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Nursing Students Excelsior

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Hello!! I'm so glad I found this forum. I am in the process of enrolling into the Paramedic to RN ADN program at Excelsior. I'm going to do the lecture/exam courses so I can get financial assistance. Anyone else do the lecture courses or is everyone just doing the exams? Do any of you get together in study groups? I haven't personally known anyone that has gone through the program but I've known people that know people lol. So I am not entirely sure what to expect. Has everyone had generally good experiences with Excelsior? Where are you at in the program?

I look forward to getting to know you guys!

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Specializes in EMS, ED, Trauma, CEN, CPEN, TCRN.

I graduated in 2008, also entered the program as a paramedic. :)

Just FYI, you can get financial aid for the NTCX option, which is somewhere between a course and an exam but is much cheaper: Excelsior College | Nursing Theory Completion Options

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Awesome! I think that was the one I was looking at because financial aid covers everything including the exam and I like having a little bit of the 'traditional' feel with the discussions and quizzes. It'll help me stay motivated and on track. With family and full time work it'll be good to have that constant reminder lol. Thanks! Is that the one you did?

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Specializes in EMS, ED, Trauma, CEN, CPEN, TCRN.
Awesome! I think that was the one I was looking at because financial aid covers everything including the exam and I like having a little bit of the 'traditional' feel with the discussions and quizzes. It'll help me stay motivated and on track. With family and full time work it'll be good to have that constant reminder lol. Thanks! Is that the one you did?

No, it wasn't an option when I was a student — it was exams only. I kept myself on track by paying for and scheduling the exams so I had a deadline to work with. :)

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What are the tests like? I know they're at the Person Vue. Which is nice because it'll get people used to stressful testing situations.

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Specializes in Med/Surg, LTACH, LTC, Home Health.

I graduated in April 2010 after completing the only option available at the time: exams only. The exams are multiple choice, some select-all-that-apply, some fill-in-the-blank, some direct-fact questions, and loads of patient care scenarios based on factual information derived from disease processes, clinical conditions, and 'textbook' theory...aka evidence-based practices.

Basically, you need to know a lot of information and have those critical-thinking skills on point from a nurse's perspective in the delivery of patient care, based on 'textbook' theory. You'll learn it. :)

Did I mention 'textbook' theory? I deliberately left out the "what we do on the floor" or "out in the field" statements for a reason. ;)

Where are my manners? I forgot to say hi!

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Hi!! It's very nice to meet you! I don't feel so alone in this process now. :) It didn't even cross my mind that the tests wouldn't be all multiple choice. I will have to be extra prepared lol. What do you guys do? Long term care? ER? OR? Flight?

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Specializes in Emergency Department, ICU.

I too entered the program as a medic. I graduated in the fall of 2015. I worked in the ED as a nurse until March of this year when I switched to ICU. I am currently doing one of EC's RN to MSN programs with a specialization in nursing informatics. I doubt this will be my end-all degree, but I figured why not since I'm still in the school mentality and I know I wanted to get way more bedside experience before considering doing an APRN program of any kind.

I took almost all exams, but the course option did come around toward the end of my program completion, so I did utilize it for the last 2 courses I had prior to FCCAs which I didn't feel super motivated for (lol).

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That's more of what I'm wanting to do. Stay in the ER until I get enough experience to go Flight. What do you want to do long term?

How long did it take you guys to get through the Associates program? I'll be transferring with all my gen ed complete except Micro so I'm shooting for a year after Micro which would be about the same as a traditional program. Do you feel Excelsior was harder than a traditional program or about the same?

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Specializes in EMS, ED, Trauma, CEN, CPEN, TCRN.
I'll be transferring with all my gen ed complete except Micro so I'm shooting for a year after Micro which would be about the same as a traditional program.

Are you aware of the wait time for the CPNE? Might be a good idea to explore the catalog and website so that you are fully aware of issues about which students complain most.

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Specializes in Med/Surg, LTACH, LTC, Home Health.
Hi!! It's very nice to meet you! I don't feel so alone in this process now. :) It didn't even cross my mind that the tests wouldn't be all multiple choice. I will have to be extra prepared lol. What do you guys do? Long term care? ER? OR? Flight?
I was an acute care float nurse at a level I trauma center, to include ER, up until about two months ago. Now, I'm a Nurse Manager/Nurse Investigator for the state I live in.
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I am aware of the wait. Some were saying they've been waiting for close to a year. For me, that's not too bad. Because I can focus on one test at a time then switch my thinking to skills (I should be able to also use the training equipment my work has) and also get in the NCLEX mind set. I think I'll feel more at home with this process cause it's more like paramedic school and NREMT style. I should have specified lol. I meant have all 8 tests done and be CPNE ready in a year. Since OK requires a 60hr preceptorship, I'm hoping to do that while waiting for CPNE.

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