Excelsior College and CRNA

Specialties CRNA

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I am a paramedic/firefighter and cannot go to a traditional ADN program. Do you think that going through an online RN program would greatly hurt my chances of eventually getting into a CRNA program? Thanks for the input.

Dean

Out of curiosity why can't you go to an ADN, or BSN school. I would strongly advise against excelsior as a program to obtain your nursing degree. Out of curiosity if you can't go to school, how will you be able to go through CRNA school. Just curious.

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good advice, though if the program is NLN certified, then there should be no problem. I received my BSN from UW-Green Bay this past May. It was entirely online, except for a few classes which I worked with local advanced practice nurses and the public health department. I did receive my ADN from a traditional school. There were no questions when I interviewed for CRNA school, and was accepted at the two I applied and interviewed with.

NLN certification doesn't matter that much. Excelsior is NLN certified yet, that still didn't do them much good in Calfiornia.

As far as online RN-BSN programs, I think it depends on whether the school is known as "online" or not. There have been posts on this forum where people have said some CRNA schools frown upon University of Phoenix RN-BSN programs, despite the fact that it's accredited in most states ... because it's known as an online school.

On the other hand, the California State University system, for example, now has online RN-BSN programs at two of their schools. But, I seriously doubt a CRNA school would know whether a student took it online or not, and they probably wouldn't even ask about it since CSU is known as a traditional school.

So ... therein lies the difference, I think, when one is considering possible CRNA school acceptance issues with "online" schools.

:coollook:

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Specializes in Trauma,ER,CCU/OHU/Nsg Ed/Nsg Research.
The fact the Excelsior has these problems and that it is not limited to one state should raise a red flag. Private online college degrees (and this does not apply just to nursing) are often looked at with caution. If you are looking for an online option, check into your local community college and see which courses you can take.

EC is a brick-and-mortar school with a distance program (it is not an "online college" or a diploma mill). Lots of colleges/universities offer online/distance options now- this is a growing trend. EC just happened to be doing it long before those that are now offering it. It may well be the prototype for a lot of these newer programs- some of whom admittedly have made the wise decision to require some clinical ed hours with the didactics.

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Specializes in ICU, ER, HH, NICU, now FNP.

It is one thing altogether for a person with NO nursing experience to do an online program....

It is entirely something else for someone who is already a nurse in some form or fashion to upgrade their degree through an online program

It's impossible to compare the two....

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Specializes in Trauma,ER,CCU/OHU/Nsg Ed/Nsg Research.
It is one thing altogether for a person with NO nursing experience to do an online program....

It is entirely something else for someone who is already a nurse in some form or fashion to upgrade their degree through an online program

It's impossible to compare the two....

True.

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I cannot make that many trades in a year to go to traditional classes, and am not ready to give up my 60k job untill I am accepted into a CRNA school.

Out of curiosity why can't you go to an ADN, or BSN school. I would strongly advise against excelsior as a program to obtain your nursing degree. Out of curiosity if you can't go to school, how will you be able to go through CRNA school. Just curious.
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Specializes in ICU, ER, HH, NICU, now FNP.

I can tell you this....

RN and paramedic are two VERY different things - yes they are able to perform some of the same skills, however - an RN has no clue how to extricate someone from a wrecked vehicle - anymore than a paramedic has a clue how to write a family plan of care. EMT-P's know a lot a about a few drugs, RN's know a little about a lot of drugs. Despite sharing some skills, the roles are different. You cannot just step directly from either role into the other (Please don't start a flame war over who is better - the RN or the EMT-P here - it all depends on where you are are and what role you are fulfilling and what your background is)

So - you want the RN as a gateway to CRNA. You will need to buckle down and go to nursing school. Yes you have to make some trades, or give up some things. Honestly - If I were a potential employer or a graduate admissions advisor - I'd be hard pressed to accept an online degree as a complete form of nursing school. There is much more to it than that. And knowing the issues that exist with excelsior and similar programs, I'd be VERY leery!

It would be a complate waste of time and money to take the online program only to find out that the CRNA school you want to go to does not accept it. Before I made any decisions, I would be calling THAT program and ask them explicitly whether they even accept these programs. Now once you have the RN, the BSN online shouldn't be an issue. The remaining courses are a lot of theory and management and community health and that sort of thing - very appropriate for online.

Keep in mind too - EMT-P training is designed to teach you the max number of hilited bullet points in the least amount of time possible. RN training goes off on tangets that leave you standing there wondering "Now WHY do we have to do THIS???" OFTEN! Be prepared for that aspect. The means isn't always visible in the method in nursing school.

Also in RN school - just as in EMT-P school - the socialization is a large part of it. Don't discount that either.

You should be able to do EMT-P to RN in about one year fulltime, longer part time. Lots of people work and go to school and raise kids and all kinds of things. It should all be doable. You may have to take leaves at times like around final exams, and you may have to sell the idea to your employer, or even get a different job that allows you more flexibility, but it can be done.

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Specializes in Trauma,ER,CCU/OHU/Nsg Ed/Nsg Research.
I cannot make that many trades in a year to go to traditional classes, and am not ready to give up my 60k job untill I am accepted into a CRNA school.

You most likely will not get accepted into a CRNA program without a couple years critical care RN experience...so you will need to leave that 60k job way before you get into a CRNA program anyway. Going from EMT-P straight to CRNA school with no clinical nursing experience at all might be impossible to do. Check with the CRNA programs you're interested in. They'll send you packets with their requirements listed. All of them *require* some sort of RN experience, with critical care being the preference.

Most of us here have gone through the being-broke-during-nursing-school thing...many have given up good paying jobs to do it. It can be done. It's scary at times, but it can be done. I would at least get the ASN in a trad school, and then get the online BSN while working as an RN.

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Specializes in ICU, ER, HH, NICU, now FNP.

No CRNA school will take a paramedic, you MUST be a nurse. And since the minimum entry for CRNA in most states is now a masters degree, somewhere along the line, you have to get the BS and MS too. (Or some combo program that grants the MS after completion of certain undergrad courses)

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I can tell you this....

RN and paramedic are two VERY different things - yes they are able to perform some of the same skills, however - an RN has no clue how to extricate someone from a wrecked vehicle - anymore than a paramedic has a clue how to write a family plan of care. EMT-P's know a lot a about a few drugs, RN's know a little about a lot of drugs. Despite sharing some skills, the roles are different.

This is true. Back when EC was accepted in California, my school allowed a few paramedics to use our skills lab to learn nursing skills during nights and weekends. It's interesting because these paramedics felt they needed at least some "traditional" training to function as nurses which, apparently, they didn't get through the EC program or, even on the job, despite the fact that a couple of them had become licensed RN's.

IMHO, EC should limit their program to LVN's. But, of course, there's more money to be made when you allow paramedics, respiratory therapists, and all kinds of people with no nursing experience into your program. The problem is that they don't have that nursing experience and the bad apples, who don't take the initiative to learn the skills they need, give the program a bad reputation and ruin it for everybody else.

:coollook:

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...Most of us here have gone through the being-broke-during-nursing-school thing...many have given up good paying jobs to do it. It can be done. It's scary at times, but it can be done. I would at least get the ASN in a trad school, and then get the online BSN while working as an RN.

This is a good suggestion. I certainly understand needing to be able to work

and support your family. There are certainly alot of us nursing students who have temporarily given up good incomes or cut way,way back. Maybe you can find a weekend, night or part time ADN/ASN program so you can keep working.

Financial aid, loans and scholarships may also help fill in the gap. Take the loans. You can make $60k with an ADN with overtime and then work on your BSN through an online progarm. That way you maximise your chances at a spot in a CRNA program.

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This is a good suggestion. I certainly understand needing to be able to work and support your family. There are certainly alot of us nursing students who have temporarily given up good incomes or cut way,way back. Maybe you can find a weekend, night or part time ADN/ASN program so you can keep working.

A lot of schools offer nursing extern programs now too. The pay isn't great but, at least you can make money while you're in school. And you definitely hit the ground running as a new grad because the extern jobs give you tons of nursing experience before you graduate.

:coollook:

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