Alternatives for students that fail out of traditional nursing schools

Nursing Students General Students

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There is another alternative for students that fail at traditional nursing schools that still have the desire to become a registered nurse. I've noticed that once students are unsuccessful in a traditional setting, they give up hope and end their pursuit.

However, many students ignore the fact that there are other paths to obtaining their degree such as attending schools such as Excelsior. I myself, chose to take this route although I've never failed at a traditional nursing school and passed my NCLEX exam the first time.

Taking this route requires a lot of discipline, but the quote is still relevant "anything worth having never comes easy". So before you give up and throw in the towel please consider other options.

Specializes in Pediatrics.
It doesn't matter how "eager " you are to be a nurse.Eagerness can't overcome a lack of skill or intelligence.

Fantastic assertion.

You can muddle through or scrape by in many careers. If grasping fundamental science and basic nursing concepts is beyond you, go into a field where someone's life doesn't depend on your competency. Engineers responsible for the structural integrity of skyscrapers have to be meticulous and highly competent. Helicopter pilots have to precise and on-point every time they take to the air. Neurosurgeons must execute operations deliberately and as close to perfect as possible.

I have too much respect for the nursing profession to pretend that those who make up their ranks shouldn't be held to rigorous academic standards.

Specializes in Pediatrics, Emergency, Trauma.
Fantastic assertion.

You can muddle through or scrape by in many careers. If grasping fundamental science and basic nursing concepts is beyond you, go into a field where someone's life doesn't depend on your competency.

Engineers responsible for the structural integrity of skyscrapers have to be meticulous and highly competent. Helicopter pilots have to precise and on-point every time they take to the air. Neurosurgeons must execute operations deliberately and as close to perfect as possible.

I have too much respect for the nursing profession to pretend that those who make up their ranks shouldn't be held to rigorous academic standards.

Well said.
Specializes in Obstetrics.

I have issues with this. I'm sorry but Excelsior isn't for "people who fail out of traditional nursing school"! You have to have a health care degree before you can enter the program; either a Paramedic, an LPN/LVN, Respiratory Therapist or Licensed Midwife. If you happened to take some traditional nursing school classes after that but didn't continue - they DON'T transfer. You still have to take all of the regular ADN classes, the focused clinical exam and the professional nursing exam. Its HARD. Don't let anyone fool you, the program has a 40% pass rate - because its HARD. Unlike traditional nursing school, where you have an instructor telling you what to read, how to prepare for the test etc, you are given a list of books, a list of subjects and thats it. You have to learn it ALL because any of it can be on the test. We may not have traditional clinicals - but again you come into the program with a degree already in healthcare. You are expected to have most of the skills already, and teach yourself the rest either through workshops or on the job you are currently working. If you fail one item on the performance exam, you take it over at a huge cost (2500$ for the exam alone, nevermind hotel, travel, stress etc.). The NCLEX pass rate for those who make it through the program and the performance exam is 99%. SO please stop perpetuating the fallacy that Excelsior is for rejects from traditional school. It is just another option, for those of us who cannot spend 5 days a week sitting in class because we have to support our families, or already have good jobs and are just adding to those skills.

my husband is n a traditional school and I work just as hard at my studies as he does. so please don't make it like excelsior students are not competent or worthy. thanks.

Specializes in Wound Care.

Sure they can go to the Excelsiors of this world. But they won't get licenses in a lot of states if they do, and they will never be able to get into real BSN programs. They might think that doesn't matter to them now, but it might very well later...when they grow up. Best to hedge your bets. Choose another path or come back later. But there really is no true shortcut to being a professional.

What a ridiculous statement. I have never had an employer ask me which college I have graduated from or my GPA. They ask about my work experience, request a copy of my state nursing license, social security card and driver license.

And, it takes much more than intelligence/grades to make a good nurse. The valedictorian of my class was on clinical probation. Aced the tests, but could not safely take care of a "live patient".

Specializes in NICU, ER.

It really upsets me when people who obviously do not know anything about EC blast it. My adventure in getting my degree from EC was the hardest and one of the most rewarding tasks I accomplished. I managed my classes with 2 small children and 2 jobs as a paramedic. I graduated got a great job, and am so thankful I attended EC!!

Specializes in NICU, ER.

My Excelsior College "shortcut" to nursing school, lead me to work as a Transport NICU RN in a regional level 3 NICU at a Magnet Childrens Hospital in California...

My Excelsior College "shortcut" to nursing school lead me to work as a Transport NICU RN in a regional level 3 NICU at a Magnet Childrens Hospital in California...[/quote']

Wow. Congrats! Excelsior gets a bad rep. Nice to see someone get a nice job AND in California.

Specializes in Public Health.

Uhhh. No one said it was for NS rejects. All they said is that you MAY or may not be eligible for licensure in some states. And there are VERY few school that can honestly say they have a 99% NCLEX pass rate. Why does everyone and their mother claim that?

Specializes in Public Health.

Also, a simple check of excelsiors site revealed a self reported 85% pass rate for last year. And from 2003 until now, the average was 83%

Specializes in Med-Surg.

Wow! I am so offended by the ignorance of some of the posters on this topic. I was in a different field of employment when in 1998 I lost my job. I went back to school chose the LPN path only because I would be working sooner. I always knew I would go back to school and become an RN after my daughter was in college. Life has a way of intruding and my goal of getting my RN always has taken a back seat. My hospital is going to an all RN staff and all of the LPN's are in school. We will be better RN's than any newbie coming out because we do it daily. I chose Excelsior because of the flexibility it afforded me and my work schedule. I take exception to anyone stating that they don't consider Excelsior a viable way to get your degree. Let me assure you apart from the immediate anger I first felt reading those posts ,it quickly changed to pure amusement at the lack of knowledge from the Superior Ones. You cannot negate the work experience that I as an LPN have amassed over these 14.5 years or any other LPN. How many of you work on a floor taking care of the really sick, some critically. I have and do and I'm quite comfortable taking care of trach pts, pts on vents, helping with intubating patients, being ACLS certified, as are all of the LPN's where I work . We can't push the cardiac drugs but by golly we sure as heck know what to do, what drug will be given , what route, what the code team will be needing from the suction set up to having a vent , ET setup , possible chest tube placement on standby. I critically think everyday in my job and I can tell when I have a patient getting ready to crash. I LEARNED ALL MY SKILLS AS A LPN! Not from any school I attended and I already have a degree from college that has nothing to do with nursing. I orient and train new RN's to the floor frequently and am amazed at the lack of skills they have. Teaching you theory is not enough to prepare you for the realities of nursing. I know as a patient I would make a family member stay with me if I recognized the inexperience being presented to me as " you are in good hands today, you have an RN taking care of you" As opposed to that experienced LPN that notices you are upside down on your I's & O"s to holding your BP med when your systolic is

Specializes in ER.
My Excelsior College "shortcut" to nursing school, lead me to work as a Transport NICU RN in a regional level 3 NICU at a Magnet Childrens Hospital in California...

Unfortunately, Excelsior graduates are no longer allowed to be licensed as an RN in California if their education is from Excelsior without completing more supervised clinicals if they enrolled in Excelsior after 2003.

http://www.rn.ca.gov/schools/excelsior.shtml

Is it right? Is it wrong? I don't know.

However, I don't regret the hands on training I had. As a paramedic, I would not have been prepared to handle being an RN without the training. There are still basic things I didn't do as a student that I am doing now. Ostomy bag? I honestly never cleaned one out properly simply because we didn't have the tools in the ER I worked in and never encountered one during clinicals.

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