Is Excelsior the only option???

TheCommuter, BSN, RN · Dec 4, 2007

:welcome: Welcome to these forums!

Since you're making a query about online and distance RN programs, I am going to move your post to the Distance Programs forum where, hopefully, you'll accrue more responses. Good luck with your search!

NC Girl BSN · Dec 4, 2007

Kinda, depends on where you live. There is also the Indiana State LPN to BSN. There is a sticky above for more info. In NC, there is a community college that is online and you do clinicals each semester at a hospital that you can get a preceptor to sponsor you. The only downfall is that you must have your LPN license and worked 2 years before applying. They also only accept 10 LPN's a year. Its not work waiting to gamble on a position and I think you have to be a NC resident.

lvnandmomx3 · Dec 4, 2007

ISU is the only one that is accepted for the California BON. It's a 3yr LVN to BSN program you have 10 general classes that are needed to enroll then you have 8 co-recs that can be concurrent enrolment withthe program. You need to have an active LVN/LPN license, but not sure on the yrs of experience needed( I dont think there is a requiredment with them they did not ask me).

From what I understand ( some one correct me if I give wrong info) you take your nursing courses on line and then do x amount of clinicals at a local hospital with a preceptor, depending on the class depends on the number of clinical hours they range from 45 hrs to 90 hrs per supject for a total of 495 for the entire program. This is either set up by you or they are affiliated with Sanoma State University and they have preceptor contracts already.

chaxanmom · Dec 4, 2007

ISU is the only one that is accepted for the California BON. It's a 3yr LVN to BSN program you have 10 general classes that are needed to enroll then you have 8 co-recs that can be concurrent enrolment withthe program. You need to have an active LVN/LPN license, but not sure on the yrs of experience needed( I dont think there is a requiredment with them they did not ask me).
From what I understand (someone correct me if I give wrong info) you take your nursing courses on line and then do x amount of clinicals at a local hospital with a preceptor, depending on the class depends on the number of clinical hours they range from 45 hrs to 90 hrs per subject for a total of 495 for the entire program. This is either set up by you or they are affiliated with Sanoma State University and they have preceptor contracts already.

You're mostly correct. For clinicals you decide on a few places you'd like to go and give the contact info to a guy there who is in charge of setting them up. He does that and when its ready you will get contact information for nurses willing to precept you and you work out a schedule with one of them. No connection with Sonoma State but some areas already have agreements in place with ISU. Just depends if an ISU student has preceeded you.

lvnandmomx3 · Dec 5, 2007

No connection with Sonoma State but some areas already have agreements in place with ISU. Just depends if an ISU student has preceeded you.

I understand but I was told since CA got rid of all distant learning programs a few yrs ago that In order to get any program back here they had to partner with a "local college" in order certify that the clinicals are done the right way. So I'm not sure the exact role that SSU plays in the clinicals but I think it has something to do with the contracts and the tracking of clinical hours. Even on the CA BON it states ISU partnered with SSU, but the tele listed and all contact is with ISU. California is alway the exception to everything they alway have to make it difficult.......lol

chaxanmom · Dec 5, 2007

Ohhh I see. Yeah it must be something specific to CA because my literature from them doesn't mention SSU at all. :)

I know what you mean about CA. We lived there for 4 years and I got my LVN license there. I went to Concorde Career Institute in North Hollywood.

TheCommuter, BSN, RN · Dec 6, 2007

I know what you mean about CA. We lived there for 4 years and I got my LVN license there. I went to Concorde Career Institute in North Hollywood.

I attended the LVN program at Casa Loma College in Van Nuys, which is a stone's throw away from Concorde in North Hollywood. I lived in CA for 24 years...

caliotter3 · Dec 6, 2007

You're going to have to do some research to find other programs other than Excelsior and Indiana State. Excelsior is the most widely known and has been in existence for a long time. It is respected and has won awards. The big problem that many people have with this program, is that they forget that it is an examination program to show proficiency that has already been gained independently or elsewhere. Anyone who has no clinical experience at all is normally better off by getting into a traditional program where they can get some clinical instruction. Excelsior does not offer this and never has. Yet they continue to graduate many nurses each year. Good luck in finding a program that fits your specific needs. Hope you don't reside in CA, where hundreds and thousands of qualified applicants go without any kind of nursing program in any given year.

rrt_thats_me · Dec 6, 2007

Thank you all for your responses. I am a Respiratory Therapist with 7 years of clinical experience. The reason I would like to go a different route for clinicals is I live a very long distance from the CPNE testing sites. So just trying to see if there is anything out there for RT's but it doesnt really sound like it. Thanks again.

TheCommuter, BSN, RN · Dec 6, 2007

Thank you all for your responses. I am a Respiratory Therapist with 7 years of clinical experience. The reason I would like to go a different route for clinicals is I live a very long distance from the CPNE testing sites. So just trying to see if there is anything out there for RT's but it doesnt really sound like it. Thanks again.

I understand that the CPNE is only a few days in duration. You can take a few days off, catch a flight to the CPNE clinical site, do your 2 days of clinicals, and leave. That's what the people in my area do.

lvnandmomx3 · Dec 6, 2007

Hope you don't reside in CA, where hundreds and thousands of qualified applicants go without any kind of nursing program in any given year.

ISU is now available to those of us who reside in CA, as of Feb of this yr. It is however the only Distant learning program that the CA BON will accept. There are 2 other Programs for LVN-RN BSN but you have to have a bsn in another field already that CA BON will accept also.

All of our brigde prgrams or commnunity college RN programs have a huge wait list. So unless you can afford $50,000 plus for a fast track private route you are ultimatle screwed.