GA BON no longer accepting Excelsior education; Speak up Cont. Updates!!

Important Update: Recent decision by the Georgia Board of Nursing

August 5, 2008

Dear Student:

I am writing to make you aware of a recent decision by the Georgia
Board of Nursing (Board) that impacts you as an Excelsior College
associate degree in nursing student.

In July the Board made a decision to no longer license Excelsior
College graduates by endorsement, a practice that they have followed
for more than 25 years. It is important for you to know that Excelsior
College and the Georgia Nurses' Association (GNA) are working together
on your behalf. We are asking the Board to change their position and
to allow licensure of our graduates. Our request is well supported by
evidence focusing on our accreditation status, admission eligibility
requirements, curriculum rigor, NCLEX-RN pass rates, and employer data.

The Board has agreed to allow GNA and Excelsior to address the Board
at their September 17-19, 2008 meeting. It will be helpful to have
students attend the meeting to lend their support to our efforts. If
you are able to attend the meeting, please contact a staff member at
the Southern Performance Assessment Center, GNA office at
404-325-5536 (toll free 800-324-0462) or spac@georgianurses. org. They
will let you know the exact date and time that we will be on the
Board's agenda and the location of the meeting.

The impetus for the Board's action is unclear. At this juncture, it
seems that a change in statutory language is being interpreted by the
Board in a manner that is not congruent with the original intent of
House Bill 1041 that passed in July 2008. Thus, in the best interest
and safety of the citizens of Georgia, we will be providing the Board
with additional information and will carefully address all their
questions so that it can make a decision on complete and accurate
information.

If you have questions about the Board's recent decision, please
address your concerns to the executive director at the address below.
I am enclosing a fact sheet for your use when contacting the Board.

Sylvia L. Bond R.N. MSN, MBA
Executive Director
Georgia Board of Nursing
237 Coliseum Drive
Macon, GA 31217-3858
Email: slbond@sos.ga. gov
Phone: 478-207-2440; Fax: 478-207-1354

We are disappointed by this recent decision by the Georgia Board of
Nursing that disqualifies graduates of our nationally accredited
nursing program from obtaining RN licensure. The unfortunate results
of this decision are a further reduction of the supply of qualified
nurses available to care for citizens of Georgia and decreased access
to nursing education for individuals such as yourself who come to our
program of study with significant healthcare experience. Graduates of
Excelsior's nursing program are currently practicing successfully in
all 50 states and there is no objective evidence that our graduates
are unable to meet the critical demand for registered nurses in Georgia.

I will contact you again after the Board's meeting on September 17-19,
2008 to let you know the outcome of our request to the Board.

Sincerely,

M. Bridget Nettleton, PhD, RN
Dean, School of Nursing

cc:
Linda Herren, RN, CRNA, President, Georgia Board of Nursing
Sylvia L. Bond R.N. MSN,MBA, Executive Director, Georgia Board of Nursing
Cindy R. Balkstra, MS, RN, CNS-BC, President, GNA
Deborah Hackman, CAE, GNA, Chief Executive Officer, GNA
Debbie Hatmaker, PhD, RN, SANE-A, Chief Programs Officer, GNA