What happened to all the Walden Haters?

Nursing Students NP Students

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Several years ago I got into some heated arguments with people on this sight about Walden University, and their quality of education or legitimacy. I Don't hear much about that anymore.

Well let me just give a little update after almost 4 years after graduating Walden's FNP program. After graduation, licensure, and certification (ten days after graduation without a prep course) I went to work with my last preceptor in a family practice clinic. I worked very hard, and learned a great deal. I did some overtime and made almost $130,000 my first year out of school. My next year, I was given a satellite clinic on my own, and built it up That second year I made $157,000 in salary. After 2 years in family practice, I began to get a little bored, and decide to move into emergency medicine.

I took a job in a critical access hospital in Montana, became ATLS and NRP certified and started working ER as a sole provider in this rural community. My first year of that I made $161,000. Mainly though, I got a massive amount of experience and knowledge from this first ER gig. Ultimately, I started doing a little Locums work on the side, and realized that not only did I enjoy locums work, but there was a huge demand for locums ER providers.

Within a few months, I went out on my own as a private contractor working locums assignments all over the US. I have numerous state licenses, and have many ongoing contracts with small critical access hospital in many states. Also, I work telemedicine in 5 different states. This year I have made $200,000, with 9 weeks off so far and have 10 days planned off around the holidays. I work when I want to, and I am my own boss.

My point in all of this is...; My Walden education experience was a good one. I got what I needed to be successful in my profession. Don't let people tell you what you can and can't do. Decide what you want to do and do it! Don't let peoples opinion dictate your life, they don't get to live your life.

Ironically, I heard a lot of skeptics talk about how it would be hard to find a job after graduation from Walden University......NOPE, not one time have I had a single issue in finding a job, or negotiating a contract due to where I went to school. In fact, no one has ever even asked where I went to school. However, when I was sitting in an interview with a CEO a couple of years ago, I happened to look on her wall where there just happened to be a diploma from Walden University hanging. We talked about our common alumnus status for a brief moment, then I signed the contract.So maybe, just maybe, my Walden affiliation HELPED me get employed....who knows?

An intelligent person, one who really wants to learn....can, and will learn.

Of course that it is true, but it is no justification for allowing low quality programs to continue to operate, prey upon vulnerable potential students, and generally drag down the reputation and standards of nursing education. The "diploma mill" programs hurt all of us.

4 Votes
Specializes in Family Nurse Practitioner.
I'm just not impressed with CCNE accreditation at all. It's important, I get that, because all the national NP certification boards require schools to be CCNE accredited for their grads to sit for the certification exam. To me, it seem like any school offering baccalaureate to DNP programs sends in a check, an on-site inspection happens (whatever that entails), and the CCNE "badge of honor" is granted.

It also baffles me how CCNE accreditation only states the degrees that are accredited and not specific NP tracks. For instance, Walden is accredited for its baccalaureate, master's, and DNP programs. That designation does not specify which particular tracks passed the standards, did CCNE specifically look into the FNP program and decided it met standards? I have to trust that this is the case when they were last accredited in April 2010 and was given up to the year 2020 for when their next inspection is up. However, how can they now offer a brand new PMHNP track? and their AGACNP track started after 2010?

Were these new NP tracks evaluated before they start admitting students? It seems to me (unless someone else can clarify), that schools can skirt CCNE accreditation rules so easily. We really do not have a specific accreditation entity specific to NP programs just like CRNA's and CNM's - that to me, is a big issue!

About as impressive to me as gaining "magnet designation"...wait that's a whole nother sore subject, lol.

1 Votes
Specializes in Psychiatric and Mental Health NP (PMHNP).
Impressed or not impressed, I don't think your awe of the CCNE, (or lack there of) will have any influence on the process. As I have said in the past, CCNE is the current bellwether for accreditation. Your "opinion" of it's standards are absolutely, and irrevocably of NO consequence. Unless you have another solvent argument about the quality of education at Walden, why don't you just be wrong silently.

First, congratulations on your success! There are decent for-profit schools. And of course, students get out of school what they put into it. I am concerned about the bad schools, some of which have been shut down.

Don't feel bad - the same people who put down Walden put down pretty much every school, including Johns Hopkins, U Penn, and Yale. Does make one wonder - do these folks think there are any good NP schools?

As for you being a good clinician, your success speaks for itself. If you were a bad clinician, you would have been fired, sued, disciplined, etc. In every other profession pay progression does correlate with job performance, and I see no reason why healthcare would be different. A clinician that does not understand the business side of healthcare will run a practice into the ground, which doesn't exactly help patients.

Keep encouraging current NP students and new grad NPs. A lot of people on this forum also like to say that NPs can't find jobs and that they are doomed to a life of low pay. Keep the good news coming.

Best wishes for your continued success and laugh all the way to the bank!

Hi there, thank you for sharing your story, and congratulations on your successes. Just wanting to ask if you're able to share what company or companies you work with doing telemedicine? Thanks in advance for your time.

As mentioned before, this argument doesn't prove anything, other than for-profits can churn out grads that pass a board exam and get a job. Monetary success DOES NOT measure clinician skill. Of course, there will be good clinicians from these programs- those clinicians are not the problem. The real problem is the shear lack of admission, progression and retention standards that allow poor candidates to ultimately get their license. The boards are not difficult IMO. Many individuals argue board pass rates are acceptable from these institutions, again, this DOES NOT correlate to being a good clinician.

Though the OPs story of success is good, he failed to make a tangible link as to why Walden was the key to his success. More than likely, he was at least a decent clinician and spent a vast amount of time trying to understand the science and clinical application that he did not.

So once again, my opinion is the exact same of for-profits. If for-profits stopped the notion to take everyone and anyone (which basically is the economical and philosophical underpinning of for-profits), then maybe they would have more respect.

Wow, way to congratulate and support a fellow practitioner . I'll bet you're a real joy to work with . I don't understand why you're putting down the OP and saying money doesn't equate to clinical skills . Do you work with him or are you just being bitter because you don't like the school ?

It's understandable if you're advocating to uphold a standard of quality for schools , however time after time I see people complain about diploma mill schools or scoff that someone earned their education by self direction online . Online programs take a hell of a lot of commitment and those who aren't too bright probably won't pass . Why not be constructive and compile a list of what you determine as diploma mills and actively advocate to improve things. Ya think ?

1 Votes
Specializes in Assistant Professor, Nephrology, Internal Medicine.
Wow, way to congratulate and support a fellow practitioner . I'll bet you're a real joy to work with . I don't understand why you're putting down the OP and saying money doesn't equate to clinical skills . Do you work with him or are you just being bitter because you don't like the school ?

It's understandable if you're advocating to uphold a standard of quality for schools , however time after time I see people complain about diploma mill schools or scoff that someone earned their education by self direction online . Online programs take a hell of a lot of commitment and those who aren't too bright probably won't pass . Why not be constructive and compile a list of what you determine as diploma mills and actively advocate to improve things. Ya think ?

Maybe you should go back and read his post that I quoted. I'm not putting him down, I'm merely saying he did not prove his point. Monetary success does not measure clinical skill. This is how a true evidenced based clinician would think. I'm not bitter at all; merely stating a fact.

For example, I used to work with a nurse who fell asleep at the nurses station, failed to properly give care, failed to count narcs properly, missed critical labs, missed critical vitals, and forgot to chart his assessments all the time. Guess what? He made the most money on the unit because we were so desperate to staff he worked 5 12s a week. So, with the OPs principle of monetary success- this nurse must be the best clinician despite all of his issues. See the problem in logic there?

I also like the comment of "those who aren't too bright PROBABLY won't pass." I've worked along side and managed numerous for-profit NP grads and not for-profit NP grads. I've seen some great NPs from both sides, but on generality the for-profit students/practicing NPs are on the lower side of skill.

I will say it again, I'm sure the OP is a good clinician to have been given these opportunities. My whole point is that monetary success does not directly measure skill. Many underserved areas in the rural climates will pay top dollar to anyone willing to relocate.

3 Votes
Specializes in Hospitalist Medicine.
Maybe you should go back and read his post that I quoted. I'm not putting him down, I'm merely saying he did not prove his point. Monetary success does not measure clinical skill. This is how a true evidenced based clinician would think. I'm not bitter at all; merely stating a fact.

For example, I used to work with a nurse who fell asleep at the nurses station, failed to properly give care, failed to count narcs properly, missed critical labs, missed critical vitals, and forgot to chart his assessments all the time. Guess what? He made the most money on the unit because we were so desperate to staff he worked 5 12s a week. So, with the OPs principle of monetary success- this nurse must be the best clinician despite all of his issues. See the problem in logic there?

I also like the comment of "those who aren't too bright PROBABLY won't pass." I've worked along side and managed numerous for-profit NP grads and not for-profit NP grads. I've seen some great NPs from both sides, but on generality the for-profit students/practicing NPs are on the lower side of skill.

I will say it again, I'm sure the OP is a good clinician to have been given these opportunities. My whole point is that monetary success does not directly measure skill. Many underserved areas in the rural climates will pay top dollar to anyone willing to relocate.

I took a look at Walden's site and they do require that you have a minimum of 2 years experience in acute care before you can be admitted in to their program. There are many programs (brick & mortar included) that let anyone in, regardless of experience. So at least they aren't just taking anyone with a pulse and a student loan :)

2 Votes

Happy for your success. People will always hate.

Specializes in Home Health, Geriatrics, Women's Health, Addiction.

The idea that for profit schools are diploma mills aggravates me. All schools charge tuition no matter what their 501 c3 status is and some a lot more than the for profit online schools. If they could get more instructors all the schools would increase their student numbers as well to meet the demand. As far as entrance requirements, my mantra is just because you make it in doesn't mean you're going to make it out. Honestly I don't know many students who are very impressed with their schools, online and brick and mortar alike, unfortunately. My concern is there seems to always be something used to keep nurses pitted against one another. If you truly feel their is a problem with the schools as a whole then fix the accreditation process. Don't tear down professionals who have worked their butts off to meet the standards. There is an old saying, "Don't hate the player, hate the game".

4 Votes
Specializes in Psych/Mental Health.
As far as entrance requirements, my mantra is just because you make it in doesn't mean you're going to make it out.

Making it out isn't all that difficult for many NP programs. Schools can and do set their standards lower to pass more students. Unfortunately, the board exams also set the bar low and illl-prepared students can pass them.

1 Votes
The idea that for profit schools are diploma mills aggravates me. All schools charge tuition no matter what their 501 c3 status is and some a lot more than the for profit online schools. If they could get more instructors all the schools would increase their student numbers as well to meet the demand. As far as entrance requirements, my mantra is just because you make it in doesn't mean you're going to make it out. Honestly I don't know many students who are very impressed with their schools, online and brick and mortar alike, unfortunately. My concern is there seems to always be something used to keep nurses pitted against one another. If you truly feel their is a problem with the schools as a whole then fix the accreditation process. Don't tear down professionals who have worked their butts off to meet the standards. There is an old saying, "Don't hate the player, hate the game".

Some schools skip exams, and push more group projects or postings. There's less effort needed to study. Furthermore, the schools that do push exams, tend to not have proctored exams.

For profit vs Not for profit? I have yet to find a school full of people who are not making a profit. Schools are made up of professors and administrators, all of whom are profiting-- often more so in you "Not for profit" arena. Lets be real, everyone is in this thing for a profit. Also, I believe the argument presented by the OP is that you can go to Walden and find success, be that in the form of a job, advancement and monetary reward. I'm on the side that you get what you put in.

1 Votes
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