Online program recommendations

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.

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.

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

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

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.

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.

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.

You know this, which is why it burns you that schools like mine are completely booked up for the next five years with students. It must be devastating for you to strongly believe in such a discriminatory position where no evidence exists.

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I've taken classes online before, so this is something I've experienced. I could have saved a ton of money and it would have been FAR more convenient for me to have done my 2 programs online. I knew that employers might question an online degree, because I've witnessed this before. It was a MAJOR hardship to go through 2 traditional programs, but it was well worth it!

It seems as if you've never heard of anyone question the validity/quality of online degrees. When I started school in the early 2000's, they were very much "looked down" on. I don't have time to get online and look up a bunch of studies to prove my point, since I'm a very busy NP. However, I did find the following link that mentions studies that have been done on this topic. Here's the link...

http://blog.newsweek.com/blogs/current/archive/2007/12/19/dotcom-degrees.aspx?print=true