i'm an excelsior nurse grad, non-lpn, rn licensed in another state, still no nursing experience, who live in florida. i came upon a memo dated july 2007 in the fl board of nursing website regarding endorsement of excelsior nursing graduates. i gathered they will accept experienced lpns for endorsement but for all other excelsior nursing graduates they will require 2 years experience out of state or work from a local veterans hospital. i have contacted the endorsement unit at the board and they said it would be best to give an application for endorsement with a 'variance'. (variance as i understand is like a petition to the fl boards to accept your endorsement-- for which i was advised to seek legal assistance or lawyer to draft it). i think it would not matter at this time if i graduated prior to their released memo in july 2007. that would not be enough to exempt me from the 'variance' rule because i am still an excelsior graduate.
it's just so disappointing that fl boards did not give enough time for students like us or for excelsior to prepare for this kind of situation--that they suddenly changed the rules on online graduates. and the options they're suggesting is very limiting: 2 years experience out of state, or 2 years experience at a local veterans hospital. in my case, i cannot just move and practice elsewhere because i have kids and i cannot practice in a va hospital because i'm not yet an american citizen. besides, what are the chances of a newly graduate/no experience rn getting accepted??..
so my option right now, after spending so much time and money to become an rn, is to take my chance (and spend more money!) to apply for endorsement with the variance. my question is: anybody with a similar situation?? knowing a lawyer who handled same case will be very much helpful:typing
i just want to know that i'm not alone in this mess and i want to warn the current fl excelsior nursing students of what they may have to face in the future should they apply for endorsement in fl.