Anyone been denied to sit for state boards that graduated from Excelsior

pedinurse05 · Nov 19, 2005

You must check with your state board of nursing and see if Excelsior College is an accepted program. I checked with my board prior to enrolling. The down side is that a BON can change their mind...if so hopefully they will give deadline dates like California and Colorado did.

Missy

RN34TX · Nov 19, 2005

The Alabama BON website actually has a posted ruling that denied RN licensure to an EC grad who was previously a paramedic.

The ruling was based on the applicant not having clinical experiences in different areas in a "previous" nursing program.

The wording made it sound like it would have been ok if he were an LPN but that could just be my interpretation of it.

The Alabama board also states that clinical testing does not take the place of clinical experiences.

Again, the info online is somewhat vague and you need to talk to someone who understands your specific background.

Just because one EC grad RN applicant got denied licensure, doesn't mean that you would be denied as well.

Several Southern states such as Florida and Louisiana only allow LPN's to get their RN through EC and paramedics would not qualify. Alabama may be the same way.

Sheri257 · Nov 20, 2005

Here's a link to that Alabama ruling:

http://www.abn.state.al.us/main/Declaratory-Rulings/Licensure-Ronnie-England.html

It makes you wonder ... What is Alabama's policy on Excelsior?

This link to Istudysmart ... which summarizes different state policies on EC ... says Alabama evaluates Excelsior grads on an "individual basis."

http://www.istudysmart.com/content.asp?cid=70

Very interesting. Although, Alabama (and Colorado) should announce their policies and state their guidelines clearly. Nobody should go through the program and, only then, find out they can't get a license.

:coollook:

RN34TX · Nov 20, 2005

Here's a link to that Alabama ruling:
http://www.abn.state.al.us/main/Declaratory-Rulings/Licensure-Ronnie-England.html
It makes you wonder ... What is Alabama's policy on Excelsior?
This link to Istudysmart ... which summarizes different state policies on EC ... says Alabama evaluates Excelsior grads on an "individual basis."
http://www.istudysmart.com/content.asp?cid=70
Very interesting. Although, Alabama (and Colorado) should announce their policies and state their guidelines clearly. Nobody should go through the program and, only then, find out they can't get a license.

It was the "individual basis" and how the applicant didn't get the required clinical experience "in another nursing program" to qualify for RN licensure that made me think that maybe they were referring to being an LPN first but, like I said earlier, that's just my interpretation of it.

They don't really say yes, and they don't really say no.

You know, for whatever reason I continually criticize CA for doing what they did, but at least they didn't beat around the bush and hmm-ha about it.

They made a decision, it was very visibly publicized on their website, it was discussed well in advance of actual implementation, giving people a chance to plan their lives accordingly, and we all knew where we stood regarding licensure in CA after implementation. No guessing games.

Sheri257 · Nov 20, 2005

It was the "individual basis" and how the applicant didn't get the required clinical experience "in another nursing program" to qualify for RN licensure that made me think that maybe they were referring to being an LPN first but, like I said earlier, that's just my interpretation of it.
They don't really say yes, and they don't really say no.

Yeah ... but it seems to be a bit more complicated than that. What's interesting is they mention a lot of the same things that the California Board had a problem with ... concurrent theory with clinicals, psych, etc. It's very similar to the California concerns:

"He did not meet the educational requirements for registered nurse licensure in that his application did not evidence concurrent theory and practice in "medical, surgical, obstetric, pediatric, and psychiatric nursing" as required by Alabama Board of Nursing Administrative Code § 610-X-3-.08(6)©(3)(i). Specifically, Respondent did not produce any of the required evidence of clinical nursing experiences as part of his educational curriculum."

And this goes back to 2002, a good year and a half before California's final decision. California was only debating the EC issue back then.

Funny how we really haven't heard anything about this until now. Kinda makes you wonder what's going on with other state boards.

:coollook:

bamanurselpn · Nov 20, 2005

Thank you for the info. I did look at the bon site about the guy who was denied. I have also called the Alabama bon and they said it is based on an individual basis and that there problem with EC is that there is no clinicals. So basically you would have to prove youreself with them with letters of recommendations from employers. My problem is that I have only worked in Doctors offices, Nursing Homes and for agencies. I do not have any OB work experience. And really the only PSY exp. I have is only from nursing homes, like working in the ALZ units. I wonder if this guy is the only person they have ever denied, do they put everyone they have denied on there web site? I am just trying to make a good decision about doing EC, I haven't even starting yet. I just don't wan't to waste my time or money if I can't take the boards. And I don't know anyone in my area who has done this.

RN34TX · Nov 20, 2005

Thank you for the info. I did look at the bon site about the guy who was denied. I have also called the Alabama bon and they said it is based on an individual basis and that there problem with EC is that there is no clinicals. So basically you would have to prove youreself with them with letters of recommendations from employers. My problem is that I have only worked in Doctors offices, Nursing Homes and for agencies. I do not have any OB work experience. And really the only PSY exp. I have is only from nursing homes, like working in the ALZ units. I wonder if this guy is the only person they have ever denied, do they put everyone they have denied on there web site? I am just trying to make a good decision about doing EC, I haven't even starting yet. I just don't wan't to waste my time or money if I can't take the boards. And I don't know anyone in my area who has done this.

But would the employment references need to be in every area of nursing such as OB, peds, etc.? Because it sounded like this guy who was denied brought letters of recommendation from employers to present to the AL BON and it didn't do him any good.

Did you ask them what exactly they are looking for as far as an "individual basis goes"?

Because IL says the same thing, but they are specifically looking for two years full time as an RN in another state for endorsement qualification.

That still doesn't seem very clear to me.

I don't blame you for not wanting to waste your time and money.

I'd call them again and ask more questions.

Excelsior, like any nursing program, can be quite an investment in both time and money. You do NOT want to graduate only to find out that you can't sit for state boards. That would put you in a position to either stay in AL as an LPN with an associate degree that essentially does you no good, or be forced to move to another state to work as an RN.

You should start a new thread, but title it something Alabama specific and see if it catches any attention from any AL EC grads. There has to be at least a few here on this BB.

Title it something like: "Any AL Excelsior grads out there?"

Sheri257 · Nov 21, 2005

But would the employment references need to be in every area of nursing such as OB, peds, etc.? Because it sounded like this guy who was denied brought letters of recommendation from employers to present to the AL BON and it didn't do him any good.

That's exactly what happened:

"In support of his petition, Petitioner submitted letters from employees of Crestwood Medical Center, Huntsville, Alabama, coworkers and physicians which provided information as to his duties and performance as an emergency room technician."

You should start a new thread, but title it something Alabama specific and see if it catches any attention from any AL EC grads. There has to be at least a few here on this BB.
Title it something like: "Any AL Excelsior grads out there?"

Keep in mind that there are past threads claiming that Alabama does in fact license EC grads but, obviously, this case appears to contradict that. Message boards can be nothing more than rumor mills. The best thing to do is write the board and get them to explain their policy officially in writing. Anything else would be unreliable.

:coollook:

RN34TX · Nov 21, 2005

That's exactly what happened:
"In support of his petition, Petitioner submitted letters from employees of Crestwood Medical Center, Huntsville, Alabama, coworkers and physicians which provided information as to his duties and performance as an emergency room technician."
Keep in mind that there are past threads claiming that Alabama does in fact license EC grads but, obviously, this case appears to contradict that. Message boards can be nothing more than rumor mills. The best thing to do is write the board and get them to explain their policy officially in writing. Anything else would be unreliable.

Definitely rumor mills agreed! I suggested going straight to the board from the beginning.

I was only suggesting this thread to get contact with an actual AL excelsior grad RN who might provide some insight as to what they are looking for to meet criteria.

But even an old grad may have met requirements that may have since changed, so again, the BON info is the way to go.