[Granna3]

Hi,
I am wondering if there are any Texas nurses doing the EC program or any nurses that have graduated from the program? I have been doing some research and am very confused. I have 6 credits I need to do before starting the actual nursing classes. Would you suggest doing those through EC or another school. I have been an office nurse for 20 years and before that 10 years of hospital. I am sure I want to pursue this goal, but am very nervous.
Any suggestions are appreciated.
Barbara in Lubbock

[calliesue]

Hi Granna 3 ,
You should head on over to the students/ distance learning site. Lots of EC info to be head there.

[classicdame]

I really cannot answer your question but do want to give you something to consider. I am in staff development in a Texas hospital. People call me wanting to do their clinical rotation for Excelsior and other schools. They do not understand that 1) we have no affiliation with the school; 2) we do not get paid for your training; 3) the nurse who works with you is risking his/her license to do your supervision; 4) there is no formal rotation program so your education would be spotty at best. There is a big risk for us, and without compensation, so we say no. Just FYI in case the school is telling you the clinicals can be done at a local hospital. They leave it up to you to call around and find one that is willing to take the risks while the school collects the tuition.

[elkpark]

Originally Posted by classicdame

I really cannot answer your question but do want to give you something to consider. I am in staff development in a Texas hospital. People call me wanting to do their clinical rotation for Excelsior and other schools. They do not understand that 1) we have no affiliation with the school; 2) we do not get paid for your training; 3) the nurse who works with you is risking his/her license to do your supervision; 4) there is no formal rotation program so your education would be spotty at best. There is a big risk for us, and without compensation, so we say no. Just FYI in case the school is telling you the clinicals can be done at a local hospital. They leave it up to you to call around and find one that is willing to take the risks while the school collects the tuition.

Thank you for pointing that out! I am always amazed at the various on-line programs that are happy to take people's tuition money and tell them part of the "convenience" of the program is that they can arrange clinicals in their local hospitals -- without telling them that the local hospitals have no incentive or interest in doing this (and, as you point out, a number of disincentives) and will probably say "no." There have been a number of threads here over the years about students in these programs who find themselves stuck when they can't find a local facility to complete the clinical portion of their programs (for which they're paying the "school" beaucoup bucks -- but the school is no help when push comes to shove on the clinical issue).

[txspadequeen921]

Excelsior has NO clinical rotation. Just a FYI

Originally Posted by classicdame

I really cannot answer your question but do want to give you something to consider. I am in staff development in a Texas hospital. People call me wanting to do their clinical rotation for Excelsior and other schools. They do not understand that 1) we have no affiliation with the school; 2) we do not get paid for your training; 3) the nurse who works with you is risking his/her license to do your supervision; 4) there is no formal rotation program so your education would be spotty at best. There is a big risk for us, and without compensation, so we say no. Just FYI in case the school is telling you the clinicals can be done at a local hospital. They leave it up to you to call around and find one that is willing to take the risks while the school collects the tuition.

[txspadequeen921]

I will answer you the best I can . Texas is a very friendly EC state and most people have no trouble finding employment. It is a self study program (rules have recently changed bear with me) and consist of 8 test you study then test out of (7 if you are a LVN you get credit for test 2) The preclasses consist of about I don't know 36 32 something like that I had a AAS when I went in so I did not pay attention. I did mine at a college but alot of people CLEP their's because they can get them out of the way faster and EC accepts credits alot of different ways. Like the Soc CLEP test some people study a week then test for that. Its up to you how you do it. What classes do you have left. You need to get your transcripipts evaluated by EC to see what you need to take. I hope this helps.

Originally Posted by Granna3

Hi,
I am wondering if there are any Texas nurses doing the EC program or any nurses that have graduated from the program? I have been doing some research and am very confused. I have 6 credits I need to do before starting the actual nursing classes. Would you suggest doing those through EC or another school. I have been an office nurse for 20 years and before that 10 years of hospital. I am sure I want to pursue this goal, but am very nervous.
Any suggestions are appreciated.
Barbara in Lubbock

[classicdame]

In order to get a Texas RN license you have to have specific hours of clinical rotation. This is not true with master's degree. Please refer to www.thecb.state.tx.us for requirements.

[RN34TX]

Originally Posted by classicdame

In order to get a Texas RN license you have to have specific hours of clinical rotation. This is not true with master's degree. Please refer to www.thecb.state.tx.us for requirements.

I searched all over your provided website and failed to find any info that backs up your statement about needing specific hours of clinical rotation in order to get a Texas RN license.

I graduated from EC in 2003 in Texas as an LVN at that time and had no problems in getting RN licensure any differently than any other ADN grad in the state. I did not have to complete any clinical hours beyond what was required from EC for my degree which was a clinical examination, not precepted clinical hours (The CPNE). Two very different things.

The EC ADN program does not involve any precepted clinical hours that the student needs to set up on their own with a hospital literally volunteering their time and resources.

Excelsior sometimes gets confused with programs like Indiana State University or Deaconness which do involve these types of clinical requirements.

[txspadequeen921]

Excelsior is a approved nursing school in Texas.

Originally Posted by classicdame

In order to get a Texas RN license you have to have specific hours of clinical rotation. This is not true with master's degree. Please refer to www.thecb.state.tx.us for requirements.

[registerednutrn]

I don't know much about Excelsior other than the hospital I used to work at was one of their testing sites. I do know that the final test is very expensive (about the same at total tuition to a community college nursing program not counting books and extras). The final test is extremely hard as I know that out of about 12 students testing only 2 or 3 would pass. Even the excelsior instructors would state that they could have passed the final test. Just something to think about