Recently met a FNP grad from Chamberlain

kadphilly · Jun 8, 2017

I can tell you that from my experience, yes, the school does matter when getting hired as an NP. Chamberlain is mostly online I believe. Programs that are predominantly online are frowned upon for hiring at my health system.

Jules A, MSN · Jun 9, 2017

While I can't speak about the school you mentioned there is definitely a reduction in NP openings due to over saturation and most employers are now scrutinizing the applicant's prior RN experience or lack thereof and their school's reputation. We did this to ourselves.

SopranoKris, MSN, RN, NP · Jun 10, 2017

Yale is 100% online. Would that be frowned upon? So are most of the Big 10 schools. I don't see employers turning up their noses because the curriculum is online.

The issue is that some people perceive Chamberlain as somehow "less" of a school because it is mainly online. The nursing school itself has been in existence for 125 years (used to be Deaconess College of Nursing) before being bought out by DeVry. They have brick & mortar campuses as well. I finished my RN-to-BSN at Chamberlain and the material we learned was the same as what a co-worker had at MSU. Same textbooks, too. The only difference is that she had to go to campus once per semester for "seminars" and had to do a community health clinical. I could not have possibly done the MSU program because I was night shift and had to work the day before clinicals. It would have been impossible for me to be awake nearly 36 hours straight to do it. Chamberlain fit my work schedule quite well.

I really believe you get out of a program what you put in to it. Especially at the graduate level, where we're required to be more self-sufficient and less reliant on lectures. The focus is more synthesizing what you're learning in the course materials. We still have to demonstrate skills at an in-person 3 day immersion. And at the end of the day, you still have to pass the same board exam.

I do agree that there are so many schools out there churning out NPs that the market is starting to become flooded. However, as far as getting hired, it's really dependent upon your job market, how well you interview, what your connections are, etc. I had an ICU doc say to me "I don't care where you get your NP, as long as you have ICU experience as an RN first, that's what matters to me".

The hospital where I work used to require dual ACNP/FNP certification to be an NP in the ER. Now, they've changed it so you can have just the FNP if you also have prior ER or ICU experience. I was originally going to do University of South Alabama for the dual cert. However, now that I just need the FNP, I'm staying at Chamberlain. I had a positive experience with the BSN and the format fits my schedule well. I also know that I will be able to work as an NP with my current employer once I'm finished.

kadphilly · Jun 10, 2017

Yale is 100% online. Would that be frowned upon? So are most of the Big 10 schools. I don't see employers turning up their noses because the curriculum is online.
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Yale's NP program is not 100% online. It is on campus. It's DNP program is partially online with monthly 1-2 day on campus intensives and 4 week long intensives over the 3 year curriculum.

I don't know of any top 10 NP program

thst is 100% online. Some are hybrids, but they have significantly more on campus intensives and required on campus classes than a one 3-day intensive.

When looking at hiring NPs, we definitley look at the programs, and will not consider graduates of programs that are almost exclusively online. I believe it is different if you are talking about a DNP program, which is more acceptable to be mostly online, but not for an NP program.

I do agree that it depends on the area that you live in though. We recently hired some NP's, and honestly the physicians in particular were first interested in the reputation of the school they attended, and then looked at experience. In the end, we were more likely to hire a new grad from a highly reputable school than someone with experience.

elkpark · Jun 10, 2017

The issue is that some people perceive Chamberlain as somehow "less" of a school because it is mainly online. The nursing school itself has been in existence for 125 years (used to be Deaconess College of Nursing) before being bought out by DeVry. .

I suspect that the stigma attached to Chamberlain has more to do with it being a proprietary operation and the lousy reputation of DeVry than it does that the program is online since, as you note (although you're wrong about Yale), plenty of respected B&M schools now offer online programs.

But, either way, Chamberlain is going to raise a lot of people's eyebrows.

raindrop · Jun 10, 2017

I was honestly suprised to hear about her struggles. If I were the hiring manager, I wouldn't care which school. Afterall, we all take the same boards. I'd be focusing in on nursing experience and certs. There is no way I'd hire a Yale grad with 2 years of bedside over a Chamberlain grad with 10 years.

kadphilly · Jun 10, 2017

I was honestly suprised to hear about her struggles. If I were the hiring manager, I wouldn't care which school. Afterall, we all take the same boards. I'd be focusing in on nursing experience and certs. There is no way I'd hire a Yale grad with 2 years of bedside over a Chamberlain grad with 10 years.

I think the school should matter and does at my health system. Of course there has to be a balance between school and experience, but there is no comparison in the selectivity between Yale and Chamberlain.

This speaks to the culture in nursing that does not respect academia. We as a profession are selling ourselves short. Other professions would consider and Ivy League or selective university grad over a non-selective school. To imply that the quality of education doesn't or shouldn't matter in nursing is unfortunate. Of course there are stronger programs than others. Just because you are able to the pass the same boards does not mean that your critical thinking and preparedness are at the same level.

I have precepted NP students from about 10 universities over the past 15 or so years. I have had strong students from all of the programs, but the strongest students by far are from the most selective universities. There is a difference in the quality of the programs and the preparedness of the students. And the selective universities seem to attract and accept those that are the most intellectual and have the strongest critical thinking skills.

Jules A, MSN · Jun 10, 2017

Afterall, we all take the same boards.

Passing boards doesn't impress me in the slightest. Although it is the main measure of certification in my opinion the ability to pass boards is only an indication the person has mastered NCLEX style questions.

I'm one of the lucky ones who despite my actual knowledge, skill or lack thereof testing comes easy to me and I wholeheartedly believe that with a couple of months and a study guide book I could pass any of the nursing board exams without ever having taken a class. Trust me however you would not want me caring for your family member in any specialty except psych which I have solid experience and an affinity for.

Jodi0415 · Jun 23, 2017

Very interesting. While I am not one of those who frown on online programs just because they are online. But I was told by admissions counselors that this is true, especially if you eventually plan to enter the world of academia. Also when you tell someone your program is online, you can see it in their face and understand by their less than enthusiastic "oh" or "huh", that its not respected.

I was admitted to University of South Alabama's DNP program and my alma matter Cal State, Dominguez Hills (hybrid-some live classes, some online). However, thank goodness I also decided to apply (and was accepted) to a local respected brick and mortar program, Azusa Pacific University, FNP program. Because it was getting demoralizing telling people I'm going to USA an online FNP/doctorate program. Our new ED educator (PhD) even said when I told her my choices for school (I hadn't received the admissions letter from APU yet) said "Are they all distance?"

And just in general conversation people frown upon online. So be prepared to face this scrutiny if you choose an online program.

prelift · Jun 24, 2017

I think the argument is more for profit school vs not for profit. There are good online programs if they at least require campus visits and such.

For profit schools usually end up taking those who 1. do not want to put real work into his or her education or 2. those who have poor academic track record and did not get in anywhere else.

Both pathways into for profits lead to very often (with exception) poor providers and cast a dark veil over the NP profession.

I wouldnt let somebody from a for profit touch me, my family members, friends, or even worst enemy. If you are going to be diagnosing and prescribing please go to a real school, not a degree mill. The NP education is abbreviated enough, it should not be watered down even more.

If you think you are the exception then you are probably not.

Dunning kruger

dewfemme · Nov 2, 2017

I am interested in getting my online FNP cert from Chamberlain and presently work for Kaiser Permanente. Chamberlain is in partnerships with Kaiser and so we get a great discount. If Chamberlain was frowned upon why would Kaiser partner with them. Secondly I did my LVN at American Careers College, in class, my ADN at Santa Monica College 100% online and my BSN at Cal State Dominguez Univ which was 100% online. So I can truly say that there is nothing wrong with completing an FNP program online.

In fact in my experience I find that you do more work when you are an online student because you have to research and find answers as apposed to someone presenting you with the information in a lecture. I hear that USC will be or has opened an FNP online program. Getting a job depends on resume presentation, work experience and your personality/preparation at the interview. We all have to take the same exam at the end of the day. We are now in the technology age and moving forward many programs, classes and libraries are online. Just my two cents.