Where is the best online NP program

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Where is the best online Family NP program? By best I mean..... Where are the instructors concerned about student learning and not trying to do harm to your GPA? Certainly cost is important but more important to me is a quality education that is without the contorversy of difficult to deal with professors who are not there to teach. I plan on studying constantly and writing all the papers that are required. I have heard too many horror stories of NP programs with battle axe professors that aim to see students struggle. For example, I have a good friend who is currently in a NP program here in Alabama, she is extremely frustrated by the attempts of many professors in the program to fail students. According to her, of 80 that started last year they are down to about 1/2 still remaining. They are still in the core concepts, not the clinicals or speciality tracks! That is not what I consider to be a stable learning environment. Surely someone here knows of a good, quality education facility that offers an online FNP track without the associated headaches of a bad program. I attended an online BSN program and loved it. The professors were all genuinely concerned with providing guidance and a quality educational experience. Because of this environment I learned a ton of new information that made me a better nurse. Unfortunately, that school does not have a NP program. Please email if you have any suggestions on a quality educational program for the Family NP. Thank you.

Specializes in mostly in the basement.
I was very much considering the program at UCSF but just looking at how competitive it is has me *&%! in my pants.

Any opinions or advice would be greatly appreciated-thanks!

Do remember, though, that UCSF 'regular' MSN programs generally admit the majority of those post BSN applicants who achieve the required stats--gpa, letters of rec, GRE, etc...

The soil-yer-pants competition is for the entry level master's(direct entry for non RN's w/another degree) and is a whole different ballgame than admissions for regular MSN specialty programs.

Which is why I usually advise folks to not re-apply there year after year(which many appear to do) and instead get the BSN anywhere and as quickly as possible so they can apply to MSN portion only.

It boggles my mind that some are willing to do this when alternatively doing a 1 year accelerated BSN program somewhere could actually allow them to matriculate and graduate with the same UCSF co-hort they were initially denied acceptance with in the first place.

Boggles the mind....

Anyway, not online but UCSF does great block face to face class scheduling that seems quite do-able w/a job and life..

Good luck!!

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I'm leaning towards Rush for the NNP. I'm really enthused about their program and other than having to go to Chicago for a day or two here or there, I can stay in Sarasota and do my course work online.

Kris

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I am on line at Northern Kentucky Univerisity, I have been very pleased with the program and the faculty has been great check them out at NKU.EDU

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Specializes in orthopedics.

Tammy79, Are you currently enrolled at USI? I looked at the program and it looks really good. I recently applied to Ball State and I am waiting to hear back. I like USI as well. I may apply there as well to keep my options open. Anymore info would help. Thanks for your feedback.

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Specializes in ER, ICU, Education.
Check out University of Southern Indiana. No campus visits. All lectures streamed and archived. Done in 2 years (w/ BSN). You can ask questions in real time. Most economical online MSN/FNP program in the US (under 10K for all). Good professors-very supportive and available when you call.

http://health.usi.edu/acadprog/nursing/grad/fnp.php

I think you forgot to figure in that most of us are out of state.

Graduate out of state tuition is $479/cr hr X 41 , plus fees which actually

gets the cost closer to $20K.

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Specializes in ER; CCT.
I think you forgot to figure in that most of us are out of state.

Graduate out of state tuition is $479/cr hr X 41 , plus fees which actually

gets the cost closer to $20K.

Nope, didn't forget. Everyone pays the same. I live out of state and pay the in-state tuition. That's why USI is so advantageous for out of state students. ISU is the same way.

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Specializes in ER; CCT.
Tammy79, Are you currently enrolled at USI? I looked at the program and it looks really good. I recently applied to Ball State and I am waiting to hear back. I like USI as well. I may apply there as well to keep my options open. Anymore info would help. Thanks for your feedback.

I really like the folks at Ball. I almost went there but they have a deal where you can't finish in two years. It has something to do with their philosophy. I'm not sure if they have changed their rules but you might ask them when is the soonest you can graduate. The answer might still be a little more than 3 years.

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Specializes in ER; CCT.
So all these programs:

Testing is all on-line?

As for clinicals do you have to set them up or do they do it?

At USI core exams are mostly online. You have to sign on at an exact time and are given anywhere from 30 seconds to 1 minute to answer each question. The scenarios are take home and you have 4 days to submit. H & P's are assigned throughout the term. Case presentations are submitted as well. Clinical exams are proctored by your clinical preceptor and are time and objective-based.

You are required to secure your own facility and your own preceptor before starting clinical. I'm not aware of any distance ed program that finds preceptors for students.

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Specializes in orthopedics.

Tammy79 - Thank you for the additional info! I completely forgot or didn't think I would be able to pay in-state for USI. Is that the same for BSU as well? I will ask them about how long it will take. I think they do still have it set up to be a part-time program.

One more question....is it hard to set up your own clinicals? I know a few MD's and NP's but don't know if they would be willing to precept? That is one area I am concerned about with either program, BSU or USI. Do you recommend starting to network for them now? I hope to start either program spring of 09.

Thanks again - I appreciate your help. Wish you continued good luck with your program! :yeah:

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Specializes in ER; CCT.
Tammy79 - Thank you for the additional info! I completely forgot or didn't think I would be able to pay in-state for USI. Is that the same for BSU as well? I will ask them about how long it will take. I think they do still have it set up to be a part-time program.

One more question....is it hard to set up your own clinicals? I know a few MD's and NP's but don't know if they would be willing to precept? That is one area I am concerned about with either program, BSU or USI. Do you recommend starting to network for them now? I hope to start either program spring of 09.

Thanks again - I appreciate your help. Wish you continued good luck with your program! :yeah:

I could be off-base, but I think this is an Indiana thing. I know that ISU and USI MSN students only pay in state tuition, no matter where they live. I could be wrong, but I think Ball and Purdue are the same, which leads me to believe that this is for Indiana institutions. Do your research and let us know if this is true.

Setting up a preceptor is a four step process. First, find someone willing to take you--anyone (NP or MD/DO). Second, have your preceptor approach the organization (clinic or hospital) to approve the deal. Third, have both preceptor and facility fill out the necessary paperwork to get a contract. Fourth, and most important, constantly evaluate if both preceptor and facility are a good place/person to be at/with.

This is critical. The first place I started off at had a very low opinion of NP's and this carried over to how both I and my NP preceptor were treated. Consequently I was a wall flower, following my preceptor without much opportunity to do my own SOAPs. I needed to bolt so I sought after another place/preceptor that would not exist without NP's. Basically NP's have administration by the balls--not the other way around. NP's at my new place have a sense of themselves, the profession and their importance to the operation and it shows by the tone that is set by NP's at the clinic.

The point is, I would not have found my new place without "being in the system" w/ my first preceptor. As an ED nurse, I have very little contact with the "outside" world of primary care. In distance ed, the program, clinically speaking is what you make of it. You can come out with serious knowledge and skill or be a complete clueless bimbo--your choice--its whatever you make of it.

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Specializes in ER, ICU, Education.
Check out University of Southern Indiana. No campus visits. All lectures streamed and archived. Done in 2 years (w/ BSN). You can ask questions in real time. Most economical online MSN/FNP program in the US (under 10K for all). Good professors-very supportive and available when you call.

http://health.usi.edu/acadprog/nursing/grad/fnp.php

A couple of questions about the program.

Is the 2 years full or part time?

Are you still working as a RN while in school?

Why is it that MSNs students all pay in state tuition? Is this an automatic or do you have to request it?

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Specializes in ER; CCT.
A couple of questions about the program.

Is the 2 years full or part time?

Are you still working as a RN while in school?

Why is it that MSNs students all pay in state tuition? Is this an automatic or do you have to request it?

The two years completion deal is considered full time. Don't let the units fool you. 6-9 semester units feels like 20 units undergrad.

I've worked as an RN throughout the process. It is difficult but doable. There is lady in my cohort who works 30 hours a week, is a single mom and has 6 kids between 3-17. Whenever the school workload gets hairy, and it does, I think about her and how she makes it happen.

Why do all pay the same rate? I'm not sure but I think it has something to do with the fact that all (in state and out of state) students are enrolled in a distance education process.

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