Online BSN to FNP Programs

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I've seen a few programs that are web based for NP school and wanted to get some honest feedback on what everyones' take on such programs are.

Honestly, I have my own reservations but I am not familiar with the dynamics of these programs. Any thoughts are greatly appreciated.

Specializes in ER; CCT.
Personally, I don't think that any NP program that's 100% online is a good thing. I think it cheapens the education and we all suffer as a result. I'm very familiar with students who graduate from some online programs that I won't name. I've known students who had other people take their tests online, because the testing wasn't supervised. People say, "We still have to pass the FNP exam!" I say, "SO WHAT!" A high school student could study and pass that FNP exam...it's that easy!

One online trained NP told me she did the majority of her clinical hours with a neurologist and never once saw a child or OB patient, much less primary care patients. She attended an online FNP program. She also told me she never met her professors nor any students in her classes. This should infuriate every FNP who struggled to find appropriate preceptors during their training.

I live in a city where there is a large online FNP program and it's reputation sucks. Very few doctors are willing to hire their graduates and it has everything to do with the program being 100% online. So, maybe there is some justice in the world!

I'm so sorry you feel that way. I would, however, like to invite you to revisit a portion of your advance-nursing curriculum regarding the concept of generalization with regards to making characterizations about reality in which no evidence exists.

Now, to the OP, let me give you my point of view from the perspective of:

1) Someone who is actually engaged in an FNP program via distance,

2) Does not support the idea that an individual with just a high school education can negotiate NP boards (as this has never occurred before) and supports the utility of best evidence, which no real evidence exists (the expert posits of the former poster and the posters' friends notwithstanding) that supports the notion that a high school graduate can indeed pass boards.

3) Understands as both educator (program and institutional director), student and clinician that the quality of any educational program varies and is based largely on what you put into your studies.

4) Have worked with both online FNP and traditional onsite FNP graduates who have both impressed and frightened me, including one from an Ivy league traditional FNP program who I would not let take care of a sick fish.

Having said that, I am in the final phases of FNP training at University of Southern Indiana, which I completely recommend without reservation. There are several benefits to this program. All course work is provided by professors who maintain an active practice as an FNP. This is important because not all programs have strong clinicians teaching all components. Some institutions that I checked only have a few, and most are lost in the world of academia. That's OK, though, if you are contemplating a research-based degree. The FNP focus, however, is in the clinical environment translating best evidence into practice.

All courses at USI are televised and recorded. If you are able to make the live lectures, they always have a live monitor, which you communicate via chat in real time and the monitor sends the questions you have to the professor, who in turn provides an answer to your question in real-time.

The reading is heavy, and takes approximately 40-50 hours per week of time to keep up with assignments, SOAP, EBP projects, etc. Clinical constitutes a huge portion of the program. In all there are 665 hours, 45 of which is for assessment, 20 hours for radiology and the rest of the 600 hours is split over the life cycle and ob/gyn management (e.g.: Peds 150 hours; adults; 150 hours; older adults 150 hours; ob/gyn 150 hours). Additionally there is a breakdown of system pathology that must be completed. For example, a certain percentage of ENT, Resp, END, CVS, etc). Each clinical term requires two site visits or team meetings between the preceptor (which you have to find on your own) the clinical advisor and you. During this time clinical content in the form of mandated objectives are compared and contrasted to what the student has completed.

The above poster alluded to a distant NP student doing all of her hours with a neurologist and didn't see any peds. This would not fly at USI nor would the preceptor and agency be approved in the first place. The faculty has about a 1:10 for clinical faculty and student ratio and they keep weekly tabs on your clinical progress with you and your preceptor and are always available in real-time for questions that come during your clinical time.

Your primary preceptor has to be in family practice (not ER or urgent care) and has to have clients across the life cycle continuum. If your preceptor doesn't do OB, you have to find an additional OB individual for the final year during spring. Additionally, you have to do time with specialty rotations that you and your clinical faculty determine would be beneficial that falls outside of primary care such as dermatology, radiology, orthopedics, neurology, etc.

All exams are administered via online and are proctored by faculty. Each ISP address is recorded and all students have about one minute per question. True, cheating can and probably has occurred via this mechanism of testing, just like cheating has occurred with onsite testing with onsite supervised proctors in the classroom setting. The only difference between the two in regards to cheating are the ingenuity and process by which those who are dishonest choose to cheat.

The only real difference between USI (which has both onsite and online FNP--they are both the same) and a traditional classroom setting are these:

#1) You may not get the same clinically experienced professors at onsite training programs than you do by going through USI. Again this varies. You must evaluate each institution.

#2) You may not get the same supervision by going through onsite training programs than you do at USI. Again, this varies and the clinical faculty at USI keep close tabs on your clinical training and progression.

#3) You will spend more money in gas by going through an onsite program versus USI.

#4) You will spend more time and effort coordinating your work and family schedule going through a traditional onsite program than going through USI.

#5) You will not have the same face to face time with other students by doing an online program, yet you will interact daily with them via discussion board postings which are mandated.

#6) You will spend less on tuition at USI then any other institution in the United States (online or traditional).

I hope this has helped.

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Specializes in ER; CCT.

Oh, almost forgot,

#7. 100% pass rate on boards at USI (there's actually evidence to support this;).

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Specializes in General.

I too looked at ISU and was impressed, however I decided to forge ahead and become a PNP instead, and ISU did not offer that route. The market here is good for PNP's as pretty much every one is doing the FNP. I am also in my last year, and I know I spend alot of time studying. My husband has affectionatley nicknamed my car the Bookmobile as I always have some book in there to read while I am waiting in line.:coollook:

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Specializes in General.
i'm so sorry you feel that way. i would, however, like to invite you to revisit a portion of your advance-nursing curriculum regarding the concept of generalization with regards to making characterizations about reality in which no evidence exists.

now, to the op, let me give you my point of view from the perspective of:

1) someone who is actually engaged in an fnp program via distance,

2) does not support the idea that an individual with just a high school education can negotiate np boards (as this has never occurred before) and supports the utility of best evidence, which no real evidence exists (the expert posits of the former poster and the posters' friends notwithstanding) that supports the notion that a high school graduate can indeed pass boards.

3) understands as both educator (program and institutional director), student and clinician that the quality of any educational program varies and is based largely on what you put into your studies.

4) have worked with both online fnp and traditional onsite fnp graduates who have both impressed and frightened me, including one from an ivy league traditional fnp program who i would not let take care of a sick fish.

having said that, i am in the final phases of fnp training at university of southern indiana, which i completely recommend without reservation. there are several benefits to this program. all course work is provided by professors who maintain an active practice as an fnp. this is important because not all programs have strong clinicians teaching all components. some institutions that i checked only have a few, and most are lost in the world of academia. that's ok, though, if you are contemplating a research-based degree. the fnp focus, however, is in the clinical environment translating best evidence into practice.

all courses at usi are televised and recorded. if you are able to make the live lectures, they always have a live monitor, which you communicate via chat in real time and the monitor sends the questions you have to the professor, who in turn provides an answer to your question in real-time.

the reading is heavy, and takes approximately 40-50 hours per week of time to keep up with assignments, soap, ebp projects, etc. clinical constitutes a huge portion of the program. in all there are 665 hours, 45 of which is for assessment, 20 hours for radiology and the rest of the 600 hours is split over the life cycle and ob/gyn management (e.g.: peds 150 hours; adults; 150 hours; older adults 150 hours; ob/gyn 150 hours). additionally there is a breakdown of system pathology that must be completed. for example, a certain percentage of ent, resp, end, cvs, etc). each clinical term requires two site visits or team meetings between the preceptor (which you have to find on your own) the clinical advisor and you. during this time clinical content in the form of mandated objectives are compared and contrasted to what the student has completed.

the above poster alluded to a distant np student doing all of her hours with a neurologist and didn't see any peds. this would not fly at usi nor would the preceptor and agency be approved in the first place. the faculty has about a 1:10 for clinical faculty and student ratio and they keep weekly tabs on your clinical progress with you and your preceptor and are always available in real-time for questions that come during your clinical time.

your primary preceptor has to be in family practice (not er or urgent care) and has to have clients across the life cycle continuum. if your preceptor doesn't do ob, you have to find an additional ob individual for the final year during spring. additionally, you have to do time with specialty rotations that you and your clinical faculty determine would be beneficial that falls outside of primary care such as dermatology, radiology, orthopedics, neurology, etc.

all exams are administered via online and are proctored by faculty. each isp address is recorded and all students have about one minute per question. true, cheating can and probably has occurred via this mechanism of testing, just like cheating has occurred with onsite testing with onsite supervised proctors in the classroom setting. the only difference between the two in regards to cheating are the ingenuity and process by which those who are dishonest choose to cheat.

the only real difference between usi (which has both onsite and online fnp--they are both the same) and a traditional classroom setting are these:

#1) you may not get the same clinically experienced professors at onsite training programs than you do by going through usi. again this varies. you must evaluate each institution.

#2) you may not get the same supervision by going through onsite training programs than you do at usi. again, this varies and the clinical faculty at usi keep close tabs on your clinical training and progression.

#3) you will spend more money in gas by going through an onsite program versus usi.

#4) you will spend more time and effort coordinating your work and family schedule going through a traditional onsite program than going through usi.

#5) you will not have the same face to face time with other students by doing an online program, yet you will interact daily with them via discussion board postings which are mandated.

#6) you will spend less on tuition at usi then any other institution in the united states (online or traditional).

i hope this has helped.

well said hopefully your response will help clear up misconceptions about distance learning. i agree with you on every statement you made.i tried on site face to face hated it it was a 45 minute drive each way three times a week, and all the professor did was read verbatim from her notes , no time to ask questions, she was in a hurry to get home. in my advanced pharm class the exams were take home, one day before class a group of students were sitting to-gether and sharing answers to the exam. professor walked by took a look to see what was going on, all the students had horrified looks on thier faces when they saw her, her comment was go ahead and share your answers i expect everyone to make a a in my course. so much for academic honesty. again thanks for your well written post. you should run for president next time around.:bow:

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Specializes in ER; CCT.
We treat asthmatics with ACEI's all the time. It's just that it's difficult to distinguish between the cough caused by ACEI's and the cough caused by asthma. There have been RARE reports of asthmatics on ACEI's having bronchospasms related to the drug.

Perhaps you might wish to revisit the literature regarding the safety profiles of using ACEI's with asthmatics, as cough is not the highest concern. Because of the close and positive relationship between reactive airway disease and allergies with allergens as triggers, which span the continuum of life-threatening severity ACEI's are correctly identified as antecedents for life threatening occurrences with asthma.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9290997?ordinalpos=1&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_DiscoveryPanel.Pubmed_Discovery_RA&linkpos=2&log$=relatedarticles&logdbfrom=pubmed

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18302843

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9028507?ordinalpos=1&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_DiscoveryPanel.Pubmed_Discovery_RA&linkpos=1&log$=relatedarticles&logdbfrom=pubmed

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9218671?ordinalpos=1&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_DiscoveryPanel.Pubmed_Discovery_RA&linkpos=4&log$=relatedarticles&logdbfrom=pubmed

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Specializes in OB/GYN.

Does anyone know anything about the program or reputation of the online University of Cincinnati Women's Health NP program? I am thinking about applying but would like some input from anyone with knowledge of this schools program. Thanks!

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Perhaps you might wish to revisit the literature regarding the safety profiles of using ACEI's with asthmatics, as cough is not the highest concern. Because of the close and positive relationship between reactive airway disease and allergies with allergens as triggers, which span the continuum of life-threatening severity ACEI's are correctly identified as antecedents for life threatening occurrences with asthma.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9290997?ordinalpos=1&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_DiscoveryPanel.Pubmed_Discovery_RA&linkpos=2&log$=relatedarticles&logdbfrom=pubmed

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18302843

Every drug is going to cause some rare, fatal event. So, we aren't supposed to use NSAID's in asthmatics either?? Not according to this study! I precepted with a pulmonologist and we had plenty of asthmatics on NSAID's and ACEI's! No problems that I remember! However, I do remember having a patient on Cipro having spontanous tendon ruptures...he was also on chronic steroid therapy (go look that one up). So, do you think we should never treat COPD's with quinolones and steroids? That pulmonologist had done it for 30 years and this was the FIRST time he had ever seen that reaction. Remember, ALL DRUGS ARE GOING TO CAUSE SOME FATAL OR RARE EVENT!

I would get a kick watching you treat my elderly patients on their 20+ meds. :chuckle Are you even a nurse practitioner?

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Perhaps you might wish to revisit the literature regarding the safety profiles of using ACEI's with asthmatics, as cough is not the highest concern. Because of the close and positive relationship between reactive airway disease and allergies with allergens as triggers, which span the continuum of life-threatening severity ACEI's are correctly identified as antecedents for life threatening occurrences with asthma.

Show me the PI for an ACEI that has "asthma" listed as a contraindication. :rolleyes:

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Specializes in Education, FP, LNC, Forensics, ED, OB.

Please, let's stay on-topic. If you wish to discuss evidenced-based practice/differing patient treatments, please start a new thread.

The topic of this thread is: Online BSN to FNP programs.

Thanks!!

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Specializes in ER and family advanced nursing practice.

To the original OP:

Online schools have afforded many people the opportunity to pursue an education that otherwise might be unobtainable. Just keep up your research. This is a great place to start. Some points to consider during your search:

1) Make sure they are accredited. Nuff said about that.

2) No NP school is 100 percent online because all advanced practice programs require clinicals. Clinicals are local and you will set up your own clinicals, not the school. If you are shy/timid that might be a factor. Also note: in many areas, even the brick/mortar schools require that their students find their own preceptors. Let me expand on this. In my area (Atlanta) all of the schools require the students to find their own preceptors. The only advantage the brick/mortar schools have is that they are more likely, but not always, to have a contract already in place with the clinical site/location (not the same as finding a preceptor for the student). Getting the contracts in place can take months to set up depending on the size of the clinical site. Hospitals are notoriously slow in setting up the contract. Individual/private practice sites are quicker. There are several NP students at my current clinical site. We are all from different programs. All of us had to find our own preceptors, and two of us had to get contracts in place. It took me about two months to get the contract in place.

3) Consider that some require minimum campus visits. I attend Graceland which requires two visits (three for ADN to MSN). These visits last around a week, and are all day every day. I know that other schools do this as well. I enjoyed my visits. It allowed to put faces and voices with the names and to meet the instructors. Very importantly we got some hands on time that I really appreciated. For example at my last visit we did pelvic and prostate exams on live models. We didn't get enough practice to obtain mastery, but it was nice when I did my first exam at my adult practicum to have some idea what was going on. Truthfully, these visits are not a financial burden (mine were covered by financial aid) and are far enough apart to not interfere with work. If you work three 12s you don't have to use vacation time. Just do some smart shift swaps. Just something to consider.

4) These schools allow part time attendance, but consider that most (if not all) are still structured. The course instruction may be asynchronous (students post at different times during the week as opposed to "meeting" at certain times), but there are still start and stop dates, assignment due dates, and test due dates. Important point: if the school is not structured with actual terms, semesters, or quarters they do not qualify for federal financial aid.

I think online has been a good choice for me, but again NP school is not truly 100 percent online. No NP program is. They are all hybrid programs, and I am thankful that they are available because the traditional route wasn't impossible for me, but this has allowed me to spend more time with my family.

Hope that helps,

Ivan

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Specializes in ER; CCT.
Please, let's stay on-topic. If you wish to discuss evidenced-based practice/differing patient treatments, please start a new thread.

The topic of this thread is: Online BSN to FNP Programs.

Thanks!!

Sorry SirI, will do!

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Does anyone out there know much about St. Louis Univ (SLU). I'm looking at it as a possible program for my personal persuit of NP! Please advise.

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