frustrated with "fluff" in my NP program

[Grnrn]

Before starting my NP program I was so proud and enthusiastic about becoming an NP. But as time goes by, I am growing more and more frustrated with my curriculum. Completed my first year and do not see the end of theories, roles, paradigms and politics etc. "Paradigm" has become one of those words that raise my blood pressure.... Diagnosis, treatment, patho and pharm. are completely de-emphasized "we are nurses, not doctors". So, how in the world do you apply the "paradigm" when you do not even know some of the essential stuff? Do we completely rely on our previous nursing experience and pay price of obtaing "NP" title by enduring hours and hours of endless and useless "fluff"??? I got much more out of my associate RN program in terms of ability to perform basic patient care than out of "advanced" nursing curriculum. I expected that we'd study similar to undergrad. issues but on a deeper level, but so far, there is no end of "fluff". I have checked out other universities programs' descriptions and they are very similar to mine....Except, for some progressive schools that, I believe, would have 2 pathos and 2 pharm. courses. Where this education will take me? What is the school thinking? Are the professors' hands tied? I do not blame some physicians who are against removing collaborative agreement.

Has anyone gone through this frustration while enrolled in an NP program? I have seriously thought about defecting to med. or PA school as a result of being so extremely disappointed. Any thoughts?

[PICUPNP]

I agree wholeheartedly! I went to a Peds Crit Care NP prgm at UPenn with no fluff! They cut it out! If I were to do this again, I would definitely have gone PA for no other reason than the education they receive. No fluff. All patient management and hard science..you know...the stuff that actually helps us do our jobs? How does Orem's theory of BS help you manage a critcally ill pt...it won't. Good luck to you.

[Dixiecup]

I totally feel your pain. I just graduated in January and feel like I wasted my money for 3/4 of the program. Seriously. I attended SLU online. The program itself was great and had awesome instructors but the program content sucked.

I kept thinking to myself "when are they going to get to the stuff that I actually need to learn to be able to take care of patients", there was very little of it.

In my opinion there should be two semesters of patho, pharmacology and absolutely two semesters of assessment. The hundred papers I wrote are of no help to me at all when it comes to working in the real world. They should certainly chuck all the theory classes and to be honest, they could get rid of things like community assessment, and even ethics. I mean, a WHOLE semester for this kind of stuff!! Had to write a paper for every one of these classes.

The only advice I can give you is get as much as you can out of your clinical experience because that is where you will learn the most of what you need.

[Sugah Britches]

A rather disheartening thread but not a complete suprise. I have just begun my NP education and have already begun to see that I am going to need to supplement with other resources. Patho has been interesting but not satisfying my "why and how" nature. ( Side Note- I understand that it was written by nurses but I have not been impressed with Huether & McCance.)

[blueindigo79]

Ahhh you guys are scaring me!! :) i'm thinking of applying to

a fnp program. Are the majority of NP programs full of fluff? What schools do you attend if you don't mind me asking? Are there any out there ( particularly online programs) that have less to

no fluff? Should I become a PA??!

[BCgradnurse, MSN, RN, NP]

Yeah, the fluff was frustrating. But, as we were constantly reminded by the faculty, we were getting a Master's degree, not just working for NP certification. I could have done without the theory and the roles class could have been more practical. I actually had one of the premier nursing theorists as a teacher for my theory class and it was still awful. I was so disappointed! I ended up totally loving my ethics class, so I'm glad that was in there. I have to honestly say that I'm learning more on the job than I did in the classroom, but the classroom taught me how to think and how to go about the differential diagnosis process. My program was very accelerated, so fortunately, the fluff was kept to a minimum, but it still felt like too much. However.....my patients say I listen better than most MDs and they appreciate that I see them as a whole person and not a "condition". That didn't come from Patho and Pharm.....maybe some of the "fluff" seeped into my brain when I was daydreaming in one of those classes!!

[gerry79]

Nursing education and fluff seem to be intimate bed fellows

[meandragonbrett]

( Side Note- I understand that it was written by nurses but I have not been impressed with Huether & McCance.)

Robbins and Cotran Pathologic Basis of Disease is your friend!

You have to remember that you are unfortunately in a masters level nursing curriculum. You must endure the theory, ethics, and psycho-social garbage that's fed you because 1-It's housed in a school of nursing 2-It's a MSN.

For the most part, you just have to grin and bear it. Use other resources to quench your thirst for scientific learning.

Good luck and hang in there. The fluff is a means to an end.

[Grnrn]

but I have not been impressed with Huether & McCance.)

Actually, I'd rather read Huether & McCance, than some of the theoretical material.

[Grnrn]

Thank you for your replies. At least, I have confirmed that I am not alone feeling this way. Hopefully, one day all the fluff would be condensed in one course and we will have more hands on, scentific and the inner workings of primary care practice (for those going into primary care) courses. Ethics was actually the least disliked, as I am aware that this will come in handy one day. However, even this subject was poisoned by studying and analyzing theories instead of learning the practical application. I was lucky to find a wonderful (and not too voluminous) book written for med. students on the subject of ethics. Short, sweet and to the point.

[Grnrn]

Nursing education and fluff seem to be intimate bed fellows

why but why????

[Sugah Britches]

Actually, I'd rather read Huether & McCance, than some of the theoretical material.

Well, since you put it that way...

meandragon: Thanks for the Robbins and Cotran Pathologic Basis of Disease recommendation!