Excelsior College CPNE

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Hello, I am getting ready to take the CPNE and I have a few questions. When creating the care plan, can you use a book or internet to help you? Or does it all have to come from your head? What does the care plan entail from start to finish? How many interventions do you need and such? I would appreciate any feedback!

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Specializes in Med/Surg, LTACH, LTC, Home Health.

When I went through (2010), we were allowed to use a Mosbys nursing diagnosis book. The answers to your questions are/should be in the CPNE study guide. Have you received it yet?

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Thanks for your response! I haven't gotten the study guide yet. Just trying to get prepared. I will be applying in October.

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Specializes in EMS, ED, Trauma, CEN, CPEN, TCRN.

Read the study guide, it will explain everything! Good luck!

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Specializes in Emergency.

The study guide will be overwhelming at first, just know how to break it down. Mainly you will take the section covering areas of care and learning these inside out. Know your areas of care and your critical elements inside out. I do recommend a workshop (not Excelsior's, there is better value out there) so you can see hands on how everything should be done the EXCELSIOR WAY. It isn't real life like you've done at work all these years, it is a specific way of doing things.

Get the latest Mosby's and remember, you can tab the pages and you can highlight the text but do not write anything other than your name it in. Do read the EC chat page concerning CPNE. And do reach out to others. Good luck!

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(This is a letter that I wrote to the Excelsior Nursing program in response to a letter that was sent to me by a non-nursing Academic Advisor. I never received an acknowledgment or response from the Dean of Nursing at Excelsior in regard to this letter. CPNE” is what Excelsior calls its Clinical program.)

Hello Rosemary, 6/8/2016

Nice to hear from you as well and thank-you for your thoughtful reply. I do have some concerns with your response:

1) "It is easy to take ownership of one's success's, and very difficult to take ownership of one's failures."

I take offense to this statement. I am not placing blame of my "failure." I studied in depth for the CPNE and am able to answer almost every question asked on the Excelsior CPNE portal when students ask. I am very confident in my clinical skills and understand that nursing is ALWAYS and forever an evolving science and learning process. I am a responsible adult whom understands that life is full of successes and failures and that we learn from both. I am interested in justice, though.....and a safe education. I feel that the Excelsior CPNE is an unsafe way to prepare nurses to become RN's....especially as Charge nurses and especially when preforming certain skills / procedures....none of which the students have an opportunity to practice or perform in front of a "clinical examiner." And I feel that the way that the CPNE is graded is unjust in that it is an all or nothing pass....not pass by percentage. I feel that the way the CPNE is graded is outdated.

2) "The CPNE is a challenging exam, one that requires you to demonstrate your nursing skills, under the watchful eye of a mastered prepared RN, clinical examiner."

I did not even get into a room to "demonstrate my nursing skills" during the CPNE due to not passing the care plans. I used the word "monitor" on one Care plan that I failed and then used an "unacceptable" nursing intervention for the second one. I have a file full of completed Nursing Care plans that I've worked on over the 2-3 year period....at least 50. I felt confident with my Care Plan knowledge and was counseled as such.

If Excelsior assigned an advisement counselor to each student, as do other on-line programs, then maybe the prep for the CPNE would be clearer. Nona, the CPNE advisement counselor, has made some mistakes and contradicted herself a few times. I learned NOT to trust her advice on the CPNE portal.

3) "One should recognize that perhaps learning the skills you would need to pass this exam is very hard, especially when doing so on your own, and not at the bedside in a clinical lab with your instructor."

I studied intensely for 2-3 years to prepare for the CPNE. Read through the manual 4 times....practiced the skills labs at my home many, many times (ask my Husband), and also at work with my charge nurse observing......practiced Clinical scenarios with all required assessments many, many times with my Husband (who is an RN) and my Charge nurse as well.....learned and memorized my mnemonics ad nauseam. I practiced at least 50 different Care plans. How much more prepared do I need to be??

4) "We are still recognized by the Oregon State Board to allow our students to sit for the NCLEX-RN exam and work as an RN in Oregon."

Here is a quote from an email response that I recieved from the OSBN:

"To license in Oregon, you must graduate from a nursing program approved by the Board of Nursing in the state where it is based. At this time, Excelsior graduates may apply for license in Oregon. Rules related to licensure eligibility will be reviewed in the next few months and I cannot guarantee that the acceptance of programs without clinical learning opportunities will continue. As you have noted, graduates of this particular program are not recognized in every state which can be a limitation for those who wish to be mobile in their careers."

Joy Ingwerson, RN, MSN

Nursing Policy Analyst

Oregon State Board of Nursing

(Excelsior is also not listed on their approved school site)

I failed the CPNE because of paperwork. I understand the importance of critical thinking and prioritizing in nursing, which the Care Plan reflects. I take issue with how the Excelsior Nursing program prepares its students for the CPNE. I'm sure that you have heard this before as I am aware of lawsuits against the program specifically targeting the CPNE. I have no complaints with the classes that I took, and passed, before the CPNE. They were adequate and I felt that my education was sufficient....and I did it on my own.

My apologies if this response is passionate, but I do not feel respected or listened to by the Deans or those on the faculty in the Excelsior Nursing Program. It seems that conclusions and subtle accusations have been drawn without a "fair trial." I'm sure there have been boardroom discussions about my responses, or others like me.

In conclusion, even if my enrollment was extended so that I could try the CPNE again, I would not pursue this program anymore because of the CPNE. It sets one up to fail and I believe that those that pass are mostly lucky with being well-prepared as a by-product. Yes, I am disappointed that I did not pass. 3 years of my life was spent focusing on preparation for the CPNE (ask my kids). I have 30 years of nursing experience as an LPN and know that nursing is every evolving and that one never knows it all.” Medicine is all about health and wholeness and my experience with the CPNE has been mentally, physically and emotionally unhealthy. I understand that Nursing programs are never easy, but many of them are at least MUCH MORE positive and supportive towards the individual.....even so far as to just listen to concerns without judgement. I have felt very judged and unsupported in this program.

Respectfully,

Susan Oppenheimer

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Specializes in EMS, ED, Trauma, CEN, CPEN, TCRN.

Susan, if you feel that the CPNE is unsafe preparation or you do not like its format, why did you go through Excelsior College's program?

I hope you find a program that suits you. Best of luck.

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....I feel that the Excelsior CPNE is an unsafe way to prepare nurses to become RN's....

The Clinical Performance Nursing Evaluation is not a way to prepare, it is an exam to verify competency. Preparation comes from your real world experience.

The first step is writing a care plan to their guidelines. It does not matter how much experience you have, that another (non Excelsior) nurse looked over your practice plans or that you studied for 3 years for it. As the saying goes, the CPNE is about doing things the Excelsior way. If you don't do it that way, you will not pass.

... I believe that those that pass are mostly lucky with being well-prepared as a by-product. ...

I would not consider myself lucky, and I would bet the tens of thousands of other Excelsior grads don't either. My being well prepared was not any "by-product" of anything. I studied. I researched. I practiced. Over and over. I found a plan that worked for me and got me through it.

Excelsior is not for everyone. It is a different style of learning and evaluation, and the CPNE is meant to be hard. A co-worked did his CPNE in Utica 2 weeks ago and passed (just barely) and said it was the hardest thing he ever did. I agree. I also agree it was worth it.

Sorry you failed. I know you said you are not even going to attempt again, but you do have the chance to do it again. Yes it is costly, but cheaper than starting over again. A huge part of the CPNE is the unknown, well, you know it now. Just keep your nerves under control and do what you have studied the Excelsior way and you can be successful.

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Specializes in EMS, ED, Trauma, CEN, CPEN, TCRN.

She said "even if my enrollment was extended so that I could try the CPNE again," which leads me to believe she went over the 7-year time limit.

But yes — that is why it is called the Clinical Performance in Nursing Examination — it's a test, not a teaching or preparation event.

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She said "even if my enrollment was extended so that I could try the CPNE again," which leads me to believe she went over the 7-year time limit.

...

Hmm, I took it mean she still had time but was getting close? Not sure.

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