epcathNP

I graduated from USI with an MSN and can confirm "no campus visits required" for that program. The costs were very reasonable as well. i have not inquired myself, but a friend of mine started a MSN-DNP program through the University of Michigan-Flint, and she tells me similar things about their program.

traumaRUS, Thanks for the comment. Being certified as a CCRN for many years prior to becoming an ANP, I am familiar with CEs (now AACN calls them CNEs). Can I assume that these will not count toward the AGACNP recertification? I now have many opportunities to obtain CMEs, and these have never been on my radar before. I do not wish to waste my time if I cannot use these for anything other than my own interest. Can I use CMEs for renewal credit with the AANC?

Hi all, Can anyone help me sort out continuing education? I am certified through the ANCC as an AGACNP, and I understand the number of CEs required, but can I use CME credit as well? Thanks!

Thanks to all who replied and for the thoughtful advice. TraumaRUS, Juan, and automotiveRN67: During my clinical rotations, my preceptors were performing invasive procedures like inserting central lines and chest tubes. However, this was at another hospital in our city. Interestingly, there are no NPs on any service in our hospital who do any type of procedure. I'm concerned that it will be an uphill (impossible?) battle to get our request approved by our Medical Staff...but, it doesn't mean that we aren't going to try.

Hi trauma, Thanks for the reply. I realize that there will be a process for privileging for these procedures. It may even be that I do them in our office. I am particularly interested in the scope of practice aspect.

Hi, I am a newly minted AGACNP with many years experience scrubbing and circulating in radiology and cardiac surgical/procedural areas. Currently I work with cardiac electrophysiology, seeing patients in the hospital. My collaborating physician does many EP/ablation procedures, including implants such as PM, ICD, and loop recorders. Lately, he has broached the subject of whether an NP could do those on the simpler end of the scale: loop recorder implants. These are done in an outpatient setting with no anesthesia other than local. I realize that all states have differing scopes of practice, and I practice in TN and KY. I find nothing to prohibit this in the states' guidelines. Am I missing something? Thanks to all...

List your starting RN hourly wage: This was in 1991, so I don't recall. Currently, I am "topped out" at about $35 hourly How many years did you work as an RN before going for NP: 21 years (24 years by the time I finished NP program) What your starting hourly wage as a NP was: Will start at nearly $88,000/year, working four 10 hour shifts per week with a possibility for profit sharing. Additional benefits include paid malpractice, paid time for CMEs Whether it's a hospital: Yes. Also will see patients in outpatient setting. What state you live in: mid-South

Adam, Depends on the class. In a couple of them, I felt that I was teaching myself at the time, and I have heard that complaint from other students. I have found that I have had to have a much different mindset than I did in my BSN courses. In retrospect, it seems that they are grooming students for independent thinking, independent study, and to put it simply...advanced practice. The instructors want students to be able to find answers, to think on their feet, and to act as if "there will be no one to ask" once we are practicing as an APN. I recall my wife getting her MSN in a different specialty several years ago. This was prior to all the online schools we have now. She would drive 1.5 hours to the school, sit in class all day, and as she put it: "bring back a box of stuff to work on until the next week's class." This helped reframe my perspective on "self taught" versus independent thinking/learning immensely. In a sense, she was doing the same as I am doing now.

Ah, the assignments... Depends on the class. In the beginning, lots of papers. One instructor said it best: "Read, synthesize, write...repeat." They want to make sure you have a good grasp of the nursing theorists, how health care is paid for (and other things about health policy), informatics (not the nuts and bolts of technology, but the concepts/big picture), and leadership. In leadership, in addition to group discussions, we had to pick whether to write a grant or a business plan. Speaking of group discussions, most of the core classes featured these...depending on the class, you might have one in depth post you begin and also a requirement to "cross-post" on two other classmates' posting per week. There were also some timed online exams. There were prerecorded lectures in most classes, powerpoint presentations, links to current information, and the like. And...there was the reading; did I mention that? I think we read almost the whole pathology book...in a semester...nearly 1800 pages. Once we started Pharmacology, and since then, the format drifted away from online group discussion. Since then, there have been all the reading you could ever want, clinical case study assignments, and online timed testing.

The only group work I recall was the research project. We collaborated with 3-4 other classmates, dividing up the workload. The remainder of the program has been individual work. Married, my children are on their own. Other classmates have a variety of family "busy-ness," though. They all are making it work, but it is a big commitment.

The 20 semester hours include the Assessment class (4 hrs in the summer) and Acutely Ill I, II, and III (6 hrs, 5 hrs, and 5 hrs in the fall, spring, and summer respectively). We started a couple of years ago with classes like Theory, Leadership, Stats/Research, Informatics, etc. None of these were easy, but I had a 4.0 until I started Pharmacology last spring. Since beginning Pharmacology, our instructors have suggested we begin cutting back on our work hours, and I can see why now. Although I still work full time, ALL my free time (I mean ALL) is spent reading, studying, or in clinical rotations. I love to read, but I have never read so much in such a short amount of time. This program is no picnic, but it IS an advanced practice degree. Although it has been tough, I do recommend the program. The instructors have high standards and I like that. You may already know that you must get your own preceptors. I have been working in my local market in one capacity or another since 1981 and had no trouble finding good preceptors. Apparently, my classmates have been successful as well...probably depends on how bad you want it!

Hi Adam, I was unable to answer your comment by replying to your inbox. I guess I have not been active enough? Anyhow, I did the 3 year part time track. All the lectures are recorded. The school uses a posting platform called Blackboard with all the class materials posted. Hope this helps.

adamRn79, I am an ACNP student at USI and will finish this summer. I have also been working full time (3-12s). My GPA was 3.75 and I have been a nurse since 1991. This program is very doable, but I have lived it, especially since clinicals started. I didn't mean to hijack the conversation, but if I can answer anything, I'm glad to. Good luck!

...or, CRNA. Besides getting an advanced degree though, there are SO MANY avenues an RN can take and still be a staff nurse. As a 20 + year RN, I (and many others here) have filled many roles besides what we started our careers as. Try looking at other types of nursing, in particular procedural areas. You might find that you would like cath lab or OR nursing, for instance. After experience in these areas, it might be possible to find employment with companies like Medtronic, J&J, Abbott Medical, just to name three. I hope this helps with your discouragement and gives you some ideas to think about...

Hi folks, I'm new here. I applied for full time as well, got accepted, and was placed in a part time track with the expectation to graduate in 2015. When I called, I was told the same as some of you; that USI was inundated with many GREAT applicants and that only 7 got in a full time slot...perhaps there were some part timers who were moved up to full time status as well?