UTA FNP 2016

Nursing Students NP Students

Published

Hello,

I am currently looking to start the FNP program at UTA in April 2016. I wanted to hear from any current students in the FNP program.

1. How do you like the structure of the program?

2. Any tips or study advice?

Also, please comment if you plan on starting in April 2016 or anytime in the 2016 school year. I know they have several sessions throughout the year. I would love to make a study group to help us throughout the program.

Specializes in OR Nursing, Critical Care, Med-surg.
I am doing the dual certification route so will get my NP along with a masters in education. It is only 2 extra classes. My first 4 classes (2 NP classes, 2 education classes) were papers, power points, and discussion boards. I think those classes are doable working full time. I am 5 weeks into my patho class and it's tough. So much reading hard to keep up! But people do work full time and take it. Just depends how much free time outside of work you have to study. This class consists of 3 tests, quizzes on weeks there aren't tests, case studies, and a PowerPoint presentation at the end. Patho is the first class I needed the webcam. I started the program in April and didn't need it until the end of August... So 4 months. I bought mine at best buy.

What class did you take with your patho class? I've heard that nursing theory is difficult?

I work 4 10 hour shifts and I'm trying to see if I need to only work 3.

I'm single with no kids so I'm pretty free.

Thanks!

Up Vote Up Vote ×

This semester I am taking patho and evidence based practice. Patho is the first 10 weeks then I will get a week break and take EBP the last 5 weeks. So it's two classes in a semester but only taking one at a time.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in OR Nursing, Critical Care, Med-surg.
This semester I am taking patho and evidence based practice. Patho is the first 10 weeks then I will get a week break and take EBP the last 5 weeks. So it's two classes in a semester but only taking one at a time.

can you get financial aid only taking 1 class at a time?

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Yes Bc you are taking two classes in the semester. Just one at a time.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in OR Nursing, Critical Care, Med-surg.
Yes Bc you are taking two classes in the semester. Just one at a time.

what is the length of a semester?

Up Vote Up Vote ×

16 weeks. So I have a 10 week class but a week break for week 6 (so that makes it 11 weeks) and then I will have a 5 week class.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in OR Nursing, Critical Care, Med-surg.
16 weeks. So I have a 10 week class but a week break for week 6 (so that makes it 11 weeks) and then I will have a 5 week class.

Thank you so much!

Are there any classes you recommend taking alone? I've heard that pharm and pathology should be taken alone?

Is it doable to take any classes together?

Up Vote Up Vote ×
I actually may apply for Spring. It's scary thinking about school again.

And I'm in Texas - Austin area. 3 years as a RN.

I believe it's only open to texas applicants, for now at least.

And what about yourself?

I agree! I am a NICU RN in Dallas, Texas. I have about 2 years of experience as a RN. I will have my 2 years in April but I applied a for the January start date just so I could have my application in rotation a little bit earlier.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
I am doing the dual certification route so will get my NP along with a masters in education. It is only 2 extra classes. My first 4 classes (2 NP classes, 2 education classes) were papers, power points, and discussion boards. I think those classes are doable working full time. I am 5 weeks into my patho class and it's tough. So much reading hard to keep up! But people do work full time and take it. Just depends how much free time outside of work you have to study. This class consists of 3 tests, quizzes on weeks there aren't tests, case studies, and a PowerPoint presentation at the end. Patho is the first class I needed the webcam. I started the program in April and didn't need it until the end of August... So 4 months. I bought mine at best buy.

Is it hard to switch from online to in class. I would like to take classes like pharm and patho in-class if I had an option to. I know that they only allow you to switch one time I believe?

Also, do you like how the classes are structured? What are a few things if any that you wish were different about the program?

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in OR Nursing, Critical Care, Med-surg.

Ugh by mistake I applied to the standard UTA FNP program instead of AP online...I hope they can swap it!

:(

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Following

Up Vote Up Vote ×

So here's some advice and feedback on what some of you have said or asked...

I am right about 1/2 way through the AP-FNP program at UTA. I have worked full-time since I started, but plan to cut back to 1-2 days a week early in 2016 because all I have is clinical courses left. The first half of the program is a lot of "busy work." I did my BSN through UTA as a traditional in-seat program so maybe some of this is normal, but it is tons and tons of papers and discussion posts with very little in the way of "learning." One instructor (who I am friends with) told me that the administrators of the program told them to limit their video lectures to 15 minutes or less. So what that means is you are paying tuition that is a higher rate than that of other graduate students to be told "read the entire chapter in this book and study for your test." It's not teaching and it is very frustrating. Again, this is my experience with the early classes. I have taken Theory, Research, Application of Theory and Research, Pharm, Patho, Assessment, Clinical Skills, and Role of the APRN. Of those classes, I learned something useful in Skills and Role, the rest were fluff. Some instructors are downright awful and when you have a question they will reply with "This is graduate level learning, you are expected to find answers to your questions on your own." I was really blown away. That is not to say there aren't some good instructors, but as a whole I am extremely disappointed in the program after having such a great experience with my BSN at UTA. The coaches (essentially TAs who grade your papers) have been pretty good in all my classes. I have one friend who switched from online FNP to in seat ANP and I think you can only switch early on in the program. Many of the classes are specific for which track you are in (for example, clinical skills for adult is very different than family). And then you have the worst part...

UTA doesn't really tell you up front that they don't help you whatsoever with preceptors. I won't say her name, but I should really publish the emails I have between the person over clinical clearance and myself because she doesn't deserve a job at McDonalds much less the university. She told me early on that preceptors are hard to come by and to start looking 6 months in advance, yet the school doesn't give you clinical clearance anywhere close to that timeframe. So what happens is when you contact clinical sites, they want to know if you are cleared and/or tell you that you're asking to find a preceptor too soon. When you relay this to the school, they tell you it's not their problem, yet in the same breath they tell you many students have to sit out the semester because they can't find preceptors. How is that not their problem, I don't know...you have students who pay for 1/2 an education and then can't finish it because the school chooses to do nothing.

So be warned, whether online or in seat, UTA's graduate programs are, in my opinion, the bottom of the barrel when it comes to student support.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Add a Comment