Excelsior Paramedic to RN Bridge Program:

[mo09]

I'm interested in hearing from others who are currently in, or have been in (whether you successfully completed your degree or didn't), Excelsior's Paramedic to RN Bridge program. What's your story? What is/was your experience with the program? Do you have any advice?

I have been a paramedic for four years, worked at a walk-in clinic for a year, and before that worked as a tech. In the ER for 3 years. My passion is in EMS, but I've always wanted to fly and there are so many options and different directions you can take with nursing. I wouldn't mind doing the FNP thing, but That's allot of school and I don't really like school.

I did A&P and Micro through EC. A&P took me over 6 months to prepare for the exam. I bought the bundle of learning materials through EC and it felt like there was SO much info. I couldn't figure out what was important and what wasn't. I made a C. Then after hearing about the College Network, I signed up with them. I used only TCN materials for Micro and it took me half the time and I made an A. I made B's on Transition and Essentials of Nursing: Health Safety. I thought I was doing good and had this "self-study" stuff all figured out, but last month I took Essentials of Nursing: Health Differences and made a D!! I'm really frustrated at this point because I keep reading where people flew through the nursing classes and I feel like I'm going SO slow! I heard about study group 101 on here the other day, so I bought the Study Guide and the Audio Review. I'm hoping between TCN and SG101, I can get this Essentials: Health Differences done (I can re-take the exam at the end of this month) and then be able to speed up and finish the remaining exams.

I'm having a hard time thinking like a nurse and not a medic for example, the whole "Nursing Process" deal and "Nursing Diagnosis" and "Nursing Interventions."

I'm also wondering, do you study on shift? How does that work out for you? I had a partner who it seemed like would always start talking to me or trying to show me stuff or being loud or distracting in some way, EVERY time I started studying. He didn't do it on purpose, but it got pretty frustrating. Or when I'm in the zone and focused, and the tones go off.

I haven't been able to find many other posts about the EC Paramedic to Rn Bridge program. I hope to find others on here who "get" what I'm going through and are experiencing or have experienced things that are more similar to me than say, LPNs or Respiratory therapists, etc.

[Lunah, MSN, RN]

Stuff to read:

https://allnurses.com/excelsior-college-online/excelsior-college-distance-808335.html

https://allnurses.com/excelsior-college-online/clinical-performance-nursing-884109.html

https://allnurses.com/excelsior-college-online/excelsior-grads-where-217472.html

I did EC's program as a paramedic. It was fabulous for me! Opened so many doors I've lost count.

[Nalon1 RN/EMT-P, BSN, RN]

Took me 8 years to do it (yes, 8). I would stop for a while and start again, Changed jobs a few times. Had a kid (well, my wife did). Dad went through cancer treatment and passed.

Yes it took a while, but I am glad I did it. I could not go back to an ambulance. 24 hr shifts were fine when I was younger, but now it would kill me. I work 3 12's a week (maybe an extra shift here or there) and even as a new grad I am making almost as much as my best year as a paramedic working 2 jobs and tons of overtime.

I am home every night, not nearly as tired, don't have to deal with bad weather or the dangers of working EMS (yes, nursing has dangers too, but nothing like standing in the middle of a freeway when the roads are iced up and everyone is driving by at 70 mph).

I studied on my days off. I never could concentrate at work, I would forget what I had read and had to read it over again. I failed 1 test twice (Health Differences 2). This was after I had passed every test with A's and B's. Don't get discouraged. Just study again. Do the Excelsior practice exams.

Nursing is different from Paramedicine. You need to learn the Nursing way (especially the Excelsior way for the CPNE). You must be able to make that jump to a nursing thought process (long term and whole body vs the short term, specific issue of EMS).