pfruechting

I'm a doctoral candidate at Univ Wisconsin-Milwaukee...Awesome program...stellar...rigorous...great mentors...and I am thrilled I chose the PhD route. The credentials of the faculty are commendable, and most of the faculty had major professors who are internationally known. It's a research university and they are excellent at teaching. Even the stats classes were taught well and easy to follow. It gets 10 stars from me. I am in an online cohort of about 18 people, we met for a week as new students, then once the next year for a weekend, then for a month at the end of the course work. While a month sounds like a lot, most everyone felt it was well worth it, and what we gained in that month would not have been possible through only an online format. I have learned as much from my classmates as from my professors. I just can't say enough good about it. When I graduate, I'll be so well-prepared. DNP was out for me. I'm already an NP, and didn't need more clinical. After having been through this PhD program, I am much more qualified to contribute in a scholarly manner to nursing. As others have said, it's all about faculty match. My dissertation will be on child-headed households in Malawi, Africa, and my major professor is from Malawi. UWM has service and research interests in Malawi, so it's a natural fit for me. www.orphanhealthproject.com www.nursing-philosophy.com Good luck wherever you go!

The very best thing to do is get your PhD in nursing....you will learn research in depth. You are not expected to know how to do research. I highly recommend the program I'm in...online...stellar faculty....awesome experience...University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. I had thought I might do research even without my PhD but was told to be heard in this field, it's difficult to have the expertise to do rigorous research. NOw on this side of it, I see exactly that is true. There is no way I could have done it without my PhD....but the best part is it's been a tremendous experience, totally exceeded my expectations, and I couldn't be happier.

I'm considering forming a nursing organization on international orphan advocacy in which research, initiatives, and orphan health issues are the main focus. It would be sort of a specialization of international public health on everything relating to orphans and how the nursing profession can contribute. It would involve global networking of nurses, establishing a database of nurse-directed orphan research, involvement of nurses in short- and long-term opportunities to contribute to orphan health issues, interdisciplinary work towards eradication of causes of orphans (poverty, HIV, famine), and working towards long-term sustainable options that optimize orphan health (family-centered care, foster care, and adoption) and minimize institutionalization. Orphan health research issues include: attachment/bonding/emotional development, social development, nutrition, education, reduction of stigma, training of orphan caregivers, implementing non-institutional care options, and public policy. I think one of the most exciting research opportunities is how emotional development impacts physical development. Early emotional deprivation affects not only neurological brain formation but also physical growth. Quite an important thing to consider for tykes with diseases like HIV.

I'm a doctoral nursing student who is interested in International Orphan Advocacy. Very little nursing research involves orphan care, though much work is being done to decrease HIV transmission and therefore would result in fewer orphans. My passion is to bring international orphan advocacy into the nursing profession...for research on maximizing orphan health, eradicating causes of orphans, improving orphan education initiatives, and reducing the number of orphans that end up in sex trade, drug addiction, and crime. Given nursing's history of championing healthcare for the vulnerable, orphan care has been very fragmented in nursing. I would like to eventually form a nursing organization dedicated to International Orphan Advocacy. I would like to know how much interest there might be among nurses on this forum, and I'd like your opinion on the idea, pro and con! Thank you!

1. Educational background including any additional certification BSN, MSN, certified orthopedic nurse practitioner BS in consumer economics 2.Employment history in nursing EMS, ER, ICU while teaching 1 1/2 years: total of 7 years. Nurse Practitioner for 12 years, solely orthopedics, mainly knee and hip replacement and revision. 3. professional memberships AANP, NAON, Nurses Christian Fellowship 4.perceptions about the changing nature of the health care delivery system, nursing roles, and responsibilities, etc... As ARNP, probably gaining more independence. Expect more nursing research with the DNP program. Within specialty fields like orthopedic surgery, I don't expect any changes, as I am already working to the limit of the standard permitted by law. There is some talk of transition programs for PAs into MDs, not sure what might be going on with NPs in this regard. MDs I know are becoming stressed by the business competition for them to stay lucrative. Expect lower MD salaries as health care becomes more government oriented. NP salaries have been steadily climbing. 5.perceptions about legal and ethical concerns in nursing practice No change in the last 10 years that I've seen. Best defense is a good rapport with your patient and staying curent professionally speaking. 6.perceptions about caring in nursing today My soap box: Nursing is not the "science of caring"....caring is the ethic not the science. See my blog: http://nursing-philosophy.blogspot.com 7.forecast for the future of the nursing profession. The short story: With evidence-based practice (EBP) the focus, expect less philosophical and theoretical development. I expect a stunting of nursing epistemology (knowledge) with the downturn in philosophical development. For my reasons and ongoing project, see my blog (rather than reiterating everything here). GOOD LUCK! Pam Fruechting http://nursing-philosophy.blogspot.com again thank you for your time!

I recommend the FNP if you're interested in more than one area. Life is funny. You never know what you will actually end up doing, or where you may move to, or how your interests will change over the years. The doc you work with can instill a passion for an area you weren't previously interested in or vice versa. After you graduate, your school will help set you up to take the ANCC exams....analgous to RN exams except at NP level. Check out specialty organizations for the field you are interested in. ANA has a list of specialty exams. Many are at RN level. Mine was at NP level within National Association of Orthopaedic Nurses. You usually have to have a certain number of hours or years experience before sitting for certifying exams. Hope that helps!

I'm aware of these programs, but you will not be an RN, you will just have a PhD in the field of nursing. Just as I will have a PhD in an unrelated field but I cannot practice in the practical domain of that particular field. I think a PhD in nursing will be difficult because of the absence of RN experience.

You need to have a good mechanical aptitude and logical skills to do well as an ortho tech. There are tons of screws, drills, implants, etc. because ortho surgery is a construction zone. Human carpentry. LPN is not required in our state. But you must be an adept learner. Understanding the anatomy and prinicples of ortho surgery are invaluable. Ask a lot of questions of your MD so you can learn. If you understand the "why", the process of ortho tech becomes second nature. You have to be able to think on your feet, be able to anticipate what the Dr. wants which is stuff they will teach you, of course. And you must have a thick hide because you will make mistakes from time to time. MDs love good techs....they save us tons of time and make the surgery enjoyable. It's kind of like a dance. And when done well, gratifies all the team as a whole.

I'm an FNP that has been in orthopedics for 12 years now. I am certified by National Association of Orthopedic Nurses (NAON). So yes, you can specialize in that regard, yet your national certification (which is what you need for most any employer from any state) is by ANCC as a FNP.

Get the GRE. Get the Kaplan study guides. It's not so hard. Check out Univ. Kansas program (it's very good....I'm a master's grad from there and looking seriously at PhD program). The faculty are excellent mentors. www.kumc.edu

My master's is from University of Kansas and their entire graduate program is very good. They have online DNP and PhD as well as residency programs.