University of Rochester Accelerated Nursing Program - ABPNN

86Christina · Mar 10, 2011

Is anyone else going into the FNP program as well? I have a reserved seat for that program, but I just want to make sure everything works out accordingly. I'm excited for the APNN May 2011 Program
I'm moving to URMC from So. Cal! Any other guys going there from CA? Kudos and good luck to you all.

I have a reserved seat for the PNP program but am also excited for the May APNN program to start. I also come from CA but I'm in Northern California. I've never been to Rochester so I am going to visit just too be sure I will like it. If all goes well I can't believe I am going to be making the move! Have you ever been back east?

tedMANNn · Mar 10, 2011

Wow, sounds like we are in the same boat only from different parts of California. I've never been East but I am definitely, somewhat looking forward to it. Have you looked into a living situation? Man, let's collaborate cause it seems we're starting in the same program!

86Christina · Mar 10, 2011

I've been looking online for what's available but that's about it for housing. I asked the school of nursing if they knew anyone who was looking for roommates to let me know cause it's kind of hard being on the west coast. I don't even know what a good area of Rochester is to look in for housing or where anything is! Makes it a little hard to figure things out!

npjl · Mar 11, 2011

Christina,

If you look back a few pages, there are some previous posts about different Rochester neighborhoods. You should join our facebook group - it's "University of Rochester APNN - Class of May 2012". I also live in Rochester, so if you had a question on a particular street/neighborhood I'd be happy to try to help!

Natalie

[email protected]

URhopeful · Mar 11, 2011

Hello everyone. I am at UB and I am also applying for Fall 2011 AMPNN (family nurse practitioner). I am shocked at the 300 applicants, but, when I spoke with admissions, she told me that they are not going to interview all 300 like they did in previous years. All though there are a lot of application, I think there are going to those who do not complete their application or some who will withdrawl their application. U of R is really expensive and I know I have applied to some schools that I have had no intention of going to. However, UR is my first choice. I wish all of you who are applying the best of luck and I hope all of us on this site get in.

guest_57352 · Mar 11, 2011

I'm curious..

When they say 300 applicants - do they mean for Bachelor's and Master's accelerated program combined? And do they have 56 seats for EACH program, or do they have 56 altogether?

npjl · Mar 11, 2011

I'm curious..
When they say 300 applicants - do they mean for Bachelor's and Master's accelerated program combined? And do they have 56 seats for EACH program, or do they have 56 altogether?

300 applicants total, 56 total spots - you are basically in the same program/classes for year one, everyone working towards the BSN. Then you are just a regular Master's student for AMPNN. Applying to the Master's just secures you a spot in that specialty without having to reapply. This is what they told me in the interview :). I'm only doing ABPNN because then you can get tuition benefits if you work for URMC. Those don't kick in until you've worked for one year there.

guest_57352 · Mar 11, 2011

So tell me about this tuition benefits thing? They fully pay for the Master's program if you work for them a year? Do you have to keep working while in the program? Does it affect your pay at all? How hard is it to "qualify" to get to do that, or can all employees do it? And also...how hard is it to get a job at Strong, Highland, etc. as a nurse?

Sounds like a good program..if I can get into the BSN program! :confused:

npjl · Mar 11, 2011

So tell me about this tuition benefits thing? They fully pay for the Master's program if you work for them a year? Do you have to keep working while in the program? Does it affect your pay at all? How hard is it to "qualify" to get to do that, or can all employees do it? And also...how hard is it to get a job at Strong, Highland, etc. as a nurse?
Sounds like a good program..if I can get into the BSN program!

I believe it is 2 courses per semester. Here is some more info:

http://www.rochester.edu/working/hr/benefits/tuition/TuitionSPD.pdf

As far as getting a job - the job market in Rochester sucks right now, but I volunteer at Highland and it seems like they are always hiring new PCT's/RN's. This is the field to be getting into. I believe to receive benefits you still have to work there while in school - but if you only take that 2 classes, that's definitely possible. Shouldn't affect your pay - it's a 100% benefit for employees of URMC (which is more than just Strong and Highland).

Good luck!

guest_57352 · Mar 11, 2011

It takes a lot more than 2 courses per semester to become a NP though. That method, it would take like 6- 8 years, right?

ansaguy · Mar 11, 2011

From discussions I've had with some of the directors of the program. I was told that while there isn't really a job placement kind of thing, most of the area hospitals are familiar with the rigors of the program ( said with a wink ). Obviously there isn't jobs for every nurse who graduates, but quite a few of my classmates will be returning to their hometowns looking for jobs.

What they told me is they found that when the economy dipped, a lot of nurses who were due for retirement decided to stick around, and nurses who were per-diem went full time. As things turn around they are expecting a good turnover rate. Plus, this month they are implementing hospital and affiliate wide electronic medical record keeping software. Everything will be done electronically now. They expect that this massive change will be so difficult for some of the older or less adaptable nurses that there will be an increased number of job openings in the near future.

They told me that a few things that gave their programs an edge were the capstone and the sim-man. The last thing we do in the program is tell them what the top 3 areas we want to work in are. They work to get you a spot in whatever your first choice is. You basically work one-on-one with a nurse in whichever areas you chose. You work their schedule for 80 hours. It's a good chance to make a good impression on wherever you'll likely be applying. Also, we have 2 sim-man rooms. They are some fancy high-tech mannequins that have microphones, heart rates, BPs etc. They have a control room where an instructor runs the thing. You basically come in like you've just been assigned a new patient and they do all kinds of scenarios on you. Mental status changes, vital changes, and maybe even codes ( not sure ) get thrown at you and you practice your skills. I'm told that they find this helps prepare their students to be more confident and competent right out of school.

When I was deciding which Masters NP specialty to choose I spoke to quite a few people affiliated with the program and they all seem to appreciate what we're going through. I got the impression that a lot of people, at least at Strong and Highland who are familiar with or have been through the program, are pretty helpful when we need advice or help finding a job. Especially if you try to build those bridges as your going through the program. In fact, because of the interest I've shown and connections I've made, I may be the first student to do clinical and capstone in a recently created department. They even jumped through a lot of hoops for a previous student so they could do a capstone with Mercy Flight.

SyberianPuppy -- The MS length depends on which specialty you choose. The one with the most clinical hours and most classes is the FNP. You take 2 courses per semester part time, 2 semesters per year like normal. At that rate, part time you'll complete your masters in about 3 years. This doesn't include whether you can take any of the classes or do clinical over the summer. If you are accepted in the MS program, you can defer your start date for up to 1 year so that your tuition benefits will kick in and help, then you go part time for 3 years...you're looking at about 4 years for the Masters. Also of note, if you want to do more than 1 speciality, you can come back for a Post-masters and you only have to take the courses you need. So I plan on finishing the PNP and then coming back for either the NNP or ACNP post-masters.

xoxjedixox · Mar 11, 2011

For those of you who were accepted to the May 2011 class, could you tell me a little about yourselves? What was your undergraduate major and GPA? What kind of health experience did you have? I'm basically trying to get an idea of what kind of things stand out in an application and make you a strong candidate. Thanks!