1. How does acceptance to the U-Mary Family Nurse Practitioner (F.N.P.) program happen?
Before being considered for the F.N.P. program, students first must be accepted to University of Mary Graduate Studies. Once accepted into University Graduate studies and upon submitting a completed F.N.P. application, prospective students meeting minimum qualifications will be asked to a qualifying conference (interview). The qualifying conference may be completed in person or by phone. Because it is imperative that students have a solid foundation of assessment skills, students with the most successful interviews will be invited to the second step of the F.N.P. admissions process, completion of a competency physical exam. Cumulative performance in the qualifying conference and competency physical exam will be considered by the Graduate Committee and final F.N.P. student acceptance determined.
2. What timeline can be expected for application deadline, interview, competency, and acceptance?
The F.N.P. application deadline is February 15. Qualifying conferences are held in March and April of each year. Competency physical exams are scheduled in May and June. Students will be notified of acceptance by June 15.
3. How does the program work?
The F.N.P. program at the University of Mary is designed for working professionals who want to seek higher education, but cannot relinquish family and practice responsibilities. Students are required to attend and participate in a weeklong institute at the beginning of each semester. The first and last semester of the F.N.P. program requires a second visit to campus toward the end of the semester. This meeting time is typically two to four days in length.
During the institute week, students attend class for eight to 10 hours per day. At the completion of the institute, students return home and continue learning on an online format directed by course faculty.
4. How many people are accepted annually?
Up to 12 candidates are selected to make up each F.N.P. cohort. A “wait list” will be created in the event an accepted candidate would decide not to fill his/her position.
5. Is there opportunity to take graduate courses before full acceptance in to the F.N.P. program?
Yes, students are allowed to take up to nine credits of graduate course work from the University of Mary prior to acceptance into a specialty track, such as F.N.P. Courses available would be “core” Master of Science in Nursing courses. These courses are NUR 501, NUR 648, PHI 582, and NUR 551.
6. What prerequisites are required?
F.N.P. applicants must have a B.S.N. degree and a current unencumbered active nursing license. The only prerequisite course for the F.N.P. program is a graduate-level statistics course. F.N.P. students are required to have Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) certification prior to the second semester of the program and Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) and Trauma Nursing Core Course (TNCC) certification prior to the summer semester.
7. What type of clinical experiences and number of clinical hours are required?
The F.N.P. clinical component currently constitutes a minimum of 900 clinical hours distributed throughout the program.
8. Do I have to quit work to complete this program?
This is a rigorous professional program. However, students are not advised regarding their work schedule. It is the student's responsibility to assess the feasibility of their workload and personal and professional commitments. Most students do change their workload. Some scale back to part-time status or per diem, while others use benefit time or take leaves of absence. Many past F.N.P. students advise incoming students to work as little as possible or no more than 24 hours per week. Furthermore, past graduates advise the final semester of the program allows very little time for work, as 390 hours of clinical time is required.
9. Am I required to have work experience prior to applying for the F.N.P. program?
Two years of nursing work experience is preferred, but not a requirement.
Requirements are: B.S.N. from accredited institution, 3.0 GPA on a 4.0 scale, evidence of undergraduate health assessment course or its equivalent, current unencumbered R.N. licensure, two letters of reference and evidence of successful completion of a graduate statistics course.
Provisional admission may be granted to an applicant who does not meet the conditions for full admission, but who gives evidence that he or she may be capable of graduate-level work.
10. How will I find or be assisted with clinical preceptors?
The course faculty, in conjunction with the F.N.P. program coordinator, are responsible for establishing agency contracts for each clinical site. It is the student's responsibility to work collaboratively with clinical course faculty to identify potential preceptors. Course faculty offer advisement to the student and grant their final approval for a student to inquire with individual preceptors concerning their interest or availability to serve as a preceptor. When a preceptor gives verbal agreement to a student, the graduate nursing office will forward a formal Letter of Agreement to the identified preceptor. All preceptors must return the Letter of Agreement to the University of Mary before the student begins the clinical experience. In addition, the agency contract with the clinical site must be complete prior to the initiation of clinical time.
The majority of the time, students will be able to complete their clinical hours in their home city. University of Mary Graduate Nursing Policy does require that F.N.P. students spend at least 200 hours of clinical time throughout the program with a certified Family Nurse Practitioner. Clinical hours during the summer semester must be completed at a Level 2 or higher trauma center. Finally, to have the most well-rounded experience; students are encouraged to spend time in both rural and urban health care settings.
11. Are there other requirements to participate in clinicals?
Clinical agencies and the University of Mary F.N.P. program require each student to have a criminal background check completed prior to the beginning each year in the F.N.P. program. Up-to-date immunization records are required by clinical agencies. This includes two-step mantoux testing. Finally, validation of current R.N. licensure is required by the University of Mary Graduate Nursing Office and clinical agencies on an annual basis.
12. What career opportunities will I be prepared for?
As a graduate of our F.N.P. program, you will be eligible for certification by exam through either the American Nurses Credentialing Center or the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners. Specific state licensure or organization requirements may apply. Students will be assisted with individual advisement.
Graduates of our F.N.P. program are highly marketable and final career choice can be quite diverse. Our graduates currently practice in a variety of settings ranging from family practice clinic settings to sub-specialties. As a F.N.P. you are able to care for patients across the health care continuum from preventative medicine to chronic disease management. You are prepared to manage diverse age groups from infants to geriatrics. Your advanced education prepares you not only to be a care provider, but also often opens doors of leadership opportunities within clinical settings and colleges of nursing.
13. Who will be my faculty?
University of Mary F.N.P. faculty are experienced practitioners and educators holding doctoral and master’s degrees. All clinical faculties maintain specialty certification. Furthermore, all clinical course faculties continue to participate in active practice. Current clinical expertise is appreciated by students, as faculty easily provide “real life” applications of classroom and online curriculum topics.
