These classes are nonsense

Published

Finished my first semester of patho, pharm, and health assessment, you know real classes that are significant to my future job. So this semester I am taking some nonsense advanced nursing theory and a bull$%^ nurse educator class. Please tell me why I have to waste my time and money on this crap? I made A's all last semester and I honestly could care less if I make 2 Cs in these crap shoot classes. I truly don't see a future employer frowning upon it. I am sure some MD that interviews me for his practice could give a flying hoot about what I made in nursing theory. Anyone else feel the same way?

Specializes in FNP.

I agree w/ Elkpark. My MSN program was outstanding. I did not have a single class I felt to be fluff, and C's did not count toward credits required for graduation. I did have a class or two I didn't love, but I knew the material to be valuable.

Trauma, I am taking a doctoral course on healthcare finance right now, and I have to say it has kinds knocked my socks off. For the very first time in my academic career (which has included 3 undergraduate, 2 graduate and a law degree) I am struggling. Not a good feeling, but a good class. this class may not impact my FNP skills, but it is sure going to make me a better provider in the long run (as long as you agree that understanding the macro issues of finance will translate into more efficiency at the micro level -I believe this whole heartedly, but that doesn't make it easy).

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Nursing Professional Development.
I agree w/ Elkpark. My MSN program was outstanding. I did not have a single class I felt to be fluff, and C's did not count toward credits required for graduation. I did have a class or two I didn't love, but I knew the material to be valuable.

Trauma, I am taking a doctoral course on healthcare finance right now, and I have to say it has kinds knocked my socks off. For the very first time in my academic career (which has included 3 undergraduate, 2 graduate and a law degree) I am struggling. Not a good feeling, but a good class. this class may not impact my FNP skills, but it is sure going to make me a better provider in the long run (as long as you agree that understanding the macro issues of finance will translate into more efficiency at the micro level -I believe this whole heartedly, but that doesn't make it easy).

Over the years, I have learned that the courses I struggle with the most are usually ones I need the most. The struggling is a sign that the course is forcing me to develop new skills and new ways of thinking -- expanding my abilities.

Congratulations on finding a course that is actually helping you to develop more knowledge and skills.

:)

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Psych, Chem Dependency, Occ. Health.
Fluff is theory and more theory. Fluff is APA, and getting a B or C in a class where the teacher does not like the sentence construction. OOPs, I thought that was English and not nursing. I might mention that I got all A's in my freshman English classes. Fluff is research where you never have class or hear from the instructor. No inclass discussions and the teacher is so "above nursing" she cannot even relate to the class. I might mention she has also never worked as a nurse. Yep, lots of fluff in the masters programs. I am in it and see it first hand. Trust me, it is a complete waste of time and resources. I am going to supplement my learning by attending some conferences. I certainly am not learning anything in my program.

This is terribly unfortunate! We had one theory class and it was 100% tied into APN practice. We have to be very cautious with APA formatting and sentence construction. That is part and parcel to graduate education. There are many of us who plan to eventually publish scholarly work, so the emphasis on APA and writing is appreciated. Our school has a full-time editor that we send our papers to before we submit them to our professors. She checks the APA formatting, sentence structure, and grammar for us. Perhaps your school has someone in a similar capacity, like in a writing center? Maybe they could check those things before you submit. Research/EBP is a valuable course on the graduate level, sorry yours was so bad. It is important to note that not every program has fluff and not every graduate student feels courses in theoretical foundations (and application to practice), research, policy, and so on are "fluff". I think part of the failure is in the schools inability to tie these core courses into APN practice for their students.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in FNP.
Over the years, I have learned that the courses I struggle with the most are usually ones I need the most. The struggling is a sign that the course is forcing me to develop new skills and new ways of thinking -- expanding my abilities.

Congratulations on finding a course that is actually helping you to develop more knowledge and skills.

:)

Thanks. I like it, it is just foreign to everything i have studied in 25+ years of higher education. I am just having growing pains. Last week i was kinda wishing I'd gone to one of these so called fluff schools ;-)

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Nursing Professional Development.
Thanks. I like it, it is just foreign to everything i have studied in 25+ years of higher education. I am just having growing pains. Last week i was kinda wishing I'd gone to one of these so called fluff schools ;-)

I know what you mean. I didn't go to "fluff schools" either. I actually earned the letters after my name. Based on what some of the posters in this and similar threads are say, apparently there are some schools out there that are way easier than they should be.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
I know what you mean. I didn't go to "fluff schools" either. I actually earned the letters after my name. Based on what some of the posters in this and similar threads are say, apparently there are some schools out there that are way easier than they should be.

I agree -- and these cheesy, easy, "fluff" programs hurt all the rest of us, because they cast suspicion on all MSN programs, including the ones that provide an excellent education and require that students perform and produce at a high level.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Psych, Chem Dependency, Occ. Health.
I agree -- and these cheesy, easy, "fluff" programs hurt all the rest of us, because they cast suspicion on all MSN programs, including the ones that provide an excellent education and require that students perform and produce at a high level.

Absolutely! I think the problem is that making money has become the driving force for most colleges and universities. The caliber of student and the quality of the program are way down the list of importance compared to putting paying butts in the seats.

Sue

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I agree with most of the people here. I am in a traditional program. For some reason our patho prof decided to make it a hybrid class..1st 2 weeks on campus and last week on campus to give finals. I admit I struggled so much with online class. I guess its not for everyone. I was so lost and was always behind reading. I am a kinetic learner (listens, sees, writes notes in the class). Per our suggestion, the university has scrapped all hybrid classes. Our assessment class was the best. After our head to toe and focussed assessment in simulation lab for couple of weeks, we were paired up with a random classmate each week. One acted the NP, the other acted the patient. The student who acted as a patient had a index card with symptoms, complaints, and disease manifestations...the NP had to get a health history, labs/diagnostics (write out what you'd order), differential diagnosis and diagnosis with rationale. We had 20 mins. Then after 20 mins we swithced the role. Everytime we switched the role we got a new index card from the prof so it was not a repeat. The other person did the same for 20 mins. Then we turn the assessment write up at the end of the class in a soap format. It was graded 10 points for each assessment. So every week, we had tons of readings and had to come in lab prepared. At the end of each class, we had a clinical conference where all students would present the scenarios in oral soap format (5 mins each) per student and if the final diagnosis was wrong, we had to explain our rationale for chosing the diagnosis. The assessment class kicked our butt. I would never imagine how I would learn assessment in an online class. For me, I will never ever take online class because I dont learn and I give kudos who do so well with online format.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Would those of you who found your NP programs to be pertinent and with a minimal of fluff please share with the rest of us the names of these programs? I, for one, would love to know. There are so many programs out there to choose from and this first hand info is very valuable.

Thanks a lot!

Up Vote Up Vote ×

NurseKJ.... I would love to know where you are going if you can share. thanks

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in FNP.
Would those of you who found your NP programs to be pertinent and with a minimal of fluff please share with the rest of us the names of these programs? I, for one, would love to know. There are so many programs out there to choose from and this first hand info is very valuable.

Thanks a lot!

Stay 1st tier or Ivy League.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Stay 1st tier or Ivy League.

Would anyone mind actually listing these programs? I'm not sure what the 1st tier schools are for NP.

I'm also particularly interested in the direct entry NP programs that are not fluff. - would it be the same list and just finding the ones there that offered DE options?

Thanks!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Join the Discussion