Texas Woman's U - FNP program 08/05???

carachel2 · Jul 25, 2005

TOTALLY kidding ! I start @ UTA next month so I'm a little biased. I have a colleague who is in the FNP at TWU and loves it...in fact she picked it over UTA because she thought they seemed more eager to have people in their program,etc.

I doing mostly distance learning via UTA (even though it's like 10 minutes from my house) mainly because I got my undergrad there. Good luck !

gauge14iv, MSN, APRN, NP · Jul 25, 2005

I am TWU student. Sure there are issues, but I don't think they can all be attributed to TWU, there are students who complain...my thought is

A) There are students who would complain no matter where they were. And

B) They have a 100% pass rate on the NP certification exam.

Can't argue with that!

I think the following applies to just about any NP program except the precepter part -

It is a LOT of material - a nearly overwhelming amount of material at times. Be prepared to build yourself a cave and study a LOT, especially when you get into your clinical courses. I would STRONGLY suggest clearing your deck of all potential dental work, minor surgery, and major to do's as much as possible before you start clinical courses. Prepare your friends and family for the fact that there will be times when you will not see them for days on end when you need to study or work on papers and projects.

Be sure you are comfortable with a computer, microsoft word, email and the internet. You will be spending a lot of time dealing with all of these. I also recommend a program called EndNote if you not up to snuff on APA format for paper writing.

You will also need to find most of your own preceptors for clinical experiences. I know some people complain about that, but I would rather find my own and be somewhere I WANT to be then to be assigned to a site I can't stand! Attending some of the local NP association meetings will help you meet and find preceptors.

Study groups are very helpful for the clinical courses and for pharm and patho.

It's a real roller coaster - a LOT of work, blood sweat and tears...I am just now beginning to MAYBE see the light at the end of the tunnel...

1701valerie · Jul 27, 2005

Very good info...I do appreciate it. Do any of you work? I am planning to go part-time (6 hrs for the first year each semester). I am just wondering if I will be able to work 32 hrs/week or so or will I need to scale back?

I just got my BSN from OU this past May '05 where we had to arrange for our own preceptors, do a lot of work online along with quite a few APA papers... so it sounds like I will be in for Part II taking it up a few notches with more studying and critical thinking skills. I am rather dreading the process but I don't know anyone who loves going through hellish times. I really hope this is going to be worth it all!!!

I have heard rumors that you have to recertify with a national exam every 5 years...is this true?

Best of luck to you two!!!

gauge14iv, MSN, APRN, NP · Jul 27, 2005

Working while going part time is possible. I didn't quit work in fact until I got to the clinical courses AND was taking a full time course load. There are people who work all the way through, but I will say it would NOT be easy.

As for recertification, I don't believe you retake the exam every 5 years unless you have not been practicing. You have to have so many documented practice hours or something like that every 5 years, but from what I have heard you don't retake the exam...I could be wrong on that though.