Kansas Online NP Programs

Dr. Kesa Herlihy is a clinical associate professor at the University of Kansas Medical Center’s School of Nursing. She began her nursing career in 2006 and has since earned a BSN, an MS in nursing education, a PhD in nursing education, and a family nurse practitioner certificate. Her clinical background includes pediatric and float-pool nursing, and she currently practices in personal injury.

Since transitioning to full-time academia in 2010, Dr. Herlihy has focused on advancing nursing education through simulation, physical assessment innovation, and bias-awareness curriculum development. She is an active member of the Kansas City Regional Simulation Alliance, the National League for Nursing, and serves as Graduate Student Counselor for Sigma Theta Tau International.

NPSchools.com: What do you wish the public understood about online nurse practitioner programs in Kansas?

Dr. Herlihy: When talking about online nurse practitioner programs, we usually mean hybrid education. While most of the course content is delivered online, there are still in-person learning and synchronous (i.e., everyone together online at the same time) activities throughout the program, as well as clinical rotations. 

Flexibility is the most important benefit of a hybrid nurse practitioner program. For working nurses who are often busy with their families and other activities, the freedom to complete readings and assignments at a time of the day that works best for them is huge. 

A second benefit is the ability to learn from where you live. For many students who attend an online or hybrid program, they do not live in the same city as their school. In Kansas, for example, students who live on the western side of the state can attend a school that is six hours away. If the classes were conducted in person, this would not be possible. Students who live in rural areas can receive the same quality of education as those in urban centers. 

Finally, online coursework requires the student to be more responsible for the completion of assignments, as well as using email and learning management systems for communication with their teachers. It is important that students are aware of this and ready to take accountability for their learning. Many people assume online means lower quality, but reputable programs can be rigorous and effective if chosen carefully.

NPSchools.com: What advice would you give aspiring online nurse practitioner program students in Kansas? 

Dr. Herlihy: I have three pieces of advice:

1. Choose an accredited program. It’s crucial to ensure the program is accredited (e.g., by the CCNE or ACEN), meets state licensure requirements, and includes adequate clinical placements and in-person components like skills intensives or practicums.
2. Be prepared to spend a lot of time on your education. Look at your schedule and make sure you have the room to complete readings and coursework, and know that once clinical rotations start, it gets busier, and you need to be able to attend two to three days a week of clinical. You will also need to travel to campus for skills intensives at times, so keep that in mind. Online doesn’t mean easier—time management, self-discipline, and active participation are essential to succeed.
3. Talk to your family about the time commitment. While you are in school, you may not be able to do everything you were doing before. Decide what things you can miss and how those events will be handled (like driving children to practices, making dinner, working five days a week, especially during clinicals, etc).