Wheeling University Family Nurse Practitioner Graduate Program Ranked Best in the Mountain State

November 4, 2024

Wheeling University Family Nurse Practitioner Graduate Program Ranked Best in the Mountain State

WHEELING, W.Va., November 4 - An online ranking service rated Wheeling University's Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) master's program the best in West Virginia.

Registerednursing.org looked at all of the state's graduate level FNP programs and ranked Wheeling University's as the number one in the state. Additionally, the service noted that Wheeling has the third most affordable program statewide.

The online organization said that Wheeling University "offers an exceptional nurse practitioner program that prepares students to become leaders in the healthcare field. The program is founded on the nursing department's philosophy of providing compassionate and holistic care to patients, while also emphasizing critical thinking and evidence-based practice. With a strong emphasis on clinical experience and interprofessional collaboration, graduates are well-equipped to meet the evolving demands of the healthcare industry."

Offered entirely online, Dr. Karen Fahey, director of the FNP Program, said, "Our FNP program allows students to gain all the knowledge and experience that face-to-face programs afford, while allowing the students to continue to work as registered nurses in their community. The students may obtain clinical experience at sites within or close to their own community."

Chair of the Nursing Program, Jill Emery said, "The online format is flexible in order to be adaptable to meet each student's life and work schedules. Our program provides a comprehensive educational program that meets the needs of the working student."

Registerednursing.org noted the rankings provide students with all the information possible to make the right choice when selecting a nursing program. In order to come up with this year's rankings, registernursing.org studied each nursing program to analyze what makes them stand apart from each other. A database of nursing programs was created at all degree levels and specializations, then data was reviewed from the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS), National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), U.S. Department of Education's Office of Postsecondary Education (OPE) and The Council for Community and Economic Research to determine the rankings.

"This ranking is a testament to the nursing faculty who provide our students with a quality education," said Dianna M. Vargo, Ed.D., president of Wheeling University. "The quality of the program, coupled with the online format, is what attracts students Wheeling University."