Any Oklahoma Excelsior Grads?

Published

Hi My name is Cindy. I am a LPN and considering Excelsior long distance course for my ASN. Are there any Oklahoma Grads, or current students I could talk with? I am interested in feedback before I begin the courses.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Trauma,ER,CCU/OHU/Nsg Ed/Nsg Research.

I'm not in OK, but am a current student getting ready to finish up. I'd be glad to converse with you about the program- I'm very happy with it. What did you need to know?

Up Vote Up Vote ×
I'm not in OK, but am a current student getting ready to finish up. I'd be glad to converse with you about the program- I'm very happy with it. What did you need to know?

Hi. Thanks for responding. I really just waned to know how someone else did with the courses. Are the study guides adequate, and do they really prepare you for the tests? And how were the tests? How was your clinical and where did you take it? I am anticitpating starting the courses within the next 6-8 weeks.

Cindy

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Trauma,ER,CCU/OHU/Nsg Ed/Nsg Research.

The study guides were adequate for me- they are very clear, and there are no surprise questions on the exams. Study what the guide tells you to go over, and you'll be fine. The exams are like NCLEX critical thinking questions. You won't have questions like, "which is a symptom of blah-blah-blah?" You will have questions like, "The nurse can best promote adequate oxygenation in a client by..." and then you have to pick the best answer. I took a nursing course a month, and studied every free moment I had. They aren't especially hard courses, but they do cover a lot of material. I suggest getting a NCLEX study guide to complement your studies, or get the Med/Surg Made Incredibly Easy CD ROM- I used that for NC 2-6, and it helped greatly. It has study questions with rationales, and can help you in your weak areas. Also do the practice quizzes on the EC website if you can afford them- they are very close to the real exams, and again can help you in your weak areas. With so much material covered for each exam, it is the best way to go to study everything first, and then hone in on your weak areas until you feel confident about taking the actual exam.

The CPNE clinical eval was a bear, but it was doable- especially if you have acute care LPN experience, and study your care planning. I care-planned every health problem discussed in the Nursing Concepts courses, and this helped with the exams as well as with the CPNE. You will have lots of care plan questions in your NC exams. For the CPNE- just do everything EC's way (which follows the ANA guidelines for nursing care), and you'll be fine.

If you want some study materials for NC 1, PM me your email addy, and I'll send you notes and a practice test to help you get started. Also, join the rnstudygroup at Yahoo.com- it'll be a big help and a great place of support for you.

Good luck, and feel free to ask any questions you might have- there are lots of us here to help support you on your way through the program.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I'm just a bit south of you, OP, and I'm just waiting for my graduation date (8/20) to arrive so I can get on with the NCLEX!

Basically, lgflamini said what I would tell you--you might join nontradnurses on yahoo also. Look for "Lisa's notes" in the files of any of the nursing student groups on Yahoo, those help a lot.

I bought a set of study guides (new). They helped my confidence, but when it was all said and done, you can get everything you need for free on the internet, with the yahoo groups and by googling the topics in the free outlines Excelsior provides. (You can even get those free online--no need to wait for the mailman to bring them!)

Welcome to the fold! Please feel free to email or PM me any time.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
The study guides were adequate for me- they are very clear, and there are no surprise questions on the exams. Study what the guide tells you to go over, and you'll be fine. The exams are like NCLEX critical thinking questions. You won't have questions like, "which is a symptom of blah-blah-blah?" You will have questions like, "The nurse can best promote adequate oxygenation in a client by..." and then you have to pick the best answer. I took a nursing course a month, and studied every free moment I had. They aren't especially hard courses, but they do cover a lot of material. I suggest getting a NCLEX study guide to complement your studies, or get the Med/Surg Made Incredibly Easy CD ROM- I used that for NC 2-6, and it helped greatly. It has study questions with rationales, and can help you in your weak areas. Also do the practice quizzes on the EC website if you can afford them- they are very close to the real exams, and again can help you in your weak areas. With so much material covered for each exam, it is the best way to go to study everything first, and then hone in on your weak areas until you feel confident about taking the actual exam.

The CPNE clinical eval was a bear, but it was doable- especially if you have acute care LPN experience, and study your care planning. I care-planned every health problem discussed in the Nursing Concepts courses, and this helped with the exams as well as with the CPNE. You will have lots of care plan questions in your NC exams. For the CPNE- just do everything EC's way (which follows the ANA guidelines for nursing care), and you'll be fine.

If you want some study materials for NC 1, PM me your email addy, and I'll send you notes and a practice test to help you get started. Also, join the rnstudygroup at Yahoo.com- it'll be a big help and a great place of support for you.

Good luck, and feel free to ask any questions you might have- there are lots of us here to help support you on your way through the program.

Hi lgflamini...Thanks so much for all that info. I wanted to hear personallly from someone who had been through the courses. Where did you take your clinicals? I heard that Plano Texas was really tough on thier students, but it is the closest to where I live. I can actually drive there instead of having to fly and rent a car, which obviously would be considerably more expensive. And my husband would love to go with me too.

Cindy

Up Vote Up Vote ×
I'm just a bit south of you, OP, and I'm just waiting for my graduation date (8/20) to arrive so I can get on with the NCLEX!

Basically, lgflamini said what I would tell you--you might join nontradnurses on yahoo also. Look for "Lisa's notes" in the files of any of the nursing student groups on Yahoo, those help a lot.

I bought a set of study guides (new). They helped my confidence, but when it was all said and done, you can get everything you need for free on the internet, with the yahoo groups and by googling the topics in the free outlines Excelsior provides. (You can even get those free online--no need to wait for the mailman to bring them!)

Welcome to the fold! Please feel free to email or PM me any time.

Hi Chris,

Thanks for the info as well. I appreciate it. Did you take your clinicals in Plano? If so tell me about your experience. I would love to hear about it.

Cindy

Up Vote Up Vote ×

HI again....long time since last contact. Well, I finally took the leap and signed up yesterday through the College Network and have my first 2 study guides. Who hoo..... Now I'm nervous. I have sociology and nursing concepts 1 in my hands. The advisor told me a few of the clinical locations had closed, and now he reccomends Raccine Wisoncsin. Thats a ways off for me. How long did it take you from start to finish? I hope to be able to do a study guide per month. Is that unrealistic?

Cindy

The study guides were adequate for me- they are very clear, and there are no surprise questions on the exams. Study what the guide tells you to go over, and you'll be fine. The exams are like NCLEX critical thinking questions. You won't have questions like, "which is a symptom of blah-blah-blah?" You will have questions like, "The nurse can best promote adequate oxygenation in a client by..." and then you have to pick the best answer. I took a nursing course a month, and studied every free moment I had. They aren't especially hard courses, but they do cover a lot of material. I suggest getting a NCLEX study guide to complement your studies, or get the Med/Surg Made Incredibly Easy CD ROM- I used that for NC 2-6, and it helped greatly. It has study questions with rationales, and can help you in your weak areas. Also do the practice quizzes on the EC website if you can afford them- they are very close to the real exams, and again can help you in your weak areas. With so much material covered for each exam, it is the best way to go to study everything first, and then hone in on your weak areas until you feel confident about taking the actual exam.

The CPNE clinical eval was a bear, but it was doable- especially if you have acute care LPN experience, and study your care planning. I care-planned every health problem discussed in the Nursing Concepts courses, and this helped with the exams as well as with the CPNE. You will have lots of care plan questions in your NC exams. For the CPNE- just do everything EC's way (which follows the ANA guidelines for nursing care), and you'll be fine.

If you want some study materials for NC 1, PM me your email addy, and I'll send you notes and a practice test to help you get started. Also, join the rnstudygroup at Yahoo.com- it'll be a big help and a great place of support for you.

Good luck, and feel free to ask any questions you might have- there are lots of us here to help support you on your way through the program.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
HI again....long time since last contact. Well, I finally took the leap and signed up yesterday through the College Network and have my first 2 study guides. Who hoo..... Now I'm nervous. I have sociology and nursing concepts 1 in my hands. The advisor told me a few of the clinical locations had closed, and now he reccomends Raccine Wisoncsin. Thats a ways off for me. How long did it take you from start to finish? I hope to be able to do a study guide per month. Is that unrealistic?

Cindy

I took mine in Racine and I actually lived in Dallas at that time. I heard too many horror stories about Dallas/Plano to take a chance so I bought a plane ticket to WI.

I took about one exam per month and worked full time.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Trauma,ER,CCU/OHU/Nsg Ed/Nsg Research.

I did about 1 a month and worked as well. If it takes you longer, that's OK- you have to go at a pace that's right for you. I CLEPped Sociology- you might want to consider that, since it's about $200 cheaper to CLEP it. You can do the NC practice quizzes on the website to get a feel of how the actual NC exams will go, and to pare things down to what you need to focus your studies on.

It can seem scary at first- just pace yourself and you'll be fine.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Join the Discussion