Nursenick123

I need help deciding between Vanderbilt and Belmont for my MSN. I feel like I default to thinking Vanderbilt is the right choice because of the name, but I have an unsettling feeling about the program. I also know the degree itself differs between the two, but my ultimate goal is either specialty outpatient care (cardiology) or emergency (which is where I work as an RN) and from what I've read either routes work for these setting (with caveats). Here are the specifics for each: Vandy: AGACNP - great school with a great reputation in healthcare - pretty much fully online. There are in person skill labs a couple times a semester, but otherwise online. Makes me a little uneasy. They have a huge and expensive looking nursing school, so why do I have to attend lectures on my couch. Is it just to vastly increase the class sizes? -only about 40 credit hours and 600 clinical hours! This is the other part that makes me uneasy - guarantee clinical placements (I believe mostly at their medical center next door) - typically only 3 semesters, but I applied part time so would be 2 years of part time study Belmont: FNP - has a good local reputation, but no where near the national reputation of Vandy - fully in-person - 60 credit hours and 800-1000+ clinical hours (when I interviewed they were in the process of bulking up the clinical requirements of the program) - also guarantees clinical placements. - still cheaper, despite being 1.5x the bulk of vandy - 3 years to complete on a part time I can't tell if I'm being naive thinking that the "prestige" of a school can out shadow the actual content and program requirements, or if I'm being naive thinking a local school can set me up for the same opportunities a big name school could. my ultimate goal is just to be a well educated and safe practitioner. I eventually plan to move back to my medium-sized city. It has a vast medical scene with a handful of large hospitals / specialty care, but no "elite" medical centers. So how much will having a big name school actually matter? Will just being a good practitioner give me all the opportunities I need? Am I just getting in my own head about this, and will either school be fine?

The program I'm going into is an AGAC-NP Program, I just say outpatient cardiology because my school offers sub-specialty education (which would involve an additional 3 credit course on cardiology with an associated clinical). The part time program is also set up really nicely for my situation, as the first year is strictly foundational classes (physiology/pathophysiology/healthcare economics) and health assessment, advance practice classes, and clinical all happen the second year

Yes that is the case with me! I've opted to attend the program part-time so I can keep full time employment through the program

Thank you for the response! And I didn't mean to minimize the need for RN experience, I picked the part time program specifically to get experience. But for critical care experience, the ER I work in is a level 1 trauma center. I haven't had experiences other than an ER, so would a level 1 center be adequate for critical care, or is there stuff seen in an ICU that isn't seen in an ER?

I've thought a lot about both, but med school just isn't for me. Already being late twenties and getting ready to start a family, the commitment for medical school and residency is just not something I could (or want to) fit into my life. I also like the role of a mid level provider. I love being on the diagnostic/prescriptive side of timings, but also like working with a team where I have someone above me to consult and continuously learn from. And PA school is an option I've considered quite a bit, but I like the role of the NP more. I know what I don't want to do (Peds, psych, OB, primary care) so I find it a better use of my time to dive deeper into acute care than spend more time getting a broader education.

First, I do really appreciate this comment, because I am trying to work through my own line of thinking on the topic and am open to criticism! But I never fully understood the idea of needing experience to be an NP, because the jobs are so fundamentally different. There is obvious connections between them, but the core aspects of being an NP (diagnosing, prescribing, procedures) you don't do as a nurse. I see it more valuable 5 years down the line to be an NP with 5 years of NP experience than an NP with 1 year NP experience and 4 years RN experience. I've almost found that information that will be relevant at the next level (pathophysiology, pharmacology, biochemistry, etc) is more fresh in my mind coming right out of school than experienced nurses I've worked with. I also don't want to completely diminish the need for experience on the next level, which is why I intentionally applied to attend part time so I can keep working full time for the 2.5 years in the program. I'm not saying I don't need any experience, but is 2.5 years isn't enough what is? on top of that, I made sure to avoid any "degree mill" programs. The school I would be attending is a well established university with a massive medical system, associated med school (which offers opportunity for inter-professional learning between the two), and a large world-class academic medical center right next door with guaranteed and pre-arranged rotation sites in any sub-specialty we decide to pursue.

Would you say it's a mistake because the previous nurses just didn't know what they wanted, or they weren't prepared to take it on? I think one place I differ from a lot of new nurses is my age, as I am in my late 20s. I have at least been around in the healthcare world quite a bit longer (even though I am new as a nurse).

This is a long post, but I'm really looking for input from nurses, NPs, or any other providers. I'm a couple months into my nursing career and have just been accepted into an NP Program, and am wondering if I am making a mistake. I feel ready, but others have told me I shouldn't. For a little background, I went to a second degree BSN program, and got my first degree in biomedical neuroscience. I graduated my BSN with a 4.0, tutored all med-surg and critical care classes in my program, spent a year working in an ED during school, and currently am in orientation as a nurse in a level 1 trauma ED at a big university health center. I got into adult-acute care NP school in the same university that I work at. It has a great reputation consistently ranking in the top 5 for NP schools in my specialty and was ranked #1 this year for AGACNP. I was approved to attend on a part time basis so I can hold full time work through the program, and get to spend the first year attending non-clinical foundational classes (physiology/pathophysiology, healthcare economics, introduction to practice, etc) then start my core classes the second year. I'll be starting the program as a new grad, but by the time I ever see a patient in school as a NP or take clinical classes I'll have nearly 1.5 year of experience (nearly 3 years by the time I graduate). In my limited time so far as a nurse, I am definitely humbled by how much I don't know in the realm of nursing, but still feel as confident as ever in my understanding of fundamental sciences (Patho/pharm/physiology) so I still just feel ready to move onto further education. I've gotten pushback from a lot of nurses, but encouragement from my professors, preceptors, and my nurse educator in my previous ED job. I am wondering if I am just being too naive in thinking I am ready for this. I want to go on to NP solely because I really enjoy diving deeper into diseases and their treatment. I want to go onto outpatient cardiology after school and attend a cardiology fellowship to get a more structured and hands on patient care at the NP level. I think my first undergrad degree prepared me to take on the graduate classes quicker, as I got a lot more exposed to organic chemistry/biochem/physiology, but am wondering if this is too quick, even attending part time. In no way do I want to cut corners to becoming a provider and would never want to jeopardize patient safety, but I just feel ready to take on the additional responsibilities.

Thanks for the response! Do you feel like the in person labs give you enough time to get assessment skills and procedures down?

I am preparing to attend NP school in the fall and have been accepted into two different NP programs and am struggling to decide between the two. One of the schools is the University of Vanderbilt, which has a recognizable name and great reputation and the other is a small local university (University if Belmont). My gut tells me to pick Vanderbilt because of its massive reputation in healthcare and high ranking MSN program, but Belmont just seems to have a better program. Belmont is fully in person and had nearly double the clinical hours as Vanderbilt does. Vanderbilt does have some advantages, as it offers specialty classes (I.e cardiology, neuro-critical care, etc) that Belmont doesn't, but the program itself is a hybrid format with only a handful of immersive weekend experiences on campus per semester. I'm torn between the name/prestige of a big university or the personal investment that the small school offers. I am hoping to get into cardiology and am planning to attend a cardiology fellowship (likely at another big university, because that seems to be where they predominantly exist), so wonder how much having a big name on a resume could affect that. I am also curious is anyone has done a hybrid NP Program, and how it went. I'm very hesitant of online programs, but this format does offer full weekends on campus to practice skills. And both programs do coordinate the clinical placements.