Can you find a good job with Excelsior ADN?

Sheri257 · Aug 27, 2004

If you graduate from Excelsior, and ever decide to move to California, you won't be able to practice there. Just FYI.

:uhoh21:

deej · Aug 28, 2004

If you graduate from Excelsior, and ever decide to move to California, you won't be able to practice there. Just FYI.

Red herring.

jnette, ASN, EMT-I · Aug 28, 2004

I happen to know quite a few EC grads, and ALL are very nicely employed. One of my best friends who went LPN to RN through EC is Unit asst. mgr. in the hospital where she works. I have never heard of anyone having any problem whatsoever with this degree. (other than the usual flaps in Calif.)

I'm an EC grad myself, and gratefully so. :)

Sheri257 · Aug 28, 2004

Red herring.

Look: I really don't want to get into this all over again. But if somebody doesn't know the background and has some concerns, they may want to know that their license won't transfer to certain states, so they can make an informed choice. That was the only reason I mentioned it. As far as the rest of it, maybe the OP can do a search on California and Excelsior, and I'll leave it at that. Ok?

:uhoh3:

Spazzy Nurse, RN · Aug 29, 2004

1) WOW, have you ever got your hands full!! I am so proud of you for getting as far as you have. :)

2) I also know several EC graduates (including myself) and between them and what I have read online from graduates, I've never heard about anyone having trouble with employers looking down on EC. In fact, more and more people are getting to know about EC, and people who have heard of it always seem impressed. As far as state boards go--- the BON doesn't have much to say about that. As long as you're qualified to sit for boards, that's all they care about.

opalmRN · Aug 30, 2004

Do employers look at this job equally? Has anyone had a problem getting a job with an Excelsior degree? Has anyone been discriminated for having a non-traditional degree? Also I live in Michigan does anyone know how Michigan state boards look at Excelsior degrees? Any and all feedback would be appreciated.
Thanks,
Teresa

I don't know of anyone who's employer even cared about where they went to school only that they passed their boards.

As for Michigan SBON, call them. Although as someone else already pointed out, they are concerned with your board eligibility.

Just curious as to which school you are currently attending?

sailors · Aug 30, 2004

Here is a cut and paste from the Cal. Brd. of nursing. Note that if you we're enrolled prior to 6 Dec. 2003 you'll be able to sit for the California Boards.

I've many friends/co-workers who have Ca. licenses with ADN or BSN from Excelsior/Regents. Their practices range for O.R., First Assist (in surgery), Critical care, ER to floor nursing and mental health. The key, however is the date of enrollment.

To find this go to http://www.rn.ca.gov then link to "what's new" (located at the menu bar on the left side of the page) and scroll down.

DECISION REGARDING EXCELSIOR COLLEGE

The California Board of Registered Nursing adopted the following motion at its board meeting on February 6, 2004:

"The following action supersedes and replaces the December 5, 2003, Board action related to Excelsior College:

"Excelsior College graduates, like other out-of-state graduates, must meet the requirements set forth in California Business and Professions Code Section 2736, including supervised clinical practice concurrent with theory, in order to be eligible for examination and licensure as a California registered nurse. This eligibility requirement applies to students who enrolled at Excelsior on or after December 6, 2003."

medicrnohio, RN · Aug 30, 2004

I live very close to Michigan. I emailed the BON a couple of months ago and they told me that they do accept Excelsior grads. So, unless things have changed you should be able to apply for licensure in Michigan.

Mantibob · Aug 30, 2004

LDS Hospital in Salt Lake City, UT just hired 6 ADN Excelsior Grads.

RN34TX · Aug 31, 2004

If I were the OP I would just keep going straight through the program they are already in. This may sound funny coming from an Excelsior grad, but different programs work better depending on people's circumstances.

Let's say you finish the LPN part and exit your program to begin Excelsior RN program. How much longer would you be in your current program to finish the RN component? A Year? That's probably the amount of time it will take you to do Excelsior.

I've heard of people finishing it sooner but after you take all of the exams you have to wait for an opening for the CPNE and that can take months.

Plus the CPNE may be very difficult for a new grad LPN to pass. The test is designed for someone experienced enough to function independently and make independent safe decisions, initiate interventions, and evaluate their effectiveness without instructor guidance and supervision that you would get in a traditional program. If whatever you are doing with the patient requires the examiner to step in and correct or guide you, you are finished and will not pass.

I'm not trying to be discouraging because I think that Excelsior is a great option, but it is not for everyone. If my LPN program had an automatic continuation for RN, I would have just stayed there with my same classmates and instructors and clinical facilities that I was already familiar with.

Instead I graduated from my LPN program only to be met with college level algebra requirements (very useful in nursing, right?) and 3 year waiting lists.

Excelsior hear I come. Best decision I ever made.

Upon finishing Excelsior, I started reading negative things online about Excelsior grads and state boards and hospitals not accepting them. So I made it very clear on my cover letter and resume that I was an Excelsior grad so that I wouldn't be wasting anyone's time. I can only speak for Dallas and Houston metro area hospitals because I sent my resume everywhere in those two cities and no one ever had a problem with it. I was offered ICU and ER internships everywhere I applied and interviewed.

California and Kaiser on the other hand, I can only go by what I've read and they seem to be a world all their own.

BBFRN, BSN, PhD · Aug 31, 2004

Actually, I agree with RN34TX about going ahead and finishing the program you're already in. You're already acclimated to that program and might find it faster to stick with it. You also might find the clinical experience you get in your current program invaluable, as you won't have much clinical experience going into the EC program. It really is geared more toward LPNs and EMTs with at least a couple years of clinical experience.