WGU MBA-HM first impressions and ongoing comments

[dmjacobsen]

This is why I chose the more vanilla "Strategy and Leadership". But I haven't found other industries knocking down my door either. I'm not sure you didn't make the right choice. There is plenty of growth in the Health Care sector, with an NP credential it just makes so much sense. I wouldn't stress about your choice too much.

You're right. I'm not necessarily stressed about it. Just wondering, in addition to the concentration issue on the resume (which is probably a non-issue, as pointed out by sanantone and others), whether or not I would have benefited more from the Supply Chain and Strategic Mgmt classes in lieu of Accreditation Audit and Service Lin Dev (which just let me finish faster, because it was material I already knew).

I certainly don't anticipate that the MBA will open up a huge number of opportunities. I was aware from the start that, these days, MBA is a check-the-box credential for business jobs. I just wanted to use it to differentiate myself against other NP job applicants, since most NP's, MD's, PA's, etc. have no idea how to run a business.

[dmjacobsen]

There is an easy solution to this. Just say you have an MBA because that's what it is first and foremost. Many MBAs don't even have a concentration.

I had this conversation with another nurse at work who has his MBA, and he mentioned the same thing. So, that's a good thing.

[dmjacobsen]

So, I've been working on Task 3 for about 18 days now, and I should be done today. I completed the consultant work a couple of days ago, but there's another part to the paper where the student reflects back on lessons learned in the MBA program. Personally, I think that this portion of the task is a waste of time, as you're expected to churn out some feel-good nonsense about how the MBA has prepared you for the world, but hey... if there's one thing I've learned in my time on this planet, it's how to jump through a hoop.

The consultant work itself was pretty interesting, and it's really put a spotlight on me as a leader in my department. My manager was very impressed with what I came up with. It was a multi-pronged approach to increase patient volume for our Emergency Department, which has seen an average decrease in volume of about 8.5% per year for the past 2 years in a time when ED volume is increasing almost everywhere else in the country. She wants me to present the results of the project at a hospital growth committee meeting in a couple of months to try to get some administrative support for some of the project interventions.

One snag I've run into -- WGU requires that your client sign a "Client Verification Form", which is basically just a document that says, yes, we're allowing this person to work on a project for us. Well, I asked my manager to sign the form on 1/30. Being the bureaucratic organization that my employer is, my manager couldn't just sign it. She had to send it up the chain, past our hospital's CNO and CEO, into corporate legal, and who knows where else. The funny thing is, I've already gotten a ton of sensitive information from a lot of people in my company, with the assistance of my manager, so it's kind of silly that I'm basically twiddling my thumbs at this point to get approval to work on a project that I've already completed. The reasoning is that our organization has to have a formal agreement with any school that sends students to us. Buuuut, I'm not just a student -- I actually work for the company.

It's just a huge mess and I hope they get over the hemming and hawing soon.

So, my advice here is that if you work for a large, bureaucratic organization, submit that form through your chain of command WELL IN ADVANCE of working on Task 3. It will save you a headache on the back end.

[dmjacobsen]

A little update on the Client Verification Form...

Here we are, 2 weeks later (and over a month since I turned the form in to my manager), and my organization has decided that they need to draft a formal Affiliation Agreement with WGU. This has gone up to the Institutional Review Board -- the division that handles clinical research, which has absolutely nothing to do with my project. I am now waiting on WGU to review all of the very lengthy legalese in the Affiliation Agreement and to decide if they want to sign it. :toetap:

Again, even though 1) I work for the organization, and 2) my manager approved my working on the project, 3) I have already gotten a huge amount of confidential data from a number of people, 4) I have already completed the project, and 5) my employer has the option to refuse to allow WGU to publish the capstone, I am still waiting on official approval.

This is Corporate America at its finest.

To be clear, this is not a WGU issue. This is an issue with my employer. Again, just a warning to those of you who work in a bureaucratic organization (government, large healthcare systems, et cetera).

[rebel100]

That stinks, I worried about a similar problem but my boss decided to just sign the thing.

Have you discussed any work arounds with your adviser? The letter ended up being nothing more than a formality...it was never reviewed or anything. It's a silly requirement.

[dmjacobsen]

That stinks, I worried about a similar problem but my boss decided to just sign the thing.

Have you discussed any work arounds with your adviser? The letter ended up being nothing more than a formality...it was never reviewed or anything. It's a silly requirement.

Unfortunately, because it has already gone into the legal arena, I don't think WGU will try to do a work-around. I have been in contact with the course mentor for capstone, however, and she is working to facilitate the process to the best of her ability.

My old manager would have just signed the darn thing. My new manager, however, is very young, inexperienced, and afraid to do anything without checking with her higher-up's on corporate policy. It's very frustrating -- not only in this case, but in day-to-day operations. She may be a great manager several years from now, but not so much presently.

[dmjacobsen]

The Affiliation Agreement went through, and I'm finally able to submit my last task! The waiting game begins...

[dmjacobsen]

So, my task was picked up yesterday sometime between 11a and noon (I was stalking all morning), and was graded within just a few hours. As of yesterday, I've completed all requirements for my WGU MBA! Can't believe my third task came back with zero revisions -- I was sure there would be another snag after waiting so long for the affiliation agreement. It's a great feeling to be done!

Unfortunately, I'll have to wait a few more days for my student mentor to pick this up and recommend me for graduation. Faculty is in California all week for some sort of in-service (must be nice... we're still fighting with iced-over roads here).

One Master's down, one to go!

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[alleycat]

I have been following your progress. Great job!!! You did it. As you said one master down! Congrats :hurray:

[LaterBloomer]

Amazing! Good news, and good luck with your next degree.