[Haunted]

Originally Posted by caliotter3

If TN accepts Excelsior, they are probably your best bet as far as online options. Provided your nursing courses are no more than five years old, you may be able to get credit for them. Otherwise you will have to navigate the Excelsior program like everyone else. Cost involved. But anything will have a cost. I highly suggest that you look into this and make your decision before the end of September, because Excelsior is changing it's curriculum on October 1, 2007. There will be a second clinical experience. As it stands now one clinical experience (at about $1750 a try), proves to be too much for many. They are also adding another written test and there are other proposed changes.

With your good grades, however, you might be able to find a nursing program that will accept you for the purpose of graduation. You have a far better chance of this happening than most people with less than excellent GPAs. Good luck on getting your problem fixed. (I'm in the same boat, but haven't taken the NCLEX in CA yet. It is so discouraging.)

But I already have my RN license in California. I don't understand why I would have to take additional nursing course work in order to get an associates degree. I'm getting really frustrated.

[caliotter3]

I hear your frustration. I went back to my original nursing school once and talked to a counselor who told me a bunch of NO NO NO, and said I needed an appointment with the Dean. At that time, even if I were in the position to be able to do so, (which I wasn't), I did not want to reenter to finish. So now I am having trouble with my application to test. They can't seem to read the box that I checked saying Non grad. I don't know why they print the box Non grad on the form if it is not an option. And I am well aware that if I get to test as a non grad that I will have the same problems as you, if I decide to leave the state. At least you got your RN and can work in CA if you ever come back. Right now I'm stuck! And I totally agree that your RN license derived from passing a national test, should be good in any of the 50 states. What hogwash they put us through!

[chris_at_lucas_RN]

Originally Posted by Haunted

But I already have my RN license in California. I don't understand why I would have to take additional nursing course work in order to get an associates degree. I'm getting really frustrated.

Of course it's frustrating! The reason not every state accepts every other state's licenses, is because not every state's basic requirements are the same as those of other states.

You got your RN without completing the academic requirements of your program in California. Seems to me you were done a disservice when California let that happen. (Different from attending graduation.)

I'm going to post about distance learning and other options, too.....

[chris_at_lucas_RN]

Originally Posted by Haunted

Humanities
Cultural
Math
Psych 100
Computer Science 100

This looks like one semester of full time at a community college. There are some schools which will provide these classes in a "distance learning" format. I graduated from Excelsior College--their courses are accepted everywhere BUT CHECK JUST IN CASE. I would NOT suggest that you apply to their RN program, not that you could not do it, but you will take all your nursing courses over again. It's just that way when you transfer (in effect) from one nursing school to another.

Originally Posted by Haunted

I just need an ASN degree so I can get back to work.

VERIFY in writing if possible, even if that means writing to them and waiting to get a written response, that you can complete those classes you have listed, at any accredited school, and transfer them back and that you can then graduate. It would really suck if you did that work too and the rules were changed on you, or someone told you something that wasn't quite right.

I just googled "web-based courses" and got over 29 million hits. The first page were all schools. Be prepared to pay a little more if you are out of state, or there may be extra fees involved for doing web-based instead of face to face, or the program might want you to come to campus once or twice for exams and such.

You might also see what exams you can "CLEP" out of. I did that with algebra... for something like $36 with two or three days notice, and I walked out of there with my passing grade slip. So that might be at least a partial option for you.

Good luck!

[Haunted]

what is clep ? I wonder what my options are...

[caliotter3]

CLEP stands for college level examination program. College level tests that you take at proctored sites, for a fee. You get credit for course from school that accepts them. Excelsior is known for taking clep tests for credit. You have to check with the schools.

[caliotter3]

The list of classes you are lacking is not impossible. I don't see why (unless your school is invoking the "residency" rule) you can't accomplish these classes by whatever means, and transfer them back to your original school and get your degree. For that matter, if that school has online classes, you could take some, if not all, of them online from the nursing school you went to. Just a matter of time and effort.

[P_RN]

I had heard of this option from other Ca nurses, but I thought it was long gone. My suggestion (and I hate myself for saying this) is to get a consultation with an employment attorney. Sometimes an attorney will not charge for the first visit..

Were you an LVN before you took the RN boards?
http://www.nurse.ca.gov/steps.html

[Haunted]

Originally Posted by P_RN

I had heard of this option from other Ca nurses, but I thought it was long gone. My suggestion (and I hate myself for saying this) is to get a consultation with an employment attorney. Sometimes an attorney will not charge for the first visit..

Were you an LVN before you took the RN boards?
http://www.nurse.ca.gov/steps.html

Yes I was briefly. It was a necessity to work as I was going thru a divorce but took my RN boards because I complted the RN requirements.

[NRSKarenRN]

Clear states on BON website:

LVN 30 Unit Option
Designed as a career ladder for Licensed Vocational Nurses wishing to become RNs. Takes approximately 18-24 months. No degree is granted upon completion. Most other states do not recognize California's LVN 30 Unit Option and will not issue RN licenses to these LVNs. Some LVNs prefer to complete an ADN program in order to obtain a degree and to have the flexibility to get an RN license in other states. Most ADN programs will give LVNs credit for some of the coursework they completed to become an LVN

http://www.nurse.ca.gov/steps.html

Only option you have is to complete course work for either ADN or BSN program. Check with your previous school to see if only these courses needed for ADN, and would they accept outside CA programs.

Sorry you are caught in this bind. That is why we do not recomend this option for LPN's but going thru LPN to RN completion program then take NCLEX.

TN should at least permit you to apply for LPN license. Best wishes for the future.