Union University Fall 2016

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Is anyone applying for the second priority deadline for Fall 2016 at Union University? About how long is the wait process to know? Any tips and comments from current students!?

I applied to MENP programs as well as direct-entry FNP programs. I am wait listed for the FNP program at Vanderbilt for fall and was accepted into Union University in Hendersonville. I am still waiting to hear back from the MEPN programs I applied to and if I chose to go to one, I would do a post-master's certificate to be a FNP. From all the math I've done on tuition, it seems like most MEPN programs + a post-master's certificate come out to around $90k-100k total. Doing the ABSN then the FNP MSN at Union comes out to $76k total... So this route definitely saves money in the long-run.

An MENP program is definitely appealing though, since it's one step closer to the FNP for me. I've considered doing a CRNA program though too, and a master's in nursing (CNL) wouldn't hurt for this route either. Especially since CRNA programs want you to have served as a leader in nursing for admission and CNL's are built for that.

As you can tell.. I'm going back and forth a bit too. I think if money/tuition is a concern for you, then Union is a great option. ABSN and MENP are both great steps toward the ultimate goal of any APRN specialty, so it's a toss up in a lot of ways.

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Jramz I apologize for my belated reply, I'm in between jobs right now and the training/learning curve leaves me little personal time. But I wanted to respond to you since you've been actively following my thought process. I'll address my doubts may be for a later entry or a 1 on 1 discussion. Ever since I was in late elementary school my primary care provider was this marvelous Pediatric Physician Assistant whose prior healthcare experience was as a Registered Dietician. Her vast medical knowledge peeked my interests and I would say from junior high up until when I earned my Bachelors I always wanted to be a Physician Assistant or a Flight Nurse. That flight nurse inspiration comes from my EMT experience. Flight Nurses & Flight Respiratory Therapists are in a class of their own and are highly skilled clinicians. The only clinical experience I have with PAs is having worked with them when I was a Hospital Emergency Department EMT but that was a long time ago, more recently with my international medical mission trips I've been spending more of my time assisting an Adult NP and several ER Residents. But the respective 1500-2000 hr clinical rotation, and quick turn over to start practicing medicine is what really lured me into the PA profession. I couldn't do these medical mission trips without having an invested interest or wanting to expand my knowledge of public health without considering a joint (accredited) PA/MPH program. Right now I'm being considered for one of those schools and if I get in, liberating tears of joy will follow that news, and everything I've done in my healthcare career from working in EMS to ICU/NICU experience and medical missions will validate how I see myself (inside). I love that picture of a young cat who looks in the mirror and sees a lion and I realize also (thanks to my age) that "everyone wants to be a chief, and is terrified of the prospect of just being an indian", I don't want to be a chief of surgery all I want is to be a clinically competent Primary Care Physician Assistant on my first day of practice. I've been in healthcare for a long time and I've taught science and I know ever person has a learning curve, but the general consensus that I've gathered indicates that new PAs practice with confidence mostly due to their science based course work and varied clinical rotation. I love the Adult NP i serve with, he's a man of great character and vast clinical knowledge, but as a new grad NP, the learning curve isn't always the same as new PA grads and that worries me. I think the NP education could adapt and evolve (yes I used evolved) in a way that fosters improved clinical competence upon graduation. The SLO from program to program are not nationally standardized and that worries me. Programs with an average of 750 clinical hours in one medical setting worries me. I would prefer more medical science coursework vs coursework in nursing theory. Its funny, an FNP grad and my wise ANP colleague both said they received enough nursing theory in their BSN coursework and would have preferred the suggestions I've previously stated. The evolution of the DNP program is a touchy subject for our nursing profession since everybody has an opinion. I mean theres even unique and valid opinions against the MEPN programs. Today I don't see the intrinsic value of the DNP education (educators have an extrinsic motivation to keep their jobs and may Americans like myself don't have money to contribute to pensions and tenured salaries). Higher education is starting to feel like a "education cartel", schools are milking a market, and my moral/ethical conscious believes theres something wrong with that. I'm not saying education should be free, I just believe that the value of the education is not what its potentially worth, especially when the NP job market it being saturated in several states. A masters level NP degree that has a strong/lengthy clinical rotation that prepares competent PCP entering the work force with more medical science than nursing theory/leadership coursework is objectively important. I need to further look for more NP schools with a competitive and strong education model; thats a wise decision for myself because I want to be a competent PCP/NP, luckily UU has a very strong program and after prayerful consideration I may want to seek that door after I entertain the ABSN pathway. Provided I don't get accepted to my favored PA/MPH school. I mean I had to write a very detailed response recently why I want to become a PA vs an NP or MD/DO and doing some revealing research helped me to validate why I truly believe the PA profession is a good fit for me. Theres incredible NPs out there, that are above the mean, that are patient-centered outliers in medicine but did they have the same clinical confidence on day one as a PA grad has? I think the only healthcare professionals that can answer that are MDs who mentor NP/PA students and healthcare professionals who have both the PA/NP cred. If God rewards me with the ability to be lead and love my patients as the famous "Hunter Patch Adams" does, then it doesn't matter if I hold the legal license as a NP or PA, because in either profession I've already dedicated my life to community medicine, I've already gathered my 5 stones as the biblical David did and I'm ready to tackle Hypertension (CVD), Diabetes, obesity, heart disease, and depression. Those 5 are the living Goliaths of our generation especially in underserved communities. I'm very passionate about this subject and I believe collaborative and integrative medicine is how we confront these hurtles through the NP/PA/MD/DO medical professions. Watching that youtube video of UU CRNA students on their medical mission trip, it revealed to my mind and heart that UU trains patient-centered clinicians. That male CRNA student who was a real life father and handled that unique situation in the video perfectly! That is the kind of role model someone like me looks up too; when faith, hope and love becomes a tool nursing just compliments that! I don't want to elaborate on the MEPN programs, I would rather obtain my RN license at the ABSN level, save that extra money and contribute that to a future CRNA/NP/PA education. Cheers my Tennessee friends.

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Hitting up this sub topic again. Hopefully any timid UU potentials or UU 2016 Fall classmates could contribute and introduce themselves. Everyone is welcomed to contribute ;), I'm beginning to feel like I'm the only person attending the Jackson campus...

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I'm attending the UU Hendersonville campus starting in the fall :)

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Jramz are you still committed to going to UU? Have you been able to talk to anyone else who is looking at making UU part of their future destination? This forum topic seems pretty dead in comparison to other schools. Do you know if folks are networking on a FB page for the FALL 2016 class? Its sad, I do not hear anyone saying that they are attending the main campus in Jackson. Is Jackson a ghost town...am I missing something? All Tennessee friends please chime in. Thanks!

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I will also be joining the Hendersonville campus this Fall! Where is everyone from? I am coming from California

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Does anyone know where we will be doing clinicals?

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Welcome Justeen23, congrats on the acceptance to UU. It definitely is a great school with passionate professors who pass on their love of patient centered care to all their students. UU was my top choice for the ABSN option, but I have since been admitted to my first choice in nursing school at the masters level. I will probably turn down my seat, but since I've paid the deposit I'm still weighing this decision and praying weekly about it. Tennessee seems like an incredible state to call home one day, despite my Socal mountain hiking and surfing hobbies. If you are interested in venturing on a medical mission trip before you start your new journey in Tennessee feel free to hit me up, we have a phenomenal group of nurses, allied health providers, and nurse practitioners from California who join the medical mission trips. Cheers and many blessings in your future Nursing education!

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Is there a Facebook group yet?

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I was waitlisted in Hendersonville in early March! Does anyone know anything about the waitlist from past experiences or outside sources? Hopefully see you all in the Fall! :/

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I am also most likely attending the Union BSNA program in Hendersonville this fall 2016! Still waiting to hear from one other school before I officially make my decision, but as of now, it's looking like it'll be Union! Is there a Facebook group made yet? I was also wondering about where we do clinicals if anyone knows.

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Hi everyone, I was just accepted to the Germantown campus yesterday and also wait listed for Jackson. I will be moving from California.

Is anyone thinking of taking Pathophysiology somewhere else this summer? Just to make the 1st term course load a little lighter and save some money. I already have microbiology and statistics and will be taking CLEP for human growth and development.

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