ASN/BSN: The good- the bad and the ugly-if you could do it again?

Editorial Team / Moderator · Jul 10, 2008

Fear not -- Excelsior does NOT have a CPNE for the RN-BSN! :) I'm looking into Excelsior's RN-BSN myself; I graduate with the ADN on 08/15, and I'm working on the RN part (hoping to take boards in August).

I have an "unofficial evaluation" of my credits in the works at Excelsior right now ... I'll be curious to see what I'll need! It'll take a few weeks to get it, though.

I'm really considering Excelsior only because I know they'll accept all my credits -- they are really great about accepting older credits, too. One of my team leader RNs at work is doing her RN-BSN through Excelsior, and they accepted credits from the 70s for her. :)

Let us know what you decide to do! :)

racing-mom4, BSN, RN · Jul 10, 2008

Thanks--ya I never heard the term CPNE before, but geez am I glad I dont have to do them they seem to be a pain from what I am reading.

Yes I am looking fwd into pursuing my BSN on line. I am waiting till 2 of my kids go off to school next year thought being the more people in your house hold attending collage the more financial aide you may get. 2nd I want at least a solid year in as a nurse before I start school again. Nursing school barely scratches the surface of real world nursing, so I am still trying to find my way each day. But each day is getting better.

I have the luxery of time to find the right program for me, and I think I found the forum to assist me. Thanks for all the great posts, I will be back often and keep you updated on what I am finding from other schools.

Nurseismade RN · Jul 11, 2008

Hi all, I have been lurking in this section the past few days, and have learned alot. Never knew what a CPNE was till Monday. Anyway---I passed boards with my ASN Jan of 07. Fall of 09 I would like to begin an online ASN/BSN bridge program.
So here is a tid bit of what I think I have learned so far, University of Wyoming may be the cheapest, Excilisors is not a "diploma mill" but clinicals may be hard ---are there clinicals for the ASN to BSN program?? Weslyan University does not require statistics( is that really true--there web site was not very clear).

be careful of university of wyoming......yes it is the cheapest but I found them to be disorganized. They are quick to take your $30 application fee....and nothing much happens after that...at least with me it didn't. I called them and got strange responses such as you have to go through admissions, or we do not see your application did you apply???? well yes and I sent you $30 bucks:banghead:

I recently applied to the Umass online RN-BSN program, where the process was a breeze. I hopefully start in September.

Melinurse · Jul 11, 2008

A few of the nurses I work with are going through University of Phoenix for their BSN, all said they are very happy with the support and education they are getting. On the downside $$$$$.

racing-mom4, BSN, RN · Jul 11, 2008

be careful of university of wyoming......yes it is the cheapest but I found them to be disorganized. They are quick to take your $30 application fee....and nothing much happens after that...at least with me it didn't. I called them and got strange responses such as you have to go through admissions, or we do not see your application did you apply???? well yes and I sent you $30 bucks:banghead:
I recently applied to the Umass online RN-BSN program, where the process was a breeze. I hopefully start in September.

Thanks so much, I was afraid they were too good to be true. I hope to hear more honest feedback like this. and the the poster who posted $$$ about U of Pheonix, I am glad to hear that too, as money is always an issue. On this flip side I do belive you get what you pay for. I hope to find the right school for me. Thanks so much

hikernurse · Jul 11, 2008

I am starting an RN-BSN program at a local university this fall. It's an on-line program, but it's locally based. We have clinicals; that I'm not looking forward to. I'm thinking it's going to be more like orientation than clinicals in NS. By the time I am used to the site, I'll be leaving. But, what are you going to do...

There should be a place where we RN-BSNers could post on this site. Maybe there is one and I'm missing it .

Baloney Amputation, BSN, LPN, RN · Jul 11, 2008

I'm still awaiting my CPNE date, but I'm planning on getting my BSN thereafter.

I have one major consideration here--the nurse market around here is saturated with local nursing graduates, and I'm afraid my nursing degree (along with my old experience) may not be looked at so keenly by the employers. However, if I do the distance ed RN-BSN from the local major university, in my mind I may have a better shot at the jobs because the employers will be more comfortable with some of my training.

I had an unofficial eval done with EC. After the ASN portion is done for me, I am required to get just as many credits through EC as I would through the local U to get my degree (that is, 36 semester hours). Sure, some of the things I can test out of with EC, which makes it cheaper for those classes, but the U doesn't require the fees upon fees that EC does, which evens out the costs. However, the U doesn't have the flexibility that EC has. I've always wanted a degree from the local U, but I'm willing to get my degree anywhere good if it means I'll finally have the degree.

I would definitely suggest that you have EC unofficially evaluate your credits if that is the way you are considering going.

medicrnohio, RN · Jul 13, 2008

I started out in the Univ. of Wyoming RN to BSN program. I enjoyed the program and found the instructors and courses to be of high quality. My biggest problem and the problems that caused to me to transfer was the community health clinicals. They need to be done at a health department. I called every health department within 2 hours of my home and they all said they didn't have the resources to help me. I ended up transferring to Excelsior and finished the program there. You don't have clnicals for Excelsior but you do have special projects. For one class I worked with my nurse manager to create an orientation program. For another, I had to video tape a teaching session of a group of clients I had worked with throughout the semester. It is a very doable program and the faculty and staff at EC are excellent.

Trauma Columnist · Jul 13, 2008

I did the ADN to BSN via University of Phoenix - took 18 months and had 40 hours of community health clinicals.

mandasueRN · Jul 13, 2008

I am currently doing my RN-BSN through Indiana Wesleyan University. I just started, but so far I love it! I got my ASN from Excelsior and the main reason I didn't finish through them was because I couldn't use a federal student loan to pay for it. They are very helpful at IWU. You have two classes that you have to do clinicals for and you set them up on your own(with their approval of course) where you live.

Good luck in your decision! If it hadn't been for online nursing programs, I never would have been able to finish my degree! :yeah:

racing-mom4, BSN, RN · Jul 13, 2008

I am currently doing my RN-BSN through Indiana Wesleyan University. I just started, but so far I love it! I got my ASN from Excelsior and the main reason I didn't finish through them was because I couldn't use a federal student loan to pay for it. They are very helpful at IWU. You have two classes that you have to do clinicals for and you set them up on your own(with their approval of course) where you live.
Good luck in your decision! If it hadn't been for online nursing programs, I never would have been able to finish my degree!

I have heard good things about them except for the price---did they give you any grants or help with tuition? Also I have been told you dont have to have statistics? Is that true? How long is the program going to take you?

Congrats on starting, sometimes that is the hardest part!! I would like to know more about IWU, thanks for chimming in...