TXRN80

This is my first and only post. In fact I don't have any social media accounts but felt compelled to give my experience with Walden. I graduated in Nov '22 from Walden with my ACAGNP. I had a job offer as an acute care NP in an open ICU Dec. '12 ! I passed my certification test January' 23 (first attempt) and had another job offer 2 weeks later as a hospitalist in a busy Level 1 trauma center. My biggest problem right now is which job to select because both are amazing opportunities that offer tons of professional growth. I received my BSN from UTArlington, a school with a reputation for spitting out great nurses. I completed 3 classes in the ACAGNP program at UT-Arlington before leaving the school for Walden. The first class was nursing theory and I spent the entire semester learning about middle range theories. This was a monumental waste of my time and money. It also contributed 0 percent to the care I provide my patients. There was one question on my acute care certification test re: middle range theories and it was a no brainer. I also took research which was typical nurse research crap with tons of papers, interpreting nurse research. The third course I took in UT-Arlington's ACAGNP program was pathophysiology and it was no different than any patho class I've taken (one in bio degree, one in my BSN program, the one at Walden was the same content). However, UT-Arlington requires 360 hours of clinicals in the final clinical versus 160 hours in the final clinical at Walden. This would require me to take a leave of absence from work which is not an option for me. I just don't see the gains from doing something like that. See the next paragraph so that I can make the point of how more clinical hours doesn't necessarily make a better provider. During my ER clinicals in Walden, I worked alongside two acute care NP students in a level 1 trauma center who were in UT Arlington's program. The doctors never had them doing procedures because they didn't know how ?. This was at the height of the delta dominated period of the pandemic and the MDs weren't going to teach them. I taught both these students how to suture when time permitted. One student told me how she was so broke since she wasn't working and her husband was working extra to help with the added burden. Anyway, the MDs were so frustrated by UT Arlington NP students in general, they no longer allow NP students in the ER. Only medical residents are allowed in this ER now. They did let me (the Walden student) finish all my hours and allowed me to do one more clinical semester☺️. There was one MD, a female ER doctor that would openly criticize these students. It was so embarrassing and also really unprofessional of the doctor. As a Walden student, I read the text book on all procedures, I'd watch YouTube videos on how to do a procedure and I my MD would allow me to perform an LP, nail removals, intubations, eye exams with woods lamp and fluroscein, priapism drainage, etc. The doctor told me the best person to suture was the person with the most time and I took full advantage of that. I would go from room to room with my suture cart. My doctor's scribe told me I had the best documentation compared to the residents. It was so much fun and I prided myself on doing my best. Walden isn't for everyone. You have to be self- motivated and put in a lot of extra time mastering material that lectures and powerpoints don't provide. My bio degree gave me an added benefit, not to mention that I don't have kids and I have tons of time to devote to my studies (which I do). I'm in several medical organizations and attend at least one monthly conference. I have worked in every area of the hospital so I was already confident that I could take care of any patient in my care. A lot of NP nurses in brick and mortar schools just don't have that experience and I laugh when I hear NPs tout the greatness of their school and then see them confused as heck when they get to cipher urine osmals and SIADH, anemias, or something as basic as fluid resuscitation ?‍♀️. Last month, I had a NP and a PA continue the patient's bentyl on a patient with a SBO. This was on 2 separate occassions with the same pt! The only reason it was caught the second time is I told the patient about the MOA of bentyl and was working against the SBO. Whoops! I reviewed the patient's meds, saw the bentyl, called the surgeon who said, "yes, please dc that." The next day, a PA came in and restarted the dc'ED med since the patient was having cramps. Anticholinergics are something that was drilled in my bio degree. In my BSN we went through MOA of all classes of meds including anticholinergics, and yep, in NP school, pharmacology will also highlight this. Yet, most NPs can't tell you about anticholinergics or list the most common anticholinergics. Not sure why? I recently worked with a RN of 1.5 years who is in FNP school at UT-Arlington. Yes, that is correct. UT-Arlington allows BSN grads go through the NP Program as soon as a year! Well this guy didn't know how to give an IM injection, didn't know which needle gauge and length to use and never heard of geodon ?. But now, I'm supposed to trust this guy with mastering graduate level material? Walden students aren't giving nursing a bad rap, dumb nurses are giving nurses a bad rap. I have 2 friends who graduated from Walden and both are extremely successful and have been in their same NP position for many years. All universities are diploma mills. They want your money. How do you think they pay salaries, maintain their buildings, add new infrastructure? It's a racket, an expensive credentialing machine. Nursing is a field dominated by women who happen to be caddy and tear others down, hence this boring debate of how diploma mills are destroying nursing. Since bedside travel nursing is where the money is at, I get to work with NPs working as RNs from all walks of life from diploma mills and brick and mortar. Guess what? None are that impressive. Nurses in general need to step up their game. At my last NP organization meeting, they passed out a list of Twitter accounts that criticize DNPs which they gave us a couple of ways that we should respond to these people. I was shocked, actually not really. This is why I don't waste my time on social media. Here is one of the Twitter accounts. I only remember the name, bc their Twitter handle made me chuckle. Dr. Karen Miley DNP, LPN, LVN, CCN, ESP, RBF, ROFL @miley_dnp A DNP who is looking forward to flying on my own! Also, follow me for tips to elevate your essential oils. These are the people you should tear down. Not your fellow peers. ugh