HI, I attended EC Nursing program and although it seems like a great deal on the surface, Its not.
EC looks great on paper, low costs, online classes, short clinicals, etc, its drew me in as it has THOUSANDS OF OTHERS but theres a catch.
Its all for nothing if you dont pass the subjective CPNE exam convinentely scheduled at the end of the program.
I took all the coursework, paid all the fees, went to numerious workshops on passing the CPNE, but did not pass the CPNE twice, the first time I took it, no one passed out of 6 people and the second time I took the exam,, one person passed out of six.
You might be saying, well, I will work harded than this guy and pass, I thought the same thing, did everything possable to pass, studued constantly for the CPNE, did it all, took the EC prep work, everything, this is a great deal with one catch, the objective CPNE exam.
If I can just convince just one person to not go this route and take a tradational LPN to RN program, Ive done some good here,
Please dont get pulled in to this what looks like a easy way to become a RN, I know it looks good on the surface but its deceiving and you can easly walk away with nothing like some of my classmates taking the CPNE and failing it for the third time tha last time I took the test.
Their is only one sure winner in this scenario and sadly to say it is Excelsior College in making a profit.
This is one of my fears getting into a program that do not adequately prepare me
I think it bears pointing out that Excelsior's ASN program is not meant to prepare students; rather, it is a competency-based program in which students must be able to teach themselves, then demonstrate competency. It can be rather difficult, to say the least.
best of luck MiniNurse, being a Nurse is the best thing around if you can clear specific hurdles, My LPN training was excellent, we were taught specific skills needed to pass, signed off, then tested, it was a great supportative program with real instruction and accountability on the part of the institution, if EC is your only option, go for it, but with my experience, I suggest going with a school that actually prepairs you for what you are going to be tested on, not just informs you in writing what you are going to be responsible preforming in clinical without diviation with a pass/fail system
Keith, thank you for sharing your experience. By any chance, did you take a workshop prior to either CPNE attempts?
Yes, I took a workshop in Atlanta once before I took the CPNE the rirst time, before the second attempt, I took the Atlanta Workshop twice to pefect my skills, then heard of a one week workshop in Indianapolis with a good track record of passes, so I took it, it was amazing but I didnt feel 100% confident I would be error free so I took it again to be sure, after that I felt 100% sure, I knew the CPNE process inside and out, every skill, every element, exactly what care plans work best and well received, broke down evey parts of the CPNE, all stages, skills, what words to use, etc, this workshop was top notch and you paid for it but completely prepaired you for the CPNE, $1200 each time I took it plus travel costs and hotel, then I went part time at work to perfect the CPNE paperwork and memorize the critical elements which I did, for two to three months I perfected the paperwork needed to pass the PCSs, I did 2-3 PCS scenerios each day form beginning to end perfecting the process and verbage EC expects, during all this, I sent in Care plans to workshop in Atlanta for grading, I began receiving perfect grades over a period of time for my carplans and backup documentation, I also used EC's service where they would provide PCS secinaios for students who had received a test date and started doing those and submitting them to EC, after while they were all coming back perfect as well, I was familiar with all elements of the CPNE and completely prepaired, the instructor failed me on her subjective opinion of a rational I wrote, when I told her I disagreed, if looks could kill, I would be dead now, I aplealed with the support of a DR and received a form letter stating that since the instructor failed me, I was failed, at that point I knew EC did not care about their students and I was wasting my time
Specializes in Complex pedi to LTC/SA & now a manager.
How can a medical physician (assuming that's what you mean by DR and not a DNP) support a nursing diagnosis or rationale? Medical and nursing models of care don't always overlap. Perhaps the support an RN, APN or nurse educator might have had more success in your appeal? Even in court the expertise of a physician cannot be used to testify regarding the nursing standard of care. Did you cite evidence based nursing practice in your rationale or any of the standards put forth by a nursing organization such as NANDA-I?
Excelsior is not cheap.
It's not supposed to be easy as it's designed to be a challenge.
It's never been designed to teach skills and knowledge. It's always been a competency based program designed for experienced, working health care professionals. As of March the requirements include that one must be an actively working LPN, military corpsman, or paramedic to be admitted and progress in the program. Verification of current nursing/healthcare work status is only valid for three weeks (which is critical to maintain clinical skills to be able to have a chance to be successful at the FCCA & CPNE
Respiratory therapists are no longer eligible. New grads and unemployed healthcare professionals are no longer eligible.
Good luck as you move forth. Perhaps a traditional program might suit you better?
I'm sorry that you've had such a terrible experience but I really think you should give it a third try. From what you say it sounds like you're doing all the proper preparation and have either been the victim of a bad luck streak or nerves. Either way you've invested so much time and effort into this program you really should push on until all options are exhausted. There is a Paramedic in my company who has also taken and failed the CPNE twice but I can not for the life of me figure out why he won't take it again for the third try. If you are planning on enrolling in a local CC program you are looking at a minimum of 2 years and thousands upon thousands of dollars in tuition, books, and fees. Does it not make sense to pay the 1200 dollars, take 2.5 days out of your year, and prepare for one last final push? I was in a local CC program and was doing very well however because of schedule changes within my company it was no longer possible to work full time(which is a must to feed my family) and attend school. Excelsior thus far has been a life saver and I intend to push and fight until I either have that degree or are pushed out the door. I also don't believe Excelsior was the easier or cheaper way by any means. The exams are tough and if you do the test out option it's just you, your textbook, and good old Google to hammer out the concepts. I know of many people in nursing school right now who have it much easier and were essentially spoon fed the material. Excelsior works for some but not all I suppose but please exhaust your options before tbrowing in the towel.
best of luck MiniNurse, being a Nurse is the best thing around if you can clear specific hurdles, My LPN training was excellent, we were taught specific skills needed to pass, signed off, then tested, it was a great supportative program with real instruction and accountability on the part of the institution, if EC is your only option, go for it, but with my experience, I suggest going with a school that actually prepairs you for what you are going to be tested on, not just informs you in writing what you are going to be responsible preforming in clinical without diviation with a pass/fail system
Thanks for the advice. But I'm all the way here in Florida! I heard of the college you're talking about before though. I've been larking on this website for two years but I just made a profile not too long ago.
Too be honest I passed Ap 1 lecture and lab with a A and B and all my other nursing prerequisites like nutrition with upper As and Bs, I have AP 2 and micro to complete but I'm kind of out of steam right now.
I feel bummed out because for chemistry I got a C and I know nursing school is competitive I'm second guessing like always so I might do phlebotomy program for Fall.
Here's the thing I think is lost in all of this: EVERY nursing program carries with it the risk of failure on one's last day! Fail a didactic exam and throw your overall percentage below the threshold? Fail! Forget to get a co-signer/ double check for insulin? Fail!
So the onus is always on the student- and while the set-up of a particular program may SEEM like the 'cause' of the failure- it is always, and inevitably, up to the student to pass.
(Not defending or criticizing EC, just offering a differing viewpoint.)
Sorry to hear about your ordeal. I still believe it's doable as evident by the pass rate.
"The Clinical Performance in Nursing Examination®(CPNE®) is a dichotomously-scored (pass/fail), criterion-referenced performance examination. It is administered in the authentic patient care environment and is designed to assess three essential, overlapping facets within the domain of nursing practice: application of the nursing process to demonstrate critical thinking, implementation of critical elements within areas of care representing the entire universe of nursing care, and use of the specified psychomotor skills deemed essential to beginning nursing practice."
Result: Between Fiscal Years 2010 and 2015 (July 2009 - June 2015), 75.2% of students passed the CPNE by June 30, 2015.
Of those individuals who passed the CPNE by June 30, 2015:
Thanks for your post Keith. I'm so sorry you haven't passed yet. Don't give up!!! I considered EC, however, after hearing many, many, many stories like yours, I am going to go a different route. Also, CA doesn't accept them and I plan on moving back when I'm done with school. I guess if a state board doesn't accept a program, it says a lot in itself. Although, I'm sure there are a HUGE amount of GREAT nurses that went to EC. I guess it depends on the person Good luck with all your future endeavors!!!
I guess if a state board doesn't accept a program, it says a lot in itself. Although, I'm sure there are a HUGE amount of GREAT nurses that went to EC. I guess it depends on the person Good luck with all your future endeavors!!!
It actually says more about California than the program, lol. About 40,000 RNs have graduated from EC — many who work in California today, actually. It was only for students who enrolled after the end of 2003 that the rules changed. I know several fabulous RNs who were grandfathered into California licensure back in 2008 when I graduated. EC doesn't meet the California requirement of clinicals concurrent with theory — that's the sticking point. Otherwise EC is accredited (regional and ACEN) and a non-profit to boot. But it's not a workable solution for everyone, unfortunately. Good luck with your education, MandieDandy. :)
CA is weird about a lot of things I didn't know it was only bc of the clinicals. That changes my opinion somewhat. Thanks for letting me know. I wish I could do an online program, I just can't learn that way .
I didn't know it was only bc of the clinicals. That changes my opinion somewhat. Thanks for letting me know. I wish I could do an online program, I just can't learn that way 
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Lunah, MSN, RN
14 Articles; 13,773 Posts
I think it bears pointing out that Excelsior's ASN program is not meant to prepare students; rather, it is a competency-based program in which students must be able to teach themselves, then demonstrate competency. It can be rather difficult, to say the least.