Those who have done distance learning

I attended Loyola University New Orleans. Most of it was online but we had dates to be on campus every year. I even completed some of my clinical hours in Louisiana. Every semester a faculty member visited each student on the clinical site and evaluated us. I feel that I had the best of both worlds. Honestly, no education can fully prepare you to transition from RN to NP. There is a learning curve and you feel like you are doggie paddling for the first year I am told. I am four months into my first job as an NP. I am constantly learning and asking questions. Best advice is to KNOW what you DO NOT KNOW. New providers that don't ask questions or look anything up are scary.

So far I'm really liking the modified distance set-up. My first two degrees were face to face and, in all honesty, much of it was unnecessary and a waste of my time. One of my professor's this semester has voice over power points and it is incredibly convenient. I can download them to my computer and go to the park and listen to them with my book open next to me. I didn't hear/catch something? I can just rewind and listen again. I can pause and restart if I need to. No wasting time every day driving to campus and sitting in class bored out of my mind and tired and not paying attention. I am a responsible adult and a driven learner who can prioritize and do things on my own time. I know reading the text book is dry and difficult at times. But listening to a horrible lecturer drone on is just as bad (and let's be honest, the majority of professors I've had haven't been great).

Now, my school has mandatory weeks on campus to do standardized exams and skills labs, etc. But the onus is on me to learn the material. As it should be. And I like it that way.

Thank you all for responding! You guys have given me some things to think about. I appreciate the input!

Did a MS in Health Care admin totally online from a brick and morter school. I found I am a MUCH better student as an adult than fresh out of HS!!! Worked beautifully for me, the only time I stepped on campus was to walk for my degree!

Hi I was just wondering, if I want to go to Loyola to be a FNP, do I need RN experience ? If so how much? Thanks :)

I think you should go to loyno.edu and read over what is necessary for entry.

I think it depends on your learning style. If I had to do it all over again I would have done a hybrid course. Especially for skills and assessment courses.

The distance option works better (IMO) with NP students who have been nurses more than a minute. The newer one may benefit more from the on site delivery. Also, you need to create time in your week to study and complete online assignments. It requires a bit more self discipline. I have done both and there are good an bad, but overall I prefer online.

I found in class the lectures were filled with stuff I did not need (like the instructors views on politics or where they went on vacation). I have even sat through lectured via PPT where they read line per line. I can read on my time and online lectures (recorded) are great because you can play them at double speed or have the audio on while you do other things. Plus, I enjoy working on projects at 0200-0300 and having the rest of the day to myself.

I would add that distance learning is largely for self disciplined students...ie...YOU are your teacher. Your on campus instructors just guide you for the most part. So if you are not disciplined, don't do it. Also, as to how prepared you are to enter practice I would say it depends on the practice specialty, your preceptor experience, and how comfortable you are now as an RN. I had no problem with patients-my problem is other doctors or mid-levels egos. Patients are helpful and understanding whereas new co-workers or employers are sometimes measuring you up as soon as you step in the door which is unfortunate. If you can handle the patients in a hospital setting and stand on your own with the docs, you can do it as an NP, too. For what it's worth the doc's don't impress me all that much. I'm of the mindset that any good mid-level on the job for 5-10 years matches what most docs can do in the office. Exceptions are in the OR.

I do wish I had gone to a brick and mortar sometimes, only to bounce ideas off of others who are like minded on a more regular basis. To be able to question a professor in real time in a classroom and build a rapport with them. Otherwise, I really didn't have a choice in attending online. I have four teens, a husband and I am the sole breadwinner and insurance keeper.

I'm finishing up an online program and I found that most of my classes were just fine. Although I'm not practicing yet, I felt more than prepared for clinicals and feel like I will be just as competent as my colleagues entering practice from more traditional programs. Most importantly, you need to have been a nurse for a few years to get the most of the program. I feel this way about all NP students, but it's more important in a distance program where your professors are more facilitators of your own independent learning. The only class where I think in class would have been better was Advanced Health Assessment BUT I was still prepared to begin clinicals in the end (most of it was review of what we learned in nursing school, with more detail). To be honest the only real drawback was the recorded lectures were SO boring! In class tends to be more interactive and interesting. I also found that in online classes you do a lot more of your learning from the texts and articles assigned than from the lectures.