Any paramedics with no in hospital experience attending excelsior?

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Still trying to decide if I should continue on with excelsior. Any paramedics currently attending excelsior or who have graduated without in hospital experience? If you graduated and are working in a hospital now, how difficult was it to make the transition? I have 21 years of experience in the field, 18 of those years as a paramedic.

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Still trying to decide if I should continue on with excelsior. Any paramedics currently attending excelsior or who have graduated without in hospital experience? If you graduated and are working in a hospital now, how difficult was it to make the transition? I have 21 years of experience in the field, 18 of those years as a paramedic.

I'll be anxious to read the replies, too... I am also 'on the fence', trying to decide if I want to jump in. I have 24 years EMS experience, 22 as a Paramedic, some Urgent Care/ER/Flight Medic experience, but none recently. I work in a high volume system, 100,000+ calls per year.

We would probably both like to hear some great success stories! :) Thanks!!

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I am just getting started in the program. I am a fire medic in Florida with no hospital experience..although we run several calls where i am stationed. I wouldn't let the NO EXPERIENCE thing stop you from doing this program. There may be people on this site that frown upon it, but the bridge program is there for a reason. Good luck to all.

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Specializes in EMS, ED, Trauma, CEN, CPEN, TCRN.

I'm a medic, but I had hospital experience, kinda ... worked almost 4 years in a freestanding ED before I took my CPNE. However, there are lots of paramedics and even LPNs without hospital experience that are successful with EC. I've read their stories on EC's Electronic Peer Network (EPN) over the years. The things you're asked to do as part of the CPNE are basic assessments, basic management. The labs were easy, I thought, because you can practice them over and over ... and they're not so different from National Registry, with the exception of the wound packing. ;)

As far as the transition from paramedic to RN, yes ... that took work. Mostly it was about mastering time management and prioritizing the needs of multiple patients. After a while it just becomes second nature. I think it also depends on what area of nursing you enter; most of the former medics I know who have done EC have had the greatest success in the ED or ICU.

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I'm a medic, but I had hospital experience, kinda ... worked almost 4 years in a freestanding ED before I took my CPNE. However, there are lots of paramedics and even LPNs without hospital experience that are successful with EC. I've read their stories on EC's Electronic Peer Network (EPN) over the years. The things you're asked to do as part of the CPNE are basic assessments, basic management. The labs were easy, I thought, because you can practice them over and over ... and they're not so different from National Registry, with the exception of the wound packing. ;)

As far as the transition from paramedic to RN, yes ... that took work. Mostly it was about mastering time management and prioritizing the needs of multiple patients. After a while it just becomes second nature. I think it also depends on what area of nursing you enter; most of the former medics I know who have done EC have had the greatest success in the ED or ICU.

Thanks, Lunah... I was hoping you would jump in! :) Sometimes the CPNE scares me silly, but then other times, I think... ok, just basic assessments... we've all done that a million times! But nerve-wracking, just like the National Registry with the 'autofails'!!!

The time management and multi tasking will take some practice, too... but I am also used to doing that in Dispatching multiple units... and yes, just about every Paramedic I know that has transitioned into Nursing IS in the ER or ICU!

Great thread... hope we get lots of replies!

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I am just getting started in the program. I am a fire medic in Florida with no hospital experience..although we run several calls where i am stationed. I wouldn't let the NO EXPERIENCE thing stop you from doing this program. There may be people on this site that frown upon it, but the bridge program is there for a reason. Good luck to all.

I do know a few Fire/Medics that are doing the program, too... great!

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I am just getting started in the program. I am a fire medic in Florida with no hospital experience..although we run several calls where i am stationed. I wouldn't let the NO EXPERIENCE thing stop you from doing this program. There may be people on this site that frown upon it, but the bridge program is there for a reason. Good luck to all.

I am also a florida firemedic with no hospital experience. any new news or insights? I don't want to go to the CPNE and look at equipment I've only seen on tv and have no idea how to use it. thanks in advance.

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lfdfiremedic: yes I do, but I am not allowed to send private messages. you can reach me at reebokHCFR @ gmail .com

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I was an LPN without hospital experience, who did Excelsior and passed the CPNE. My cpne prep instructor, actually said that I was easier to teach because she did not have to break alot of learned "bad" habits. Please go for it, Excelsior is a great alternative program, for others who may need to go another way to be an RN.

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