jenn17

Can't write an Rx unless you become an ARNP..:)

I completely agree with this post and am so very glad someone was able to articulate what I have been thinking for a long time. In any other sector would it be appropriate for new employees to repay their employer for their training if after 6 months, 9 months, 1 year, year and a half if they decided to leave because it wasn't a good fit? Or because they have internal problems that lead to unsafe and or unhappy employees/patients? Nurses take this because this is the way it is. It's ridiculous. Onboarding, training etc are hiring expenses companies around the globe spend big money on. Keeping an employee is not always possible, for a variety of reasons, but somehow hospitals have figured out how to better capture their prey, and keep them there. How to pass along their cost of hiring and training to the employee. So many snarky commenters on here insinuating this must be a new nurse who just wants to have things her way, is ungrateful or lying about her reasons for leaving. This is nursing cannabolism at its best. This is why nurses need to have united power to help change predatory hiring practices like this. Where I live there is no signing bonus, there are just 2 year full time contracts that state you will repay their orienting expenses without 2 year full time employment. If life circumstances dictate you can only work part time, they extend the contract or you pay them. How can this seem like it should be accepted by anyone? Things need to change. No one has the right to be employed it's true and companies do have the right to hire whoever they want. But that doesn't mean that nurses should continue to accept hiring practices that are contrary to their best interest or that can potentially hurt them financially and employment wise in the future.

Thank you for replying, I wasn't sure if anyone would. Its not just this forum, it is also some of the NP forums on Facebook, articles I have been reading...even some of my undergrad professors and other nurses. These aren't things people are telling to me as I typically don't disclose anything about my FNP program/goal. They are things said between colleagues or to other students, which is sad. I am happy you can give me the other side to the story. While I was in undergrad I was in a rural health facility for clinical, got paired with an NP (only she and a secretary were at this clinic) shadowed her for a semester and that was it for me, it sealed the deal in terms of applying right after school. I attend a non-for-profit school, a 3 year full time MSN program and yeah, the for-profit schools are a lot more expensive, I don't know why anyone attends them because of that alone. Thanks again, glad to hear you are having success and providing quality patient care, it is possible!

I am finding in most of the places I look for encouragement, tips, experience etc in social media, online etc. I am finding ALOT of negativity, STRONG opinions about how "dangerous" the "massive influx" of direct entry NP programs and new RN's who "think" they can "just become an NP". It is really disheartening. When I graduate from my program (I am finishing the last week of my first year of FNP) I will have a few years working as a nurse. I basically made the decision to apply while I was finishing my BSN and then pursued it not too long after getting my license. I had to have top grades in undergrad, attain top scores on my GRE, have STRONG references and recommendations from coworkers/preceptors/instructors. And now I have to actually learn all of the material, eventually being tested on it, then having to pass boards as well as find a job. I will then have to practice in a way that is safe and effective in order to keep both my job and my license. I feel that over time the path to and scope/role of nurses, "doctors", aides, NP's, PA's, CNA's LPNS, LVNs, RNs, BSN's, ADN's etc have intersected, changed and evolved. More and more people are looking at Nurse Practitioner as their ultimate career goal, not as a goal they set after years of working as an RN. These programs have to be accredited and we are all taking the same tests, passing the same classes (with differences but they still must pass accrediting body purview) and sitting for the same boards. I agree and yes wish that I would have had more time as an RN so that I could have more time and experience under my belt with patients. But I do not believe that this makes me or will make me an incompetent or dangerous FNP. IF anything I believe that instead of having any kind of notion that I have seen it all, or have a lot of knowledge, I operate to learn as much as I can and work as hard as I can to really provide excellent patient care. I spend my time in and out of school continuing to build my foundation for my practice, remembering that I should never stop learning and that there is always room for improvement. Everyone starts somewhere and to be honest I have seen the quality of care from fellow RN's run the gambit where years of experience was concerned. The point is this, I feel almost afraid to divulge the fact that I am pursing NP so quickly and that if I do I will be judge or criticized or dismissed. I don't think it should be this way. If there is evidence collected to suggest that only seasoned nurses should be considered for NP roles and degree programs, I haven't heard of it. Until then I guess I just wanted to speak about it and see if anyone else here can relate or has experience as an FNP/NP with relatively few as an RN. Thank you guys in advance.

Hey guys! I am located in South Florida. Are yoou all doing the MSN FNP or the DNP? I am doing thE MSN fnp option. I am looking to get more connected online with any students who are going to be in my cohort, the we do better together approach really has helped me in both the professional and educational setting. I look forward to getting to you!

I plan to join my states NP organizations too, however......I did speak with someone on a forum who is in my area and joined one of the ENP networks, called every single person on their list and nothing, absolutely got her nowhere. So that is one area I was looking to that I am now hesitant to join.

I will let you know what I find, was the organization you joined one of those ENP network things?

Not sure if this is a better area for posting my questions.....I'm a student FNP about to start an online program this August. I have been trying to locate a preceptor in my area (south florida) for my Spring/Summer rotations. I am starting now because my school is one like many who require students to find their own preceptors. I researched this before applying, and even though I found a lot of desperate students looking for preceptors, I want to pursue my FNP and will work as hard as possible to make it work. I do not have the means to pay for a service like "clinical match me" and so far the clinics/health department etc in my area have all basically told me that They don't have the resources to precept students and in addition if they did, many local schools have already been asking and would come first. (My school has a campus in another state). I guess what I am asking is for any advice in securing a preceptor from those who currently precept, or have had to locate their own in the past. My family and I recently moved to this state, so we do not have any solid connections to start from other than our new primary care doctors. I am also 9 months pregnant, and because of this will not be working as an RN until September (meaning I don't have work resources yet to avail myself of yet either). Any experiences or suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thank you so much!

I am not sure what most graduate students do, I but I didn't "just get into" this program "without thinking about it first". There is a huge problem nationwide finding preceptors, schools that offer placement are usually upwards of 1,200 to 1300 or more per credit hour and students are still sometimes left struggling to find slots with an NP or physician to precept each rotation. There are a lot of articles, posts, etc about it, it is a real problem between more students in more programs and a busy healthcare system which doesn't want to take the time or use the resources to precept the next generation of nurse practitioners. I was not under the impression it would be easy, like most grad students making a huge commitment of my finances, effort and time and did a good deal of research about this issue and np school in general before submitting my applications. But that being said, I want to become a np, and I want to serve my community in that way. Just because the path to getting there is difficult doesn't mean we shouldn't take them. The trick now is to try to learn from those that have been before me or are currently succeeding in spite of the challanges. That is why I post on here.

Hello and congratulations! I came across a post by you regarding finding preceptors and how difficult it was (and still is!). I am in an online FNP program and live in another state (Florida). I have called clinics, health departments etc. I just moved here and am 9 months pregnant so I really have no connections in the health care industry just yet. I plan to go back to work this fall in my new area, but I start my program in august and want to get a jump on finding preceptors because of all of the horror stories and what I have encountered so far by cold calling. How did you finally find a preceptor? Do you have any advice? It was encouraging to see that you got your DNP when I looked up your name after reading your previous thread. Thank you for that :) I would have pm'd you but I don't have enough posts posted to do that yet on this site.

No, I haven't, I don't begin my program until August and Clinicals aren't until Spring semester. I was literally just accepted. I did ask about this when I was applying and I will be assigned a "Student Support Advisor" in edition to an academic advisor who I was told will help me navigate finding a clinical site/preceptor to the extent of ideas/approaches to use when looking, but ultimately it is my responsibility. It is an online program. I am planning on calling tomorrow to see what they can do in terms of pointing me in the right direction.

So I've been accepted to a program that provides "support" finding a clinical preceptor (I imagine its like ideas and strategies rather than actual leads/lists/sites). The school is in Illinois, I am in florida. I havent even started the first semester (its a fall start) but I wanted to get a jump on it because of the horror stories I have heard on these boards and online in general. The places I have called have told me that they don't have the resources to precept and that if they did they would do it with local institutions that they had affiliations with in their community. I feel like I am losing this battle before I even begin. What should I do? I don't have the money to buy preceptor connections from those online companies and I cannot postpone this already 3 year program. Please help, any ideas or experience would really help.

Is anyone out there currently in a Bradley University Graduate program? I am applying to the Fall 2016 FNP program and there do not seem to be many people on here in terms of any students within this program. I would LOVE to hear from someone who is going to attend or currently attending. :)

Hey all, is there anyone here who is thinking about applying to University of Florida (gainesville) BSN to DNP for Fall 2016?? I haven't seen anyone post yet if so.

Anyone else applying to the BSN-DNP Program for UF for Fall 2016? I am currently finishing up my BSN and am getting ready to apply for this program. I am curious to know if anyone has any friends who have attended/been accepted or have been accepted themselves and would like to share their experiences related to the application process, GPA's accepted, GRE scores, what the program is like etc. I plan on working as a nurse as soon as I graduate in Feb. and hopefully starting the BSN-DNP program in the fall. I'm not sure if working part time as an RN during full-time study is possible, but its my plan as of now! Anyway, if there is anyone who is about to embark on this journey or if someone that already has started their program comes across this post, I would love to hear about your experience and/or share the journey to DNP at UF with you.