?

We don't. We get an RN that is usable in our state (and potentially others, but guaranteed in our state) which means we have to finish our program if we want to leave.

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Specializes in NICU.

Geez, I can't believe it if this is true! I am of the school of thought that even two years NICU experience is not enough of a requirement. The absolute BEST education for a future NNP does not lie in grad school - it lies in working full-time in a NICU, preferably day shift when all the different services are there, for at least a few years. There is so much to learn, even as an RN, that it's only after two years that you're just starting to "get" it. And after five years, you're wondering how in the world you thought you "got" it after two years because you've learned so much more since then! And I've never seen anyone become really good at IVs and arterial sticks in only two years - they can do them, yeah, but they're definitely not a "resource" person for those skills and that's what we expect of our NNPs. Placing PCVC/PICC lines and arterial lines are even more challenging, so really those skills have to be good to begin with.

I'm sorry for the mini-vent. But I'm getting so tired of hearing people talk about this two-year requirement like it's just a chore that needs to be completed before the "real" education begins in the NNP program. I've personally never seen a nurse with only two years of NICU experience be remotely ready for the responsibility related to being an NNP. I do know that most NNP-bound students agree with that two years, but at the same time, most don't think that they need MORE than that.

Just my personal opinion, and I don't mean to attack anyone personally. I just really needed to get this off my chest.

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