NP programs, online vs. in-class - opinions?

[mgrenwic]

Hello,

I'm not sure I am asking this in the right place, but I figure it would be best to ask working NP's not students.

I am currently down in Galveston for my interview for the BSN program and know I will continue my education after graduation. The UTMB MSN programs are all online and I just don't know how I feel about that. For some reason, in my mind, an online program seems inferior but this is just a feeling I get which I can't quite explain.

Is there any real benefit to an in-class program vs online?

Do employers have a preference?

Is the schools relationship with preceptor's the most important thing?

(FYI - I don't plan on going straight in b/c it is my opinion that a NP with no nursing experience is a big no no.)

[zmansc, ASN, RN]

Online vs classroom settings is a hotly debated subject. I think a big reason it is hotly debated is that there are pros and cons to each, and each individual needs to weigh the benefits for themselves in their own personal situation.

In my case, online was by far the better choice and I didn't feel I was giving up much of anything to not be sitting in a classroom, listening to a lecture that wasn't the least bit interesting where the professor was telling the same story I'd heard several times over by that point.

Others have their own reasons why one setting is better than the other for them.

As for employer preference, again some will say they do and others will say they don't care. Many have either first or second hand anecdotal evidence of their case, but no one (to my knowledge) has done a study to definitively determine the % of employers who do/don't care. In my case, no one seems to care one bit where I got my degree from as long as I am going to be licensed, can practice & prescribe, they are happy as a clam and more than willing to bring me on board. That is the situation as I have seen it in my small town. Other towns/cities/regions may vary. I will say that the more you network with providers, the better your options will be regardless of the program you choose.

[ghillbert, MSN, NP]

Depends how each student learns. Certain classes need to be in person in my opinion, like physical assessment. Certain others like pharm, pathophys etc I find easier online as long as the professors are accessible online to contact for questions. Yes certainly the quality of the clinical rotations and the amount the school helps you with finding preceptors is a huge factor I would consider when choosing a school. Employers don't know or care, because your degree doesn't generally differentiate between online or in-person classes.

[Cardiac-RN]

I agree that depending on what kind of student you are, learning can be achieved effectively in either the traditional or on-line format, because the meat and bones of the learning will be in your clinical experience, which will be live-in-person-training regardless : ) That being said, I took the traditional route because I like to meet people and form ongoing relationships, which I felt would be very helpful getting placed in rotations and getting hired out of school. I graduated in May of this year and am now practicing in a specialty group, but I run into former students (now providers) and faculty members (also providers) all of the time and it is great from a networking/ referral aspect. In the end you should do what makes the most sense for you, knowing that there are pros and cons to both sides.

Good luck!

Cardiac

[Dranger]

It just depends, online is perfect for those who work full time and aren't near a school. You can't beat the flexibility. As long as the school is legit (big state schools or well known private) there shouldn't be a problem

[Conqueror+, BSN, RN]

You could always split the difference and attend an online program offered by a bricks and mortar institution. They don't note on your transcript that you attended online.

[BirkieGirl]

i am in a program that is hybrid. the brick and mortar school is 10 minutes from my house, and about 70% of all the classwork is online. we only meet a couple times each semester for each class, until the last couple semesters, and then we meet one night a week. i love the fact that i can drive over to the college and meet with my professors, the dean of the program, go to the medical library, meet up with other students, work in the SIM lab, etc...i still like having that support available, but at the same time i LOVE not having to commit to going to a class every week!

[cjcalimer]

i am in a program that is hybrid. the brick and mortar school is 10 minutes from my house, and about 70% of all the classwork is online. we only meet a couple times each semester for each class, until the last couple semesters, and then we meet one night a week. i love the fact that i can drive over to the college and meet with my professors, the dean of the program, go to the medical library, meet up with other students, work in the SIM lab, etc...i still like having that support available, but at the same time i LOVE not having to commit to going to a class every week!

Exactly this!! Also consider how much (if at all) you might want to work during the program and how flexible your work schedule is. I worked full time while working on my MSN part time because my hospital paid a good chunk of my tuition this way (don't turn down nearly free education!). My program was a hybrid, with the last year of clinical rotation requiring weekly in class visits. My job and my coworkers mercy and generosity towards my scheduling needs would never have extended longer than that. So the fact that the preceding classes were mostly if not entirely online made that possible. Don't count on self-scheduling to make it possible for you to have every Tuesday evening free for three years or something.