Excelsior College and Georgia. How are the Precepted Clinicals Working?

[Pmdc]

I know a couple of people in Georgia who are starting the precepted clinicals after completing the EC ASN. From what I hear, it's easier if you do it through the hospital where you are employed. Is that the consensus?

What about those who work in a specialized facility that may not have psych, OB, and whatever other rotations that are required? Are hospitals welcoming non-employees who are already ASN grads for a 350-700 hour clinical preceptorship, and have no current affiliation with a school of nursing as a student? How does that work? Is it possible, considering the potential liability? Does the state provide an outline of a course of study for the clinical experience?

I ask because I participated in some of the political processes of the previous Georgia legislative session, and wondered if the process the State has mandated actually works for those forced to go through it. I'm not in a position of political power, but I am persistent, and, as an EC alumnus and Georgia resident, I would like to see the process made 'user friendly' for the preceptees. If the State changes the system, their solution should be fair and just for those affected by the change.

I plan to enter a PhD program when I finish the MSN in a few months, and the issue of clinical competency among students in different types of pre-licensure nursing course formats (distance vs. traditional vs. challenge exam, etc.) and the relevance of prior clinical experience has very little applicable research that I can find. It might make for a great project(s) for someone (maybe even me), and may actually be of benefit when state BONs place what appear to be unwarranted restrictions on new EC graduates. As long as there is ignorance regarding the issue, this will continue.

Any feedback from those currently jumping through the hoops?

[dsmithkazk]

I am waiting for an CPNE date right now. This past year I have gone back and forth about what to do about finishing and trying to license in Georgia. My previous history is that I was a Hospital Corpsman for 4 active years and spent another ten in the reserves. I am also a Paramedic and Registered Medical Assistant and have spent about 20 years working with patients both inpatient and outpatient. I have been told I will have to do 700 precepted hours in Georgia before getting an unencumbered license. This would require me to quit my current job in order to meet those requirments in six months. I am aware I could get a six month extension, but it is not a sure thing you will get the extension.

So, what are my options. Quit my state job with benefits or move out of the state. I am looking at the option of moving to either South Carolina, Mississippi or Tennessee. So, I leave my family and all my support system behind and move to a state I have never lived in with no support system in place. All my ties are here in Georgia.

So, that is how these rules affect me personally. I know everyone has their own issues with this. But, I think for the most part it has brought hardship on all that have attempted it.

[keepmovingrn]

Hi dssmith, I'm going through the whole back and forth thing myself with Excelsoir ( should I continue or not). I have A+P, one more humanties and info lit to complete before I enroll. I'm an Lpn so I would have to complete 350hrs of perceptorship. My concern is finding a place to do them. I cant do the tradtional nurseing school route bc I'm a single mom that works full time. I have given serious thought about trying to get into Darton College (you go 1 day a wk and everything else is online) but I would want to get into the October class for this year. I think I'm may have know choice but chance things with excelsoir, worst case I may have to move, which I dont want to bc I love Atlanta.

I think it's so unfair for you and your family to have to go through this after you have worked so hard.:redbeathe

[gemini79]

I finished my preceptorship in three months and that was working 6 days a week! I had to do 500 hours becuase I am a RT. It can be done but it is stressful. I did my precptorship in macon and the medical center.

[keepmovingrn]

Did you have any trouble getting your perment licsn. after you completed your hours? and where you still working while you did your perceptors hours?

[gemini79]

I worked while I did my preceptorship. I was given my rn license 5 days after my paperwork was recieved.

[keepmovingrn]

Okay, cool..by the way Gemini I forgot to give you your just do....:ancong!:

[ladside, BSN, MSN, LPN, RN]

So sorry to burst anyone's bubble but as of late, via NCLEX web board on Excelsior College, this woman received a letter a couple of days ago informing her that there are 459 LPNs waiting for RN licensure, some date back to May of 2009. Others have had their preceptorship turned down (Ga BON did not approve their siteor preceptorship) and the Med (MCCG) are not accepting anymore 'students' because they have too many. When I called the BON last week and inquired as to whether or not I would be required to do the preceptorship hours (at last count, I had 10,000 clinical hours on med/surg prior to enrolling in the college), they told me that they would make that decision AFTER I took the boards. There is no way that I'm gonna trust that because they went back on their word in the first place with this preceptorship hours. These hours were supposed to begin as of July 2010 for those that DID NOT make Ga's newfound deadline. Well, call it a coincidence if you like but I think it is pretty obvious that they decided to forego the July 2010 date once these students began to beat the deadline. They changed their own rules to the game, breached their own contract, and CHARGED for the preceptorship! None of that was part of the deal between Governor Perdue/Ga BON/ Excelsior College!!! And it appears that they can just get away with whatever they want! Luckily for me, my kids are grown and on their own so I don't have to be held HOSTAGE by the state of Georgia. These individuals trusted the BON when they said to take their boards in Georgia and they can get a license. Well they took the boards and passed them and still NO LICENSE!!! I talk with one lady regularly who is about to start her 6 month preceptorship after waiting 6 months after passing her boards. She passed her boards in August, the same month that I took my first 2 exams. I'm now waiting on my CPNE testing date and she is still waiting to start day 1 of her preceptorship. I AM NORTH CAROLINA BOUND when I graduate from Excelsior. Perfect time to start traveling!!!! Ga can keep playing those games all they want! They will soon REGRET IT!!!

[keepmovingrn]

Wow, that is so terriable and unfair:cry:. We all are working/worked sooooo hard to get to the end and this is what happens....I know I will be moving either back to S.C where I'm from or going to Charolotte N.C where my sister lives if things dont get any better. I love Atlanta and I would hate to leave but I may have no choice. Going to a traditional nursing program isnt a option for me. I work full time and I'm a single parent with bills. This whole Excelsoir and GA is so unfair:flmngmd:

[Grapenut]

I had finished all my EC courses and just had to come up with the money to do clinicals when this ruling came out (summer 2008). I had worked 4 years as an LPN on a med-surg unit at a 200-bed hospital. I oriented new BSN and ADN students who did not have 1/2 the clinical hours to get their RNs that we were required to do as LPNs. I have commented on that in previous posts. I took a travel nurse job to make enough money to finish my EC degree. That process took me another year. I now live in Alaska. I am a life-long Georgia resident. I am 53. My 2 kids and 4 grandkids and sister, brothers, neices, nephews, cousins, as well as my husband's family, are all in Georgia. I left the hospital I worked at for 4 years and came here as a travel nurse in November 2008. I graduated EC 9/18/09. I work at an IHS clinic. I contacted the hospital where I worked in Georgia to see if they could precept me. The DON said she thought it would have to be unpaid. My nurse manager (who had always told me what a great nurse I was and she didn't want me to leave) was not encouraging at all. I realized I'm not moving back home. I can't endorse my license in Georgia until I have worked at an acute care facility (inpatient hospital) for 1800 hours. There is one small hospital in the town/island where I live. The Univ. of Alaska Southeast just graduated their nursing class. Guess who's getting all the nursing jobs at the hospitals? Not the 53-year old who just moved here a year ago from Georgia. So here I am. I always wanted to do ICU. It's not looking good.

[Grapenut]

I dont work at the hospital in Macon. I paid to do my internship there.

Hmmm. The BON is in Macon. One of the few hospitals doing the precepting is in Macon and they're charging $500. Nursing in any town, especially one that size, is a small community. As usual, follow the money.

[gemini79]

I do agree with that! and the BON told me about the hospital in macon!

[zoeyzoe]

Is There AnyOne... Who has gone through, is going through, or needs, to go through the preceptorship for the GBON ?... I was wondering if you had any information, or where to do it... Or any information about the preceptorship period... I'm hoping that I don't have to do one... But i'm trying to be proactive in gathering information, just in case I have to do the preceptorship, for the board....

Thanks in advance for any information:up: