Why the NP degree will be the next MBA with 7 simple, quick reasons

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Specializes in Internal medicine/critical care/FP.

1. Overabundance of programs- schools are opening up left and right handing out these degrees. Why? Many of the online schools charge 40-60k + dollars for these programs. Outrageous, but with the hopes of landing a 6 figure job. People are cramming themselves through the doors for them paying up front with government money.

2. Lowered standards- Many of these for profit programs lower their standards to acquire more students.Sort of like lowering the price to acquire a greater share of the market. A good business opens up to a greater amount of customers. Of course lowering the price is not an option when people are paying upwards of 100k for an NP degree. Why not make it easy? No GRE, 2.5 undergrad GPA, no experience, failed the LolCLEX 4 times, no time, No problem! Pay us the money and we will make it as easy as possible.

3. the current promise of close to 100k a year. This is what they try to project, our national average salary, which has been rising for several years. Do I think this will continue? No. Why? Supply and demand baby.

4. Its cool. Wow you have a masters, you must be HIGHLY EDUCATED. People will always want power and to flaunt themselves in front of others. A simple stepping stone to a masters without any difficult entry barriers??? FNP!

5. Weak A$$ accrediting- Everybody who pays for the FNP exam is putting more money into the ANCC and AANP people's pockets. WHY CHANGE IT?? More money for 'prep' materials too. I bet Margaret Fitzgerald is wetting herself with joy over the number of fnp applicants.

6. Not so difficult board exam- yeah it was harder than the NCLEX, but still not difficult enough for our line of work.

7. TONS OF RNS- Schools are also pumping out tons of RNs, who are quickly learning that being a nurse is not as glorifying as they had hoped. Easiest way to combat this problem. GET A MASTERS in the same field.

8. It will all soon end. Soon this degree will be like the MBA.. highly dependent on personal ability and which college one graduated from. Law has also recently fallen into this situation. We are close to follow. What will you do to stay afloat? I hope you plan on going the extra mile, otherwise you may be disappointed holding a masters and still working as an RN since you did not heed the warning.

Good luck folks

And don't get me started on the DNP degree.....

-Not so chillnurse

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Finally. A voice of reason.

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Thank you for speaking the truth! You may be against DNP but requiring DNP now would be the "temporary" solution! That will raise the bar and make people think twice before investing in education.

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Somebody ticked off at the world. At least at those getting higher education. Amusing

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Specializes in Psych/Mental Health.

MBA grads don't need to pass any board exams....it's also close to impossible to fail out of any mba programs.

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MBA grads don't need to pass any board exams....it's also close to impossible to fail out of any mba programs.

Why do you say that? Not saying you're wrong because I really have no idea. I mean about MBA programs being impossible to flunk out of.

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Good points. Do you have any solutions to propose? I think change would have to come from the top- stricter requirements for programs and licensing.

Also, I see the demand growing for NP due to baby boomers, obamacare and all that- not so sure about MBA demand.

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Specializes in Psych/Mental Health.
Why do you say that? Not saying you're wrong because I really have no idea. I mean about MBA programs being impossible to flunk out of.

1) Most business courses (especially core courses) simply aren't challenging enough to a point where people would fail. Obviously, if you don't submit ANY assignment, you'll fail.

2) Most MBA courses do not have exams and grades are based on case analysis, projects, and presentations. Many of these do not have absolute answers and partial credits are generously given.

3) MBA programs (especially those seeking ranking) don't want to fail out students. Their rankings are based on student/faculty reviews, job statistics, and graduation rates.

4) MBA programs (again, those seeking ranking) place #1 priority on getting graduates jobs with high salaries. Full-time MBA students spent an unbelievable amount of time finding jobs, networking, practicing interviews, going to interviews, attending company pitches and career fair, and social events. Everyone including the professors knows this and they give them a lot of slack.

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Somebody ticked off at the world. At least at those getting higher education. Amusing

I think you take it too seriously. You may not like his sarcastic comments but there are some truth to it. Ok..comparing the rigor and the natures of of NP program with MBA is like comparing apple and orange.. that's the pointless discussion. But there are some truths regarding his comments regarding the uncontrollable growth of NP programs with market saturation (like MBA), weak board exams, excessive cost of education. I would really think DNP would be a good temporary solution by raising the standard.

I think NP programs need to look at CRNA as the example by starting requiring nursing clinical hours within specialty before entering school. (just like CRNA schools requiring ICU experience).

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Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.
Why do you say that? Not saying you're wrong because I really have no idea. I mean about MBA programs being impossible to flunk out of.

The MBA program I attended wasn't impossible to flunk out of. Some of those classes -- statistics and economics, for example, were downright difficult. I certainly got over being "bad at math"! Several of my fellow students did flunk out.

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Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.
But there are some truths regarding his comments regarding the uncontrollable growth of NP programs with market saturation (like MBA), weak board exams, excessive cost of education. I would really think DNP would be a good temporary solution by raising the standard.

I think NP programs need to look at CRNA as the example by starting requiring nursing clinical hours within specialty before entering school. (just like CRNA schools requiring ICU experience).

I agree that it would elevate the quality of our NPs if the programs required clinical hours within the specialty before entering school! MBAs are a cliche for a good reason -- in the 80s, it seemed like everyone was getting one. It seems as though everyone is going to be an NP now.

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Specializes in Psych/Mental Health.
The MBA program I attended wasn't impossible to flunk out of. Some of those classes -- statistics and economics, for example, were downright difficult. I certainly got over being "bad at math"! Several of my fellow students did flunk out.

Maybe your program is very hard. But most programs are hard to fail. That's pretty common knowledge among those in the business field.

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