What is required of you as far as testing goes in order to get your masters?

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I am in the FNP program and in my final year. Our university requires all students to pass a Comprehensive Final prior to graduating. This exam is a written 4 hour test that usually has 3 questions pertaining to theory, research design, a concept and issue. It is expected to be in APA format and is graded by the faculty. We are not allowed to take in any reference material with us and the questions change with each test. It is offered once in the Fall and once in the Spring. If a student doesn't pass, they are counseled and allowed to take it up to two more times, but will not graduate until it is passed. There is no clinical portion to this test; no diagnosis, differentials , treatments, meds, etc. Of course everyone complains about this. We are so stressed learning what we need to learn in order to have successful clinical rotations and then we have to deal with this on top of it all. Do all universities require something similar from their graduates? I know I would so rather be studying clinical information so that I can safely manage a patients disease state instead of worrying about what theorist I think best deals with the patient. It is very frustrating..

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Specializes in General.

I have never heard of a FNP program that would have this type of comprehensive final. I know of FNP programs that have a ORAL final but it deals with DX, med, testing, etc. Why test you on theory, research design, concepts and issues.

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I am in the FNP program and in my final year. Our university requires all students to pass a Comprehensive Final prior to graduating. This exam is a written 4 hour test that usually has 3 questions pertaining to theory, research design, a concept and issue. It is expected to be in APA format and is graded by the faculty. We are not allowed to take in any reference material with us and the questions change with each test. It is offered once in the Fall and once in the Spring. If a student doesn't pass, they are counseled and allowed to take it up to two more times, but will not graduate until it is passed. There is no clinical portion to this test; no diagnosis, differentials , treatments, meds, etc. Of course everyone complains about this. We are so stressed learning what we need to learn in order to have successful clinical rotations and then we have to deal with this on top of it all. Do all universities require something similar from their graduates? I know I would so rather be studying clinical information so that I can safely manage a patients disease state instead of worrying about what theorist I think best deals with the patient. It is very frustrating..

This is absolute BS! I know that a lot of schools have students take practice certification exams on the computer, but nothing like that stupid test! You need to be studying the REAL stuff that pertains to medicine! I'm not sure I could even name a nursing theorist, much less any of their theories! What a HUGE waste of time!:down::down::down:

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Specializes in General.

yup , i can just see the expression on my preceptors face when I say well according to Orems self care deficit theory, I will order xyz(LOL):icon_roll

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Specializes in Pediatrics, Nursing Education.

OMG i hate anything related to orem's self care deficit theory!! ahhhH!!!

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I just didn't know if this was a university thing or if anyone else had to go through this whole BS....Couldn't have said it better than than! The more I think about it, the more it ticks me off. These instructors are so out of touch with reality that it isn't even funny. Do any of you have to take theory courses with your masters program? And how much research do you all have to do. We took an 2 semesters of research which I thought was a waste of time because I will not ever want to write research. I know that interpreting a quality research article is important and that applying current research is very important, but give me a break. Thanks for the input so far. Anyone out there have to go what our program does?

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Specializes in General.

I had to take theory, and research for my PNP program, honestly theory was a waste, I did like research though as it gave me a start on my thesis. But I remember sitting in theory and playing tetris on my palm pilot thinking when does class end.

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I just didn't know if this was a university thing or if anyone else had to go through this whole BS....Couldn't have said it better than than! The more I think about it, the more it ticks me off. These instructors are so out of touch with reality that it isn't even funny. Do any of you have to take theory courses with your masters program? And how much research do you all have to do. We took an 2 semesters of research which I thought was a waste of time because I will not ever want to write research. I know that interpreting a quality research article is important and that applying current research is very important, but give me a break. Thanks for the input so far. Anyone out there have to go what our program does?

I had to take one research class and one theory class THEN there was a stupid class that had both combined. However, I enjoyed the research class b/c we got to pick out topics of interest. I love to read and learn, but I could care less about any of that theory BS. In fact, the only "B" I ever made was in that stupid class!

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