CPNE issues and support from Excelsior College

DaisyChic065 · Sep 5, 2006

It must be nice being this close to finishing! I'm just starting w/ EC and am already looking forward to being that close. For your gen ed classes, where did you purchase your books? Did you go thru EC? I know that the study guides would be beneficial, but the books are so expensive.......

parrotmom · Sep 5, 2006

Jeni, I am new here but just graduated from EC in July. Over all it was a positive experience but I know the wait for the CPNE can be hell. I tested in Columbus and it was great. I had to beat down the anxiety several times but it was worth it. I will be happy to talk with anyone about the experience good bad and ugly. Every school has its downfalls but usually has some good points too. Frankly every one needs to gripe sometimes whether you accomplish anything by it or not.:wink2:

EricJRN, MSN, RN · Sep 5, 2006

I had a great experience with EC and I found that the hardest part of the CPNE was stress management. Knowing how much rides on the exam is a big part of the stress.

I'm surprised that an instructor lashed out at you on the Electronic Peer Network. It's usually pretty tame on there, or at least it was during 2003-2005.

barbiedee · Sep 6, 2006

DaisyC. check out the used study guides available through eBay. Same info, lots cheaper! Also, used guides are sometimes advertised on the Yahoo/Excelsior College groups. If you need to buy textbooks, check out half.com you can choose from a wide price range for the same text book. Good luck!

anticoagulationurse · Sep 7, 2006

I have had mostly positive experiences with Excelsior. Taking CPNE in 3 weeks. I've had minimal contact with the school and haven't done any of their online stuff. When I called a while back just to make for certain I was all on track with the CPNE process, they nicely advised me to stay away from the EPN because of percieved negativity. That's all I know about that. Good luck and happy studying!

RN34TX · Sep 9, 2006

I have had mostly positive experiences with Excelsior. Taking CPNE in 3 weeks. I've had minimal contact with the school and haven't done any of their online stuff. When I called a while back just to make for certain I was all on track with the CPNE process, they nicely advised me to stay away from the EPN because of percieved negativity. That's all I know about that. Good luck and happy studying!

The "perceived negativity" might actually be a new phenomenon with EC:

Students like me who passed the exam the first time who are not going to go online and talk about how great and fair it was.

EC has long brushed off any negative comments about the CPNE as coming from people who are bitter only because they failed it.

If the EPN finally has people who passed who are not singing their praises simply out of gratitude that they passed, then the EPN has finally come a long way.

anticoagulationurse · Sep 11, 2006

Good point! No news isgood news, squeaky wheel... I will plan to post my CPNE experience on allnurses, good or not, how's that? Still don't plan to the the EPN, just a weird looking format on the screen for me. Kinda cumbersome, I think. Maybe I wasn't in the right spot online when I peeked in on the EC website?

EricJRN, MSN, RN · Sep 11, 2006

I definitely agree that the EPN is not as aesthetic or user-friendly as what we have here. :)

MadRedneckRN · Sep 14, 2006

I was in Atlanta at SRMC Sept 8-10. I passed with only one lab repeat. The CA and CE's were wonderful. They would help out as much as possible and really wanted you to pass.

Here is the key IMHO: Know your pneumonics and critical elements. STRESS MANAGEMENT is 80% of this test. If you appear confident, (even though you are not) the CE's will be more likely to step back a bit. I did a few assessments before my vitals. I waited so I couldn't hear my own pulse pounding so loud. I also wanted to prove to the CE that I could do a good assessment in case I messed up.

Talk through your assessments. When I did PVA, I talked to the patient: You have good strong pulses in your feet, your skin is warm and pink, great cappilary refill..... I forgot to chart cap refill but since the CE heard the comment on it, she let me fix it!!!!

I admit, I was very lucky to pass. They could have sent me home over the charting area, but I appeared to be confident and they were very nice and fair. Atlanta is beautiful, SRMC is laid back, I had a great experience.

tresjeni · Nov 14, 2006

Jeni, I am new here but just graduated from EC in July. Over all it was a positive experience but I know the wait for the CPNE can be hell. I tested in Columbus and it was great. I had to beat down the anxiety several times but it was worth it. I will be happy to talk with anyone about the experience good bad and ugly. Every school has its downfalls but usually has some good points too. Frankly every one needs to gripe sometimes whether you accomplish anything by it or not.:wink2:

True....I'm done, I haven't been to this site 4ever!!!! My grad date is Dec. 15th, so a lil' extra goodie will be under the tree for me....a RAISE!!!! Jeni

TammyJo · Nov 15, 2006

I passed the CPNE in July in Columbus. Stress management is definately the biggest problem and it needs to be controlled. I feel that if you look, act and speak professionally with the patients you have, the examiners do take a step back and let you do your stuff. If you are stumbling over words and look like a scared duck they are definately going to be looking at everything you do a lot closer. I agree the EPN is not user friendly, or maybe I am not computer-literate