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Employers don't respect 100% online FOR PROFIT schools such as Walden, Kaplan, University of phoenix. A lot of respectable programs have transitioned to online or hybrid programs. Frontier has an excellent program and is respected by a lot of employers and they do require some on campus attendance for skills and such.
I'm attending Shenandoah University. It's very good. I've known several graduates too. I work with some and knew others personally, before and after the program. They're well prepared and as a student in the program, I can say it's very good. Lots of clinical hours, therapy emphasis, neuroscience and psychopharmacology emphasis, etc. The head of the program has a PhD in psychopharmacology and was one of the first PMHNPs in the country from my understanding.
I don't think it has anything to do with online (although I agree with previous poster about for-profit schools). Consider Regis College (100% online, but you find your own preceptors) and Northeastern (partially online, guarantee clinical placements). Both are programs in MA.
The Boston area does have quite a few well-known nursing schools offering PMHNP. Employers might be more inclined to hire from programs that they're familiar with. There are also a lot of PMHNP grads from these schools and alumni might give preference to new grads who went to the same program. If you're looking for jobs far away from Boston or you have a strong professional network, it probably won't matter as much.
The most problematic issue with online programs is the need to find your own preceptors. You'll need to find people who can precept you for at least 500+ hours across lifespan. Many online students have an extremely challenging time with this.
Drea147
3 Posts
Hello
Can anyone give me some advice on PMHNP programs? I would really like to attend college in Boston but the commute is an 1hour + 1way. My 2 children are still very young. I want to follow my dream without giving up too much. I know there are a lot of online options such as Frontier but I'm apprehensive. Is it true that employers don't respect an online degree as much as an on-campus degree? I'm afraid to go the online route only to find that I'm not as employable as my peers with on-campus degrees.