Excelsior

emtpbill, ASN, RN, EMT-P · Jul 6, 2017

Another student, who is CPNE eligible, was told that the wait time is now up to 12-15 months and was asked to stop calling in for a sooner date.

diddyL24 · Jul 6, 2017

Exactly what I was told as well. Clicking the "cancellation" box once your eligible for CPNE is merely a feel-good measure, it does not mean anything. Pixie.RN stated that the wait time average was around 7 months when she went through the program (nearly 10 years ago). Clearly, Excelsior is not concerned with addressing this problem since, in nearly 10 years, not only has the wait time not improved - it has gotten much worse.

I'm currently in the queue, and have been for about 7 months now. Checked all sites, cancellation dates, and one week lead time and nothing yet. I will attend the CPNE, but should the worst case scenario happen (a fail at CPNE), I will certainly not continue in Excelsior and would encourage anyone thinking about Excelsior to look elsewhere, preferably a "brick and mortar" school where they will teach you how to be an RN (skills, theory, etc.), not presume that somehow you already know these things and are already competent in them. I'm not certain how Excelsior would expect LPNs to already be adept at RN skills (that's the whole point of an RN program - to teach you).

Editorial Team / Moderator · Jul 6, 2017

I'm not certain how Excelsior would expect LPNs to already be adept at RN skills (that's the whole point of an RN program - to teach you).

Are you finding that there are a lot of skills that are unfamiliar as far as what is expected for the CPNE? (I am assuming you are an LPN, because that's what you keep mentioning.) I entered the program as a paramedic so I am not entirely familiar with how LPN scopes differ from state to state, but a lot of the LPNs I know who have done EC's program have said there is very little difference in scope beyond a couple of things, like hanging blood or doing initial assessments, for example. It sounds like there is often very little gap in LPN vs. RN skills. As a paramedic, I think the one area that I had little experience with were skills surrounding enteral feeding. I was also lucky in that I worked as an ER tech and had a lot of exposure to things like drips, pumps, wound care, aseptic technique, Foley placement, etc. As a paramedic we do meds via IV push, which was something the LPNs I worked with later could not do.

I really hope it doesn't come to your backup plan. I am also hearing about the lack of cancellation dates, which is why it's hard to recommend the program. One of the more active Facebook groups gets new members every day looking into the program, and they are shocked by the wait time â€” but it bears heavy consideration. Even when I was waiting for my date, I couldn't understand why the process was the way it was, and I still don't. I have to wonder if they don't know if a site will be functional until much closer to the actual CPNE weekend. It is terrible for you and everyone else who is already this far into the program pipeline. A good friend of mine has been waiting since August, I know it's torture.

NotMyProblem MSN, ASN, BSN, MSN, LPN, RN · Jul 7, 2017

Exactly what I was told as well. Clicking the "cancellation" box once your eligible for CPNE is merely a feel-good measure, it does not mean anything. Pixie.RN stated that the wait time average was around 7 months when she went through the program (nearly 10 years ago). Clearly, Excelsior is not concerned with addressing this problem since, in nearly 10 years, not only has the wait time not improved - it has gotten much worse.
I'm currently in the queue, and have been for about 7 months now. Checked all sites, cancellation dates, and one week lead time and nothing yet. I will attend the CPNE, but should the worst case scenario happen (a fail at CPNE), I will certainly not continue in Excelsior and would encourage anyone thinking about Excelsior to look elsewhere, preferably a "brick and mortar" school where they will teach you how to be an RN (skills, theory, etc.), not presume that somehow you already know these things and are already competent in them. I'm not certain how Excelsior would expect LPNs to already be adept at RN skills (that's the whole point of an RN program - to teach you).

The only thing I had not done that RNs do, with regards to Excelsior's program, were care plans. Those LPNs that I personally know who completed the program, all had the same mindset as I had: I'm doing the work of an RN, so I might as well get paid as one. That's what sent us all to EC. There was no surprise in the self-taught concept. Excelsior's own motto has always been in support of validating prior learning via the test-out method. As they say, it doesn't matter where or how you learned it.

I received my testing date rather quickly back in 2010. I completed everything by December 23, 2009, and had my testing date on February 12-14, 2010. Things have changed since I graduated, and I really hate that it has come down to such delays with current students. I venture to guess that recent events with students' reactions to failure of certain courses and/or the CPNE has been a major role in a lot of these changes. If nothing else, though, these delays allows students plenty of time to know that CPNE manual and practice those areas of care backwards and forwards; so there should be no excuses for not being successful when a date has been set (barring any extenuating circumstances, of course).

All that said, personally, if the delays are going to continue to be lengthy, I think EC should open up the CPNE eligibility earlier during the pre-FCCA stage. Every student should be given a CPNE testing date during the regular nursing courses/exams and if those students are not ready by that date (all requirements completed), then they should be placed on the current waitlist status. Just my two cents.

Of course, students will then probably complain about being placed under pressure to make the deadline, causing them to fail a course/exam due to feeling rushed. What to do...

RTRNCRNA · Jul 7, 2017

I would also urge you to weigh your options and evaluate your goal timeline. If you go the credit by exam route, you can easily anticipate a minimum of 2 years (that is assuming that you complete All pre-reqs and Nursing exams within 6 months with a 12-15month CPNE wait). Unfortunately, this does not include you needing to complete a certain percentage of the ATI before releasing your eligibility to take the NCLEX-RN.

However, on average I believe it takes students 2-3 years to complete course work then add on the 12-15 month CPNE wait time. So if you are okay with a wait time of 3.5 to 4+years to get your RN then I would say do Excelsior...it really is a good program.

Unfortunately, as good of a program that it is, in hindsight I would have done a different online bridge program like UTA and came out with my BSN in the same or less time.

By the way, if you do the online courses then you may be looking at 5-6 years. Not trying to scare you or exaggerate, you just need to go in with eyes wide open. If they could ever get back to a wait time of 3-6months then I would definitely recommend them because it would be hard to be the value of what they offer. Good luck to you because only you know what is best for your situation.

UlanaD · Jul 10, 2017

The one thing I dont like about excelsior is the "test out" option..take the test, and if you pass you don't need to take the class. That's what put me off at first, it is faster to do it that way I guess but I rely on what I learned in nursing school at my job almost every single day and I'm so grateful I was one of those nerds that hung on every word the instructor said..and turned almost every note into an index card and recited them till I knew it by heart lol. By the end of nursing school I was burned out for sure but I don't regret it because I still use all that info now. I just hate the idea of being 40 already and knowing I still have 5 more years left of school with the local option due to prereqs. All I'd have to do for Excelsior is retake the TEAS and I can get started! It s a tough decision...

I've had instructors that did nothing but read the powerpoints from the screen and didn't teach me a thing, I had to read and learn the subject myself. If you study you will learn, you can teach yourself and you will remember and use the stuff you learned, it's not necessary all the time for someone to recite it to you for you to learn something. You seem to be implying that if an 'instructor' doesn't teach you, you can't learn it and that people who take the exams don't retain the info. Not true!! I passed all the exams and the clinical and the NCLEX with 75 questions on the first try. I know my stuff. I have friends who did regular programs who I had to tutor because they couldn't pass the NCLEX.

emtpbill, ASN, RN, EMT-P · Jul 11, 2017

Im believing that the credit by exam option is for the person who may work full time, have a family to provide for, or cannot succeed in a formal classroom setting and is able to learn at their own pace and prove their knowledge with the test out option. Had I not enrolled in excelsior there would be no way of rme to get my RN. I cannot take off time from work, or the family unit, atleast my family, would not be able to survive on my wife income alone. Well I guess we could survive but not at the level that we have become accustomed to.

SarahLPN2RN, LPN · Jul 12, 2017

diddyL24, Makes me wonder what is being taught in LPN schools these days. I graduated from LPN school in the mid 90's. We were taught to do head to toe assessment, then (right or wrong) the Med/Surg unit I worked on used RN's and LPN's almost interchangeably (with few RN only duties - admission assessments, hanging blood, and IV push meds). There are probably differences from state to state in LPN skill/responsibility. I entered the Excelsior LPN-RN program hoping to gain a deeper understanding of nursing concepts. I'm sorry you feel unprepared by the program.

Peterjoy93 · Aug 6, 2017

Every 2 weeks when I receive my paycheck I thank Excelsior.