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

Craig,
That's the best advice I've heard yet which is why I'm studying my butt off.

There are obviously enough GA Excelsior people here that we could start our own support group/ Study group etc. IF anyone is interested, drop me a PM and I'll be happy to start organizing something. Yahoo or google groups, i've even got a couple of blank web sites out htere that could be formatted. If there is enough interest the sky is thelimit.

Excelsior sent me an email today stating that the Board had ruled that they will no longer accept ECs by endorsement even though they are licensed in another state. No date of making this official was mentioned; it seemed to be a done deal. The email was from EC's Dean of Nursing, Dr. Nettleton.

That's terrible, I was thinking about moving to GA.....way back when. Why are states are falling off EC's maps like wildfire? I hope this isn't a trend.

ISU is starting to look a lot more promising. I didn't want to go straight for my BSN, I wanted to take it in steps. Oh well, I guess I'll do what I must; I'm not going to let anything get me down nor block me from my goals.

Well the shortage of Rn's in GA is gone get bigger and bigger!
In the rural areas they are having a very difficult time finding Rn's now. so all those LPN's that have to work to support families have another hurdle to over come.

How sad!!

I received my email this am. I have also emailed the Ga BON member that is named in the letter voicing my concerns and I will also follow of with a formal letter sent via snail mail. Excelsior will also meet with the BON in Sept and they are requesting the support of students. I hope things work out in our favor because I really want to continue my education in this way and I don't really want to start over with ISU. Nevertheless, I plan to continue and complete my education whichever way the ball bounces.

When I first heard of this a week or so ago, I sent e-mails to the GA BON and EC; still no replies. I am an EC grad from GA, and have received nothing, although I still receive e-mails from EC with the occasional announcement.

Can you guys post a copy of the e-mail?

I just saw a report (CNN, I think) yesterday that the U.S. is considering allowing 60,000 foreign-educated nurses to enter the country to help in alleviating the mounting nursing shortage. I personally have no problem with graduates of foreign nursing schools coming here to work as long as they are graduates of similarly accredited programs, can demonstrate clinical competence, and have the ability to communicate effectively with our patients, but for some states to allow this while simultaneously denying licensure to graduates of a U.S.-based NLN accredited (since 1975) and regionally accredited school of nursing who have years of clinical experience AND whose skills have been validated through rigorous clinical testing (CPNE) is simply outrageous.

I guess it's time that EC students and alumni unite to inform the uninformed or misinformed, and fight rulings such as these.

Here is the email I received this morning. I am just sick to my stomach. I am supposed to take my last EC test monday. I guess at this point there is no use in applying for the CPNE.

Dear Student:

Last month the Georgia Board of Nursing 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 to have the Board reconsider their decision. Please read the attachments that provide additional information and request your action.

Sincerely,

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


Here is the attachment that was with it.

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

[quote=GaNurse31763;3022261]Here is the email I received this morning. I am just sick to my stomach. I am supposed to take my last EC test Monday. I guess at this point there is no use in applying for the CPNE.

Yeah, it is discouraging, but this has happened in numerous states throughout the years, and most of the time the states either finally agreed to allow EC without further stipulations, or they agreed to allow EC grads with extra clinical requirements or other stipulations such as LPNs only; which I do not agree with, by the way. We can't forget our Paramedics, can we?!

EC is vastly different from what the traditional nursing establishment (picture a black and white photo of a lady wearing a cap and cape) is accustomed, and until everyone is as informed as we are, it will continue to be placed under greater scrutiny than other, for better or worse, more traditional schools of nursing.

Unrelenting political activism, on the part of EC students, faculty, and alumni, as well as other well-informed supporters, is what it will take to change the attitudes of those who serve in decision-making capacities. We ALL MUST become involved TODAY, sending letters, e-mails, making phone calls, petitions, and whatever else it might take to convince the powers that be that we are a professional, educated, and politically active force to be reckoned with.

Good luck with your test on Monday. Go and take it as if none of this senseless BS is happening. As for me, I've got some letters to write!