Online nurse practitioner programs

Nursing Students NP Students

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Specializes in Internal medicine/critical care/FP.

What are you alls take on the online programs. Reason I ask, is it seems many people who complete online only FNP programs seem to have trouble finding jobs. As i read in a post from one of the moderators here, nurse practitioner programs are not as balanced across the board as medical and PA schools. Does this seem to to you all who have been through online. Have you had trouble finding preceptors and jobs after graduation? For you who have completed the programs at a live campus program with no online component (this is what I did) have you noticed an easier time finding employment. There is a large online FNP program which has its headquarters actually in my area (Frontier school of nursing). My employing physician group had some complaints about a couple graduates from this program being very under par. I have also spoke to a nurse in our ER who is in there program who stated it is mostly simply writing papers. They also have a pass rate of around 60% of the board exams I believe.

How do these programs get accredited? Should our certifying bodies not put more stringent requirements on these programs. I know the CRNA program at the school i graduated from (Lincoln Memorial University) had very strict requirements for the CRNA program to adhere to. This was also true of our program. Why is this not the same for FNP or other NP programs? Should this not be a lever playing field? It just seems that the range of program quality is very lenient, thus decreasing the respect for all APRNs.

I know this is sort of a dual topic, but it makes it difficult on the rest of us, when any no name online university can simply open up a terribly put together online program which does not prepare students for the tasks required of nurse practitioners.

This is my personal observation though, with some input from physicians in my area and other nurse practitioners, so maybe this is a local problem, but I am wondering if this is more of a widespread issue also.

Cheers

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There are numerous posts on this. I don't believe it is online programs that are the problem, many of the top programs (Duke, Vanderbilt for example) offer online programs. It's for profit programs they typically seem to be subpar, and as they are often online (less investment) they make all online programs look bad.

yes, there should be higher standards for NP programs but it's never going to happen because the boards care more about money and power than ensuring quality training.

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Specializes in Emergency.

Where did you find this pass rate? Do you have any statistics to back this up? Frontier's website shows a first pass rate for 2013 FNPs AANP 99% and CNMs (AMCB) 94%. In your last semester there you take a board prep class and have to pass a test that most consider harder than the boards to graduate, so I would be surprised if their pass rate ever dropped down too low.

As for you anecdotal hearsay information about "a couple of graduates" I don't think that is sufficient information to paint a picture of thousands of others. Frontier is not a "no name" university, maybe you should do your research before you slander someone.

BTW, what is the pass rate for lincoln memorial university? Where are they published? Let's compare, shall we....

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Where did you find this pass rate? Do you have any statistics to back this up? Frontier's website shows a first pass rate for 2013 FNPs AANP 99% and CNMs (AMCB) 94%. In your last semester there you take a board prep class and have to pass a test that most consider harder than the boards to graduate, so I would be surprised if their pass rate ever dropped down too low.

As for you anecdotal hearsay information about "a couple of graduates" I don't think that is sufficient information to paint a picture of thousands of others. Frontier is not a "no name" university, maybe you should do your research before you slander someone.

BTW, what is the pass rate for lincoln memorial university? Where are they published? Let's compare, shall we....

Exactly. OP, you posted this same false information in another thread. It's irresponsible to make up statistics about a school like that - where on earth did you get 60% pass rate? Frontier is one of the better schools, and better than many on campus programs.

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Specializes in Internal medicine/critical care/FP.

This isn't about trying to say how great lays program is. We have had a 100% pass rate for several years. And anybody can post what their pass rate is on their site. Frontier is one of those for profits. And it almost lost it's accreditation several times. And physicians in my area don't hire their graduates without much reluctance due to a poor track record

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Specializes in Internal medicine/critical care/FP.

This isn't about trying to say how great lmus program is because it's not. We have had a 100% pass rate for several years. And anybody can post what their pass rate is on their site. Frontier is one of those for profits. And it almost lost it's accreditation several times. And physicians in my area don't hire their graduates without much reluctance due to a poor track record. And the schools physical campus is 10 miles away from where I live. As the person above you stated. It's the for profit online programs that are a problem. I mean you read all these complaints from people who can't get jobs. Track it back to the university. It's usually one of the for profits.

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This isn't about trying to say how great lmus program is because it's not. We have had a 100% pass rate for several years. And anybody can post what their pass rate is on their site. Frontier is one of those for profits. And it almost lost it's accreditation several times. And physicians in my area don't hire their graduates without much reluctance due to a poor track record. And the schools physical campus is 10 miles away from where I live. As the person above you stated. It's the for profit online programs that are a problem. I mean you read all these complaints from people who can't get jobs. Track it back to the university. It's usually one of the for profits.

Frontier is not a for-profit school.

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Specializes in Emergency.

Chillnurse, you don't seem to know what your talking about. You post statistics that you have no backing for. FNU has a very active jobs board, and an excellent reputation. Maybe you know of a physician who doesn't want to hire them, although from how inaccurate your information seems to be, I doubt anything you say, but many prefer them. Most graduates have jobs lined up for them when they graduate.

Yes, any university can post their pass rate. Fact is you claimed to know FNUs pass rate, and claimed it was 60%, when in fact it is in the high 90s, and has been for many years. Now you tell me your universities pass rate is 100%, but again, no facts are shown, so I'm not really buying it.

Then you go and claim FNU is a for profit. Maybe you should do more research on the Frontier Nursing Service, Mary Breckenridge, and the educational arm that is now FNU before you bash something you have no knowledge of.

Facts are preferred, especially when you slander others.

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Specializes in Internal medicine/critical care/FP.

As I said the point isn't to slander. When I have had many people complain about not finding jobs at least in my local area I want people to be informed of what's going on in my area. I live here and get patients transferred to my hospital from Mary brek all the time. Maybe people out of this region aren't having trouble with the school. But locally it doesn't have a great rap. It's not like I have a personal grudge toward them. I get my info from local nps and docs and I apologize if it is different from the info you have received

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Specializes in Emergency.

Slander - a malicious, false, and defamatory statement or report (dictionary.com).

That is exactly what you have done as you have made up statistics and statements that are totally false and anyone who lives there and knows anything about the history of the place would know they are false.

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Chillnurse, Frontier is not for profit, has an excellent reputation, has a high pass rate, and is even ranked by USNews in the top 20 NP programs (for what it's worth). I'm not sure why you are hating on it, but it is NOT in the same category as for profit programs.

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Specializes in Internal medicine/critical care/FP.

I'm basically repeating what many of the groups that hire around me state. You may be correct. Maybe they did no research the college, but they do the hiring where I live. So sadly, no matter how false their information is, it is what they go by when hiring new employees. I would be doing people a dissatisfaction by not stating what I have heard from them. As I said before I have nothing against the school or the hospital. I actually like the hospital system. What benefit would I gain by making up statistics when I've already finished my program? None. I just want a well informed community regarding what recruiters think of certain programs.

I apologize for for the inconvenience

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