Excelsior Grads - Where are they now?

Nursing Students Excelsior

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EC grads,

Post your year of graduation and your specialty/specialties. I'll go first:

I've been a Level II/III Neonatal ICU nurse since graduation in January '06.

Update 5/2018: I've worked for a large NICU since 2009 in bedside and education roles, and I've been a clinical instructor. I finished EC's MS program in nursing education a couple of years ago. I was recently accepted to the Ph.D. program at a state university.

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

Nikki, I'll PM you. I know at least 3 EC grads working for Inova Loudoun Hospital, myself included. :)

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hi havent been on this site for a long awhile feeling a little virtually challenged, this site has changed since i was here im dumping aol pretty soon and re registered with new email so i couldnt use my former name:

debrno1

i have many past posts regarding excelsior associate degree and have advised and offered my help to many thru my posts and privately as well i am extremely pro excelsior and got a little sick of the naysayers but

:yeah: im back..........

anyway did my lpn in 1993 while working in ltc, finished my associate degree with excelsior in 2001, passed the boards, got my med-surg cert in 2004, did my bsn in 2007 and now have decided to conquer my msn in nsg edu with excelsior.

im currently a bedside nurse i love the floor, the chaos, and being with the pts. however, cant do it for much longer as it is killing me !! 12 hour shifts on a busy busy unit:banghead:

so id love to hear from anyone actually in the program or those who have completed it. if all goes well with my application i should start next month with nur 502 and would be interested in books if anyone has any to sell or trade

so wish me me luck and thanks in advance

deb :nurse:

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Specializes in ICU, PICC Nurse, Nursing Supervisor.

welcome back....i am interested in responses to this

hi havent been on this site for a long awhile feeling a little virtually challenged, this site has changed since i was here im dumping aol pretty soon and re registered with new email so i couldnt use my former name:

debrno1

i have many past posts regarding excelsior associate degree and have advised and offered my help to many thru my posts and privately as well i am extremely pro excelsior and got a little sick of the naysayers but

:yeah: im back..........

anyway did my lpn in 1993 while working in ltc, finished my associate degree with excelsior in 2001, passed the boards, got my med-surg cert in 2004, did my bsn in 2007 and now have decided to conquer my msn in nsg edu with excelsior.

im currently a bedside nurse i love the floor, the chaos, and being with the pts. however, cant do it for much longer as it is killing me !! 12 hour shifts on a busy busy unit:banghead:

so id love to hear from anyone actually in the program or those who have completed it. if all goes well with my application i should start next month with nur 502 and would be interested in books if anyone has any to sell or trade

so wish me me luck and thanks in advance

deb :nurse:

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HI Charmed 1,

I just read your note and I intend to send an email to GaBON. I hope that it helps. I graduated from Excelsiors last July. It saddens me that instesd of conventional programs trying to evaluate excelsiors for their numerous merits and accomplishmnets, and given the fact (albeit eclipsed by 'well thats just the way it is) that a great number of nursing schools are not doing a good job and attrition is unnecessarily high, they should be considering modeling aspects of conventional programs after Excelsiors. just looking at this site the graduates of EC are represented by accomplished and motivated people., and in my experience they have been founf to be very good nurses, per managemnet and patients alike. I am very proud of to be an EC graduate. It is a tough program, but very supportive. State boards need to let free market play a role, if the NLN and the other accredeting agencies recognize EC NP, (and it has received eduactional awards) so let the hospitals decide if they want to hire EC graduates, based on performance evaluations of their graduates, which I have no doubt is high.

And by the way, I moved out of MD to anohter state to practice as an RN because I did not make the dealine for graduation for licensure in the state of MD. Good luck to you.:)

Hello and congratulations to all EC grads!! :yeah:I am from Georgia and I have been an LPN for 13 years. I am currently working on my RN degree through EC. Not long ago, I was informed that Georgia would not recognize nursing degrees from EC anymore. :cry: I am shocked and very dissapointed by this decision by the Ga. BON. There will be a legislative hearing on this new bill and EC will be there to defend their curriculum to the board on 9-18-08 in Macon, GA at 1pm.

If any of you EC grads could attend or even e-mail :typingthe Ga BON and express how EC has changed your lives and your careers, it would be most appreciated by all of us that are now in limbo with our degrees. Thanking you in advance for your help!!:nurse:

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Specializes in ICU,CCU,Med/Surg,LTC.

I graduated with my ADN in January 2004. I was a LPN for 6 yrs prior. I have worked med/surg, ccu, icu. I am currently working med/surg renal/palliative care...and LTC. I hope to start working on my BSN at the beginning of this coming year!

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unfortunately, my education aspirations have stumbled and i'm getting stuck as a traveler. it's a strange life, i am working nights and very long hours, but the $$ are there.

this year, i'll make 130k. it's going to take me another couple of years of this to get myself financially stable enough to pursue alternatives. all in all, not bad for "an internet nurse" as i was first called by the people i worked with.

boy is this economy brutal! we are very fortunate to be in this industry with this type of opportunity!

best luck to all ec students and grads.

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I graduated from EC in 1990, back before distance ed was popular. There was a group of about 20 of us LVN's working in a 240 bed hospital in central California going through this program. People would look at us funny and say 'how can you live in California and go to school in New York?' I will forever be greatful to a fellow LVN who explained the process to me. I've had an absolutely wonderful career as a cardiac stepdown nurse in California, Oregon and Minnesota and never would've been able to advance beyond my LVN without EC. (I worked full time and had my 3rd child during the 18 mos. it took me to complete their program.) I'm now in my 23rd yr. as a nurse (5-LVN, 18-RN). GO EC!

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I graduated in 92 again before non traditional education was cool. I was an lpn since 84. I had a bs in biochem from 88 and was one of the most educated lpn's around. I just had to do the nursing to get the adn. This was probably the smartest thing that I ever did. I work as a charge nurse at a VA hospital (great benefits) and I am pending a commission in the army reserve nurse corps. I have been in nursing for 24 years and am only 43

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Specializes in Hem/Onc, LTC, AL, Homecare, Mgmt, Psych.

This thread was so inspiring to me when I was just beginning, and now I can contribute! I worked as an LPN since 2003. Started EC in 2006, Graduated from EC the end of 2008. It allowed me to continue my education and not disrupt my family time. EC shaped me into being more diligient and self motivated.

I passed my CPNE 2 weeks ago, was just promoted from floor nurse to a clinical manager for a subacute wing in LTC to work as a Graduate Professional Nurse until I take my boards then I'll be the RN manager. We'll see how it goes!

I went to a couple interviews, before settling on staying with my current place of employment. One interview was with a geriatric psych/behavioral modification unit in a hospital and one with davita dialysis. Both places offered me a position and internship but unfortunatly the commute wouldn't work for me right now. Nice to know the opportunities are out there for when I'm ready!

My husband is making me wait one year before I go on for my BSN or MSN :-)

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Specializes in Staff Nurse LTC/ CALA.

Yes, I started with Rue, I became discouraged and quit after 3 test, but I have not been able to shake the desire to become a Rn, I have about 15-17 yrs before I retired...so I am giving it another shot. I did enroll in Excelsior also, after finishing my next test , I will enroll again...this time I WILL BECOME A RN!!! This time I will not go through Rue. I bought my books on-line and at local book store.

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Passed CPNE in July, after FIVE patients! Passed Boards in November, (Excelsior gave us such a leg up on boards IMHO) got hired casual at our local ED. small and busy! Staying at the Fire Department, happy not to be studying, but itching to start working on my BSN...Merry Christmas!!!!

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Wow this thread is so encouraging, I plan on going thru a LPN program Fall 09 and was looking for alternatives for RN. Thanks to all who have given their input and knowledge of EC.:yeah:

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