Online program recommendations

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I am thinking of doing my FNP at Rutgers I live in NJ. Any recommendations for programs in my state or online programs?

TY

Specializes in ER; CCT.
LOL! :lol2: Are you kidding me?? I'm sitting here reading this and I'm about to fall out of my chair! You're actually comparing people who discriminate based on race and gender to people who "discriminate" against online programs? Based on this logic, businesses should now be sued if they prefer to hire Ivy League graduates instead of grads of state schools! ARE YOU KIDDING???

BTW, an ED doctor is sitting next to me reading this and he's laughing his head off too!

And I thought denial was your standard defense mechanism. Apparently we can add rationalization too. I, however, find bigotry, in the form of your generalizations regarding distance education not so amusing under any circumstance and will pray for you and your uninformed physician.

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Specializes in Nephrology, Cardiology, ER, ICU.

Whew - this is getting pretty heated! Let's keep things polite. As with the age-old ADN versus BSN argument, this one seems to hold the same result: if we are able to pass the board examination, then we meet the minimum qualifications to practice. And...like new nurses, there is a definite learning curve for new APNs.

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Specializes in ER; CCT.
Whew - this is getting pretty heated! Let's keep things polite. As with the age-old ADN versus BSN argument, this one seems to hold the same result: if we are able to pass the board examination, then we meet the minimum qualifications to practice. And...like new nurses, there is a definite learning curve for new APNs.

Good analogy and even better example.

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I think not only are you insecure about your position but jealous of those that choose to work smarter and more efficently with an online based program-it's 2008 GET ONLINE! Maybe you wished you should have done the same?!? There is no need to compare PAs and MDs with NPs they are all totally different. There may be no online programs for PAs but there is no way I would consider someone with 2-3 years (if that) of medical training to treat me (I am referring to PAs). If the public knew that some PAs have only the equivulant of an associates degree would they see them? I also wonder if you graduated from second rate brick and mortar school and feel like the only way you can feel secure about yourself is to throw off on online NP programs-There are a lot of wonderful NPs in my area that graduated from USA (an online based program) and are highly sought after upon completion of their degrees. :rolleyes:

Talk about insecure. I guess I should tell the NP that I see that she can't see me anymore. After all she only has a certificate. That must mean that despite her 30 years of experience she really doesn't know what she's doing. You might go back and look at the models and try to understand a competency based model before you dig yourself in deeper.

David Carpenter, PA-C

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Specializes in ER; CCT.
Talk about insecure. I guess I should tell the NP that I see that she can't see me anymore. After all she only has a certificate. That must mean that despite her 30 years of experience she really doesn't know what she's doing. You might go back and look at the models and try to understand a competency based model before you dig yourself in deeper.

David Carpenter, PA-C

Not true. In California there are many NP's with certificates only that are excellent. One is actually my preceptor and I'd take him over any family practice doc or DNP prepared NP in the area if I were really sick and he has a 15 month PA/NP diploma from Stanford. Back in the day, a certificate was all that was required.

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Not true. In California there are many NP's with certificates only that are excellent. One is actually my preceptor and I'd take him over any family practice doc or DNP prepared NP in the area if I were really sick and he has a 15 month PA/NP diploma from Stanford. Back in the day, a certificate was all that was required.

I believe Mr Carpenter was alluding to the fact that the level of degree does not necessarily equal a level of, or lack of, competency - I think the statement had brackets... I think he agrees and understands the 'historical' certificate of both NPs and PAs.

v/r

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Wow! Everybody's hatin' on ANPFNPGNP!

But I have to agree with him/her, that I think a lot is lost in programs that have most of their classes online. I am in an NP program now with both brick and mortar and online components, and I think I get a lot more out of the brick and mortar.

But in general, I am rather disgusted with the whole curriculum. Considering that it is supposed to be training us to be mid-levels, the lack of actual coursework that will help me actually examine a patient, take a history, make a diagnosis, and treat is disgraceful. And this is a well-respected program!

I would have done a PA program if they weren't outrageously expensive and inflexible in time demands. I agree with David C. that we need more competency-based education in the NP world.

Oldiebutgoodie

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Wow! Everybody's hatin' on ANPFNPGNP!

We're not hating, just saying you can't generalize one program to all others. I've seen plenty of grads from brick and mortar programs (Nurses and physicians) who can't walk straight but that doesn't mean there aren't excellent ones.

But in general, I am rather disgusted with the whole curriculum. Considering that it is supposed to be training us to be mid-levels, the lack of actual coursework that will help me actually examine a patient, take a history, make a diagnosis, and treat is disgraceful. And this is a well-respected program!

I also wish our NP programs were competency based like PA programs. However, I must say that I'm impressed with RUSH university. Although I haven't compared all NP programs, I was impressed that they require a total of six hours of pharm. One class on advanced pharm and another on your speciality area.

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Frankly, there are no 100 % online NP courses. Clinical hours need to be completed and that is no different whether the NP program is online or brick and mortar.

I went through the SUNYSB FNP program and it was awesome. We had 880 hrs clinical to finish and writing ANCC and AANP exams only required 450. The staff and faculty are warm, friendly and are helpful. They were helpful at orientation and seven yrs post grad when I needed some papers signed...they personally took care of that too. I think it is a great school with wonderful people.

I am highly regarded as a very capable NP and the doctors I work with respect my opinion. Many of them have no problem if they are unable to show up for personal reasons because they know I am more than competent to do hospital round on my own.

As for being a preceptor, I have heard from my NP students that I am considered a desirable preceptor.

I precept NP students from a brick and mortar school and I can tell u that they were not as prepared as we were by SUNYSB and they tell me so themselves.

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You guys that have done clinical, how many hours per week do you have to do? I'd like to do 5 days a week but I bet most programs won't let you.

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we had a certain number of hrs in each practicum

the last 3...were 250hrs each but it had to be completed within the term of the course. So you could do it any way you wanted...2 days a week or 7 days/wk

That is why by grad...I had logged 1000+ clinical hours.

I went to a p/t program but the reality is...clinicals and papers and theory constituted such a heavy workload that I and most of my fellow students had to take time off or quit f/t during the last semester. A NP program is very heavy duty.

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Specializes in ER; CCT.
You guys that have done clinical, how many hours per week do you have to do? I'd like to do 5 days a week but I bet most programs won't let you.

Very structured in my program. In the second clinical course, can do only a max of 16 hours per week and third only 24 hours per week. No time restrictions for the last one. I think the reason why, is the program has to show correlation between didactic and clinical. That is if you front load all the hours in the beginning of the term, nothing left to apply when you get to new topics.

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