Share your positive experience with a distance program!

[CookiePB]

I think we all need to hear it :) Hopefully there are more than a few around here who attended an online/distance program, had a great experience with wonderful preceptors and are working as NPs! I know I have spoken to a few grads in my program (which is fairly new), who fared pretty well.

Yes, the student market is becoming saturated, but we all got here through hard work and perseverance. We have to keep at it with our goals in mind. I'm so excited to become an NP (and even excited about starting clinical )

[RNtoNPwithfaith]

Hello!! What a great post to keep our spirits up! I am currently enrolled in Kaplan's long distance MSN/Adult Gerontology NP program and every thing is going well. I will not begin clinical a until next winter but I am looking forward to starting as well. It's an exciting time to be an APN where we are viewed as competent health providers along side our counterparts-physicians. Our healthcare is seeing a lot of change and NP's, at the forefront of this change, will help to close the many identified gaps. Good luck to you dear.

-Faith, Ohio

[orangepink, NP]

I had apprehensions with an online/distance program but after the first 2 semesters, I'm really loving it. Mostly because I have more control over my time and the school gives me space to handle how I study. I'm pretty independent and proactive anyway with my studies so I am definitely more excited about becoming a FNP since I joined this online/distance program.

I think it all depends on your personality. I have a classmate that likes to be told what to do, etc etc etc. Often times, I wonder how is he going to make it as a NP because he seems to just depend on being told what to do.

[lmccrn62, MSN, RN]

I did my BSN through the university of Delaware and my MSN through Drexel, loved both programs.

[Sha-Sha RN]

I'm in an online/distance program in NY and I like it in terms of being in control of my time. Intially there was lilttle support from my instructors and I felt I was teaching myself the material, however, this improved this past Spring Semester where we had more support with video lectures and more communication for the faculty. The most challenging part is the little suport that is offered to find preceptors; we have to find our own. I almost quit the program last fall because of this and because I was being questioned by my clinical professor about my placement not being an appropriate primary care site (even though it was approved by my advisor). However, again, I did notice some improvement with that with some of the professors helping out students who were unable to find placement when the semester began. Still this area needs more improvement.

[LisalaRN99, BSN, RN]

I did my BSN through South University Online and loved it! I'm applying to their online FNP next. I looked at a lot of different options, but i keep coming back to South.

[curly65]

Have you considered the partial online program, in which you take some courses online, and other in campus? Which program is better, all online or blended? South offers this type of learning program, and I trying to decide which way to go. Any input would be helpful.

[GoBlueGirl15]

I had a friend who took at online program through University of Colorado, and spoke very highly of it so I applied there as well. I just started the post masters adult/gero primary care certificate and it's going well so far! Fingers crossed. It's all online but I prefer that. It can be tough to find your own preceptor but you just have to ask around and network a little bit.

[SandyRN1122]

I'm in my last class (advanced physical exam) prior to beginning my clinical rotations in the spring at UTEP. It's far easier than I expected. Don't get me wrong the classes are challenging. The professors are just much more supportive than in undergrad at UTA. I encourage anyone who is on the fence about taking online APN courses to jump in; cowabunga!

[BritFNP]

I enjoyed it. Had to go on campus 2-3 times which was about 4 hours away from me. I've graduated, passed AANP, and have been working 2 weeks in a primary care office (last preceptor liked me so much he hired me). Finding preceptors is not easy, and you will see that on all of the threads. It just takes effort. I had four total. One was 4 hours from where I reside so I would go for a week at a time and stay with friends. You have to make sacrifices..but hey if it were easy everyone would do it. Over all I had a really good experience with my distance program given all the potential things that can go wrong.

[zmansc, ASN, RN]

I'm in the midst of my program, so my opinion may change from semester to semester :) lol

My program had all of us who started together come on campus for a week of orientation prior to our first semester. We bonded very well, and use social networking tools to keep in touch. I think I would have a problem with the all online program if I didn't have such a strong support group to vent to, ask questions to, etc.

As for the online vs. in classroom, I always found that I have to spend alot of time studying outside of a classroom anyways, so I don't have a problem with online. I like it when classes are more individual, do these x assignments, they are due by these dates and worth this many points. I can self-regulated and get the assignments done, those classes are the best for me. Several of our classes have group assignments, or the professors dole out a week (or some number of days) of work at a time, and you have assignments open up on a specific date and close on another date. I don't like those as much as I have to do the work at their pace and that is not as convenient for me.

[curly65]

Hi LisalaRN99, I would like for you to share the experience with South, I am currently in the program. Basically, I just started I'm in my second and third class.

Appreciated.