St Joseph's College of Maine FNP program students

[LJames13]

I wanted to start this thread for all of the new (and current) students at Saint Joseph's College of Maine FNP program.

Any info, news, updates or questions/concerns could be asked here for all the new and current students.

Any advice that the current students can give us new students would be greatly appreciated :)

For example...

1. How many books are required for NU 501?

2. Has setting up clinicals been difficult?

3. Have the current students had any trouble communicating with your advisors? Do they get back to you promptly?

4. Overall, how has the experience been? Are you glad you are in this program?

Thanks so much!

LJames13

[shannonFNP, BSN, MSN, RN]

I wish I could finish a class every 4 weeks! My classes have been averaging 6-12 days before I receive a graded assignment so I can't submit anything!

[canchaser, BSN, RN]

Shannon I wish I could too. Working 6 days a week puts a damper on my homework capabilities!

[shannonFNP, BSN, MSN, RN]

What are your plans when it comes to clinicals? I saw that they're 200 hours each and the cohort (from what I hear) is over 15 weeks which is attainable if you spread them out, but then you're also taking FNP 1, 2 or 3 with each clinical.

[karrie8o3, MSN, RN]

Hey Everyone,

Can anyone tell me more about how the preceptorships at St. Jo work? Thanks!

[shannonFNP, BSN, MSN, RN]

Karrie,

Like many programs, you'll find your own preceptors in your area. There are three "cohorts" of clinicals, each is equal to 200 hours minimum with preceptors. As someone previously mentioned, you'll want to work with mostly NP's as the handbook states a day each week must be with an NP (rather than PA, MD, DO). The preceptor must send a CV, complete two reference forms from MSN/doctorate prepared nurses, and complete an online SJCME orientation. Clinicals must be 16 hours per week minimum with preceptor. A clinical coordinator is supposed to visit the student 1-6 times during clinical experience (the hand book states six times in one area, 1 time in another).

I hope this helps! I'll let you know more when I get there!

[Jenn42H]

Hey Everyone,

Can anyone tell me more about how the preceptorships at St. Jo work? Thanks!

Info about preceptorships can be found in the Nursing Handbook, which is posted on their online SJCME website.

[shannonFNP, BSN, MSN, RN]

Here is the direct link: http://online.sjcme.edu/pdf/DistanceNursingHandbook.pdf

It starts around page 60.

[Multicollinearity, BSN, RN]

Can the clinicals be done all at the end of the program, after the didactic courses are all complete? Or do you have to take clinical courses concurrently with theory courses? I see the handbook lists theory and clinical for FNP 1 as a pre-req for FNP 2, but I thought I heard you could take all the clinicals at the end with Saint. Joe's.

[shannonFNP, BSN, MSN, RN]

You take five required courses first: conceptual bases for nursing, informatics, ethics, politics, and leadership and management. Research can optionally be taken at this time, or before capstone. Then you take health assessment, pharmacology, and patho. After these are complete you can take FNP 1 with clinical concurrently or you can take FNP 1 first and then it's clinical, same with FNP 2 and FNP 3 courses & clinicals. Clinical cohorts are 15 weeks long. After all other courses are completed, you take one of two offered capstone courses.

[Multicollinearity, BSN, RN]

Thank you for the info. I'm looking for a program where I can do the clinicals all at the end. I plan on taking a leave of absence from my job.

[shannonFNP, BSN, MSN, RN]

Technically you can. FNP 1 clinical, FNP 2 clinical, FNP 3 clinical as long as you're doing the FNP course with it. Each cohort being 15 weeks, you may finish your clinicals sooner (16 hours a week is the minimum, where you would finish in 13 weeks). If you do more clinical hours in a week, say 24 hours/week=9 weeks then you have 6 weeks without clinical to finish the the remaining didactic course material. But it will take 45 weeks. Most programs require a course with the clinicals. For instance, taking mother/baby courses supplement your clinicals in those areas.

[Multicollinearity, BSN, RN]

Ok, thank you for the info.