Excelsior Grads How do you explain clinicals?

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I am currently in the Excelsior program with 3 classes to go before I begin the Focused Clinical Competencies Assessment portion. I am a Paramedic with 8 years experience in the field. I recently got a job in the Emergency Department as a tech. My supervisor knows I am in Nursing School and was inquiring about when I will finish and where I will be doing my clinicals. I felt so foolish saying, "Well, um, I do my clinicals on line and over the course of a weekend and BAM! I am an R.N! How do I intelligently explain that this will prepare me to work as a competent nurse without sounding like I am getting my degree from a diploma mill? I frequently get strange looks from people (especially old school nurses) when I try to explain this and I don't blame them! Any advice on what to say? And, AM I going to be prepared to work with patients with such little time?

You can apply for licensure in Arizona and then try to endorse later on to another state. It may or may not work but definately worth a shot. That's the route I am going. Don't let people discourage you. You need to do what you need to do for yourself. Unless they work for the BRN their advise is just that, advise.

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You are in southern CA according to your profile. Be cognizant that the California BRN has not granted licensure to Excelsior graduates in many years. Therefore, if you plan to be employable in CA, you may wish to select another route.

Not true, there was a blogger online named ******* **** who happens to also be an attorney and he went through Excelsior through Nevada. At first the BRN in CA denied him and then they came back with if he got his BSN they would grant him licensure and the CA BRN did. Do a google on him and email him he will tell you. Verified his license through CA BRN awhile back.

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Because the BRN bent for an attorney does not mean that others will be successful using that route. We have been reading about the "case by case" BS from the CA BRN for years now. The same criteria needs to be applied to ALL applicants, not just those who see the merits of obtaining a law degree. If such were the case, it would be well known and the BRN would be more forthcoming with the information.

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The BRN isn't going to volunteer that information. Not especially if they are advocating for instate nursing schools. CA is very political when it comes to cases like this. As I said Google the person and ask him. He will tell you. You really won't know until you apply for licensure. It is true a case by case basis. Each case is different and we won't know until it is tried. If someone is successful then that's great. Then there is hope but if people don't try then we will never know. Most people are too scared to take that chance and try. Honestly I don't blame them.

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The BRN isn't going to volunteer that information. Not especially if they are advocating for instate nursing schools. CA is very political when it comes to cases like this. As I said Google the person and ask him. He will tell you. You really won't know until you apply for licensure. It is true a case by case basis. Each case is different and we won't know until it is tried. If someone is successful then that's great. Then there is hope but if people don't try then we will never know. Most people are too scared to take that chance and try. Honestly I don't blame them.

I really do appreciate everyone's advice and take it into consideration. I have found this forum to be filled with amazing nurses or nurses-to-be and I truly have learned a lot on here seriously. However, I also do outside research in addition as well. :)

Although excelsior has had success overall, me living in CA and also wanting to relocate in the future, may be a risk that I can't afford at the moment and I rather find a route where I have a lot of available options.

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Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.
Not true, there was a blogger online named ******* **** who happens to also be an attorney and he went through Excelsior through Nevada. At first the BRN in CA denied him and then they came back with if he got his BSN they would grant him licensure and the CA BRN did. Do a google on him and email him he will tell you. Verified his license through CA BRN awhile back.
Yes, we all know who he is and what he did to pull off this feat. He is strikingly different than the average applicant because:

1. He is an attorney

2. He earned an online BSN degree through WGU in less than a couple of months

3. He threatened to sue the California BRN

We should not raise the hopes of masses of Excelsior grads based on the outcome of his exceptional circumstances. The California BRN continues to reject Excelsior grads even after they accepted this person's qualifications.

In essence, those who want to be guaranteed licensure by the California BRN may want to attend a classroom-based bridge program. Attending Excelsior with the expectation that one will obtain an RN license issued by the BRN is a risk that will result in a virtually zero chance of licensure.

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As I stated I don't blame those who are too scared to take the risk. I haven't heard of anybody trying to gain licensure in a long time who was rejected. Has anybody who posts on here tried? I would love to hear their story. Nobody can say the BRN will deny them unless they work for the BRN. You won't know until you try. That's why it's good to hear from those who have tried and either failed or were a success.

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

I know people personally who are EC grads and who are experienced RNs, who have also since earned BSN degrees and who have been rejected by the CA BRN and yes, very recently. It is one thing to remain hopeful, but it is another thing entirely to deny reality because it doesn't conform to your wishes. EC's ADN program is not easy, and in my opinion it is absolutely foolish to pursue it if one wants licensure in California.

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Perfect! Did they post their experiences on here? Would love to hear their stories. I am prepared for the worst but I will still try after licensure through Arizona. So there is no deny reality to conform my wishes. I already know the obstacles I must face. There are a lot of VA hospitals/clinics in my area I can work at. In the end I will have my RN and nobody can take that away from me.

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Specializes in EMS, ED, Trauma, CEN, CPEN, TCRN.
Perfect! Did they post their experiences on here? Would love to hear their stories. I am prepared for the worst but I will still try after licensure through Arizona. So there is no deny reality to conform my wishes. I already know the obstacles I must face. There are a lot of VA hospitals/clinics in my area I can work at. In the end I will have my RN and nobody can take that away from me.

No, I know them from some EC-related Facebook groups. I will see if one of them is on allnurses, I thought she was.

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Thank you Pixie! Hearing success/failure stories would help.

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

I sent her a message on Facebook with a link to this thread. :)

By the way, make sure you look at the qualifications for RN positions at Federal facilities in your area - most require at least a year of experience as an RN. They won't always count your time as an LPN/LVN. I work in a Federal facility, and one of our LPNs did Excelsior's program. She had to leave our facility and work elsewhere so she can get a year of experience as an RN, then she can reapply to come back. All this despite the fact that LPNs in our ED have nearly the same scope as an RN. So make sure you investigate this fully, or you might find yourself in the unenviable position of having to move to work as an RN. Good luck!

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