Beyond the Screen: The Value of On-Campus Intensives in Virtual Nursing Education

Marguerite Lawrence*, Sacred Heart University 
Linda Cook, Sacred Heart University 
Jennifer Cullinan, Sacred Heart University

https://doi.org/10.9743/JEO.2026.23.3.9

Abstract

The Master of Science in Nursing, Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) Online program at a small private institution in the northeastern United States requires an on-campus intensive (OCI) residency that focuses on achieving learning objectives such as clinical skill development and provider-level patient management. MSN FNP Online students were required to attend a one-day, on-ground residency event in the first semester and final semester of each student’s matriculation plan. During the 8-hour OCI residency day, a sample of 30 FNP students answered a survey to assess their perceptions of meeting benchmark objectives, evaluate the presenters, and provide their overall satisfaction with the event. The feedback provided suggests that the OCI experiences may have enhanced the learning and engagement of students and promoted the connections made among students and faculty. This outcome highlights the value of incorporating in-person components into FNP programs conducted primarily online.

Keywords: on-campus intensive, family nurse practitioner education, online learning, student engagement and satisfaction

*lawrencem4@sacredheart.edu