Online or In person?

[Lindzg87]

Hello!! I am currently an RN working in the ICu, I have recently begun to research school for NP. I am wanting to start a family next year and was thinking online might be easier. My question is to everyone is there much of a difference between online or on campus? If so good or bad? If you love online what school do you recommend? Or if anyone attended on campus while pregnant was it hard worrying about clincials?

[FuryWin]

There are absolutely schools that guarantee and arrange clinical placement (I will be graduating from one of them this May). I recognize that it sounds like many programs are now saying they "assist with"  when that doesn't necessarily hold up, but when I say that my school promised this and then followed through, they did. I did not ever have to ever contact a clinical site to beg for hours, and my preceptors so far (NP, MD, PA) have been wonderful. I know geographically those schools don't line up for others, but they DO exist. 

Online or in-person, I think that there are definite benefits for a program that incorporates both (particularly for the skills assessments). In my program the first year was mostly online, but starting in the second year I am on-campus about one day/week. I understand this does not work for others. 

The original post asks about being pregnant during school, and NP school will definitely tax you pregnant or not, even outside of clinical. I have three young children and while I have been very lucky to have a partner who supported me returning to school, there have been many times I have had to prioritize school over spending time with them. Make sure then that any program you pick is truly worth the investment of your time....and because it is something you are pursuing as not doing so is absolutely intolerable to you. Remembering my why has been instrumental to me in completing my program. Good luck to you!

[FullGlass, BSN, MSN, NP]

BlueSandBeach said:

Hopkins and Vanderbilt are out, because of the mandatory campus show ups. I have a feeling they are out of my price range, too. 

I don't believe any of them find placements. I think that's a bunch of hooey when they say they will.

You should not assume a school is out of your price range.  Apply and see what kind of financial aid they offer you.  The better private schools like Hopkins and Vanderbilt have big endowments and offer a lot of financial aid.  There are also many other scholarship sources, which I have written about elsewhere.

Please stop saying it is a bunch of hooey.  If a reputable school  guarantees placements, then they will find the placements!  

If a school offers assistance finding placements, then be careful to find out exactly what they mean by that.  It could be substantial assistance, or it could be nothing.

Good luck.