Well I passed my CPNE in December and graduated from Excelsior in February. I truly appreciate the oppurtunity to be able to do this program as I was able to graduate and work a full time job.
However, I am now finding that people are close minded and even rude when they find out you did not go through a traditional program. I sometimes try to avoid the "where did you graduate from?" question which is sad to me as I want to be happy that I succeeded. I was grandfathered into the program as an EMT and did not have clinical experience beyond CNA work for a couple of years so my CPNE success the first time around was a huge deal to me.
I did not pass the NCLEX the first time and am studying hard to take it again but it is really easy to get discouraged with all the naysayers who think I am "weird" and not as "successful" as those who went to a traditional program. No one knows I failed other then this board and my husband and one close friend who also went through Excelsior. Last week I had a coworker ask if I had taken the boards and then went on to say "well since you did everything on line you must have to study harder now to learn this stuff and make up for it" I was so mad. She has a step daughter who just graduated a nursing program at a local college and is taking the board next week.
I guess I am worried that this will continue into my career and the rest of my life. (I currently am not working in the medical field until I pass the boards) How do you guys deal with this sort of rude, unclassy and close minded opinions? I just find it hard to have the positive energy and motivation to continue studying for the NCLEX with all this negativety.
Specializes in ED, Cardiac Medicine, Retail Health.
Its almost the same as the ADN/BSN debate. But the bottom line is that once you pass the NCLEX you are an RN. Many traditional nursing school students have failed the boards so please dont think that it had anything to do with where you went to school. I work with an Excelsior grad and she is a wonderful nurse!
Amber07 I feel the same. I work at a test site for EC and even though my co-workers know I do a good job, I get ALOT of, " what kind of clinical experience do you have ?"
I have to explain, well I had 3 semesters of traditional clinicals where I averaged 100% on all exams and was on the dean's list. Then my son got sick and I had to drop out. I did not want to give up on a dream, so I knew about EC and signed up. I passed my CPNE on first try without any workshops, etc. And my co-workers know how hard that is in itself. We see them fail students all the time for small things. Even at that, I get a few " comments ". Including my boss.
However, I use their negative comments to say, this, they are jealous they are not as independent a thinker as EC students are. We have to fight harder to gain our knowledge, we have to put up with negative comments, we have to constantly prove we are just as capable clinically as any other RN out there. And guess what? I AM DOING THAT. I am successful and have had several patients and their families call my boss to say what a good job I did as their nurse. :) Be proud of whatever college you went to and whatever route life takes you. Nothing else matters except what your patients think and what you think of yourself.
Where I come from the employers want to know if you are an RN. They don't care where you went to school. I would just stop mentioning it and defending yourself in conversations. There is no reason to bring up the subject or to engage others in debates. When you get your RN license, you will be an RN, the same as any other RN. Concentrate on studying for the boards.
gerry79
594 Posts
Its almost the same as the ADN/BSN debate. But the bottom line is that once you pass the NCLEX you are an RN. Many traditional nursing school students have failed the boards so please dont think that it had anything to do with where you went to school. I work with an Excelsior grad and she is a wonderful nurse!
Good luck on your next try!!!