I am a certified EMT-Basic through the national registry of emts and EMT-1 through the state of California... An EMT student at my college recently brought excelsior to my attention. It appears that they automaticly accept EMTs. I am planning on becoming a Registered Nurse. Has anyone gone through their program? I was wondering how it works. You get credit by examinations? What form? Written, practical? And what about clinical time? And from starting the program to becoming lisenced as a RN, would that be possible in a year? I don't have very much general ed done right now. I'm very motivated to become a RN.
I am not a nurse, not in a nursing program, but I am an enrolled student at Excelsior... First, for the best available information on the program here is the link to the Excelsior College School Of Nursing Catalog. I just gave it a quick scan and it does look like they accept EMTs. You mention at your college. Are you currently enrolled in a nursing program? Excelsior's program prepares you for NY licensing. It sounds like you are in CA, so you need to find out what, if anything, you would need to do in order to be licensed in your state. Gen. Education credits may be completed via testing using a combination of CLEP, DSST, and ECE tests. These tests have been described many times, so I won't do so here, but Lawrie's BA in 4 Weeks site is as good as any to explain this. Excelsior offers a bunch of nursing tests through their ECE testing program (tested at prometric testing centers), and it looks like they offer some nursing skills workshops as well. Some of the tests are multiple choice only, and some are mixed multiple choice and essay. See Excelsior's Publication Page for more information on the tests offered. For an associates, it looks like you need to pass a 2.5 day clinical performance evaluation as the final step in the program.
An interesting tidbit. The Excelsior Nursing program is the largest Nursing program in the country. When the College underwent its last NLN accreditation the accrediting body made no recommendations for improvement -- I think this says a lot for the high quality Excelsior Nursing program. John
Hello, I graduated from Excelsior on 9-99 with an ASN degree. It took me a year to complete the Nursing written examinations and general education requirements, but I had to wait six months for my clinical performance examination appointment. Unlike you, I wasn’t eligible for the program; therefore I completed a basic EMT program after finishing all the prerequisites. I believe the college now requires that the students be registered before taking any of the Nursing examinations. I liked the program so much, that I went back and completed a BSN degree on 4-2002. I am now going to start an accredited online MSN program on 1-2003. I will do this part time, so it is going to take me about four years to complete.
Not in a nursing program, I am taking Anatomy and Physiology right now, and next semester I am not sure what I will be taking... I want to be a Firefighter/Paramedic AND also a Nurse or possibly Flight Nurse(gotta be doing some ridealongs hehe) so I may be taking some fire science and nursing/or paramedic prereqs as my work schedule permits. In California, if I am lisenced as a RN, I don't have to go through a Paramedic program to become a medic, just a series of written and practical tests and internship, I believe. Did you waiting have anything to do with being in Arizona or what? and what kinds of things were you asked to do in your clinical examination and how did you get to practice them beforehand? I am also curious about the written tests... What are they like? Multichoice, short anwser, essay? Some math type problems like drug calcs?
I found some documents on the California Nursing board's site that say they accept Excelsior graduates http://www.rn.ca.gov/new/search/search.idq?CiRestriction=excelsior. What is the approximate cost of the program? And did you use any of the 3rd party study guides or videos people are selling?(looks like a huge scam to me)
I just called Excelsior, and the guy I talked to said I would be automaticly accepted and is sending me an information packet, woohoo. Hopefully it will have anwsers to all the questions I was too excited to ask.
Arizona has one of the few regional testing centers for Excelsior; it is located in Phoenix at the Maricopa county medical center. It has the best passing rates for all the regional testing centers. Passing rate for the clinical is 68% and it consists of patient care situations. They assign you five patients and give you care areas that you have to perform with 100% accuracy. My waiting had to do with the paperwork you have to submit before raking the examination. I think six months is the average waiting time. I took a bunch of cleps exams, which are real affordable, and my employer paid the rest of my tuition. I calculate I spent around 5000 for the whole program, of which I only paid about 1000. I attended a workshop in Indianapolis, which was worthless. You better off attending one of the college’s workshops. Do not use any of the companies; you can get everything from excelsior for free.
Back from the dead! I was wondering exactly what kind of skills you need to be able to preform for the CPNE, there a lot of nursing skills that EMTs obviously never learn such as giving meds by IV, IM, Sub Cu etc. And I don't see how/where these could be practiced. I am getting all my papers ready to apply for Excelsior, but the CPNE is the only thing I am uncertain about. As far as written tests go, I am a great test taker. If you gave me a *multiple choice* test on nuclear physics I would probably pass it. My written English skills might be a little rough, haven't written anything in essay format in years. Other than that I don't see any problems.
Hello, If you trying to enroll, you should do it now. Read this: http://allnurses.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=25786
Yes, the CPNE is the performance examination. I trained for it by shadowing nurses at the hospital where I work. I also trained as a CNA for three months at the same facility before taking the examination The CPNE is just basic nursing care, nothing fancy, it doesn’t require IV starts or IV pushes. I remember all of my medications were po. They also have a laboratory part, where you give medication using all the routes, including the calculation of drip rates. They will give a study guide with all the info. You have to do every procedure according to this book. I don't regret doing the program. I am making more money now then before. I will start my master’s degree through Ball State University on 1-2003. Pancho
CPNE..where to begin?? I took the CPNE this past weekend and know several who have taken it...I, unfortunately, failed....and know several who have also failed that are stellar nurses...and I hate to toot my own horn, but... The CPNE lab sim was easy other than the nervous feeling that someone was staring at you and could make or break you and there would be nothing you could do about it...one girl who attended with me filed a lab b/c the CE said her sterile dsg in the wound mgmt lab touched outside the wound by 2 mm. She swore it sisn't, the CE said it did - failure. Another girl failed b/c during the PCS she took a radial pulse instead of an apical pulse, knowing she has 2.5hrs to complete the PCS, the CE called her out of the room after 10 min pointing out her error, she responded to the CE that she still had ample time for pt care and could obtain an apical pulse...the CE said too late...failed. My situation...after my first PCS, which was a dream, my second with a different CE, was the failure...turned all my paperwork in. CE vanished for 45 min to 'review' and reappeared with the CA. The CA asked me what did I do for mobility of the pt? I showed her in the documentation, she asked if I transferred the pt from the BSC to the chair...I said no, the male CNA did. She said I could have said I assisted...I said, but I didn't...that would have been false info (and, afterall, the CE was IN the room!) Then, she said I could have said how the pt tolerated it...I showed her where I put that the pt had no SOB or DOE---under the respiratory section...then she said I should have put THAT in the mobility section!! And said it was a failure!! Failed my lab b/c they gave me two insulins that were not compatible...I drew up in separate syringes that the CE verified each to be correct as far a dosing...but then after said the point was to draw up both in same syringe...I said I could EASILY do that...but the insulins were not 'mixable'...said for the purpose of the lab, I could have considered b/c it was just for demo purpose...failure! So, the CPNE is taxing on the nerves, expensive....and not a preceptor type deal by no means...your questions will NOT be answered. As a matter of fact, your statements will be QUESTIONED...a horrible scare tactic...one of my typical phrases of conversation is "I believe so..." I said this to the CE and she responded smugly..."You BELIEVE????" Don't get me wrong, they were very nice...after they failed me, they sweetly asked if I was going to be o-kay...as the others were in hysterics with tears and loud sobs...but, I was cool and NOT going to let them see me crumble. I plan to retake with the benefit of knowing to double-triple document...no surprises to lab simulation...draw up in one syringe if its kool-aid and demerol... or lantus and nph!! I just hope I get the same test site so I can look these broads in the face again...do I sound bitter?? I'm not.
Excelsior Nursing I did the ADN program with no regrets. I was a Paramedic who got tired of working 2-3 jobs all the time. A few cautions: Some state boards are still not on board with Excelsior. Confirm with your state that they will accept your degree. I thought that they now required EMT-P, but I guess they are still taking Basics. As far as the CPNE goes, it is the only reason I recommend programs like Chancellors. They do an excellent review course. DO NOT use chancellors, college network, etc. They just want your money. Allnurses.com, and other websites have loads of info to help you study for the nursing classes. Good luck
FYI... Excelsior changed their admissions requirement for entering the ASN program. This occurred back in 2003. It is no longer possible to enter the ASN program with an EMT-Basic or EMT-I. One may enter the program as a paramedic, respiratory therapist and a few other healthcare qualifications.
