Excelsior, LPN school, or WHAT!!!!

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I'm extremely impressed with Excelsior RN program. Presently I'd like to obtain an LPN licensure. However, with Excelsior's wonderful distant learning program I would not be eligible for admission if I obtained an LPN licensure.

I don't know whether to attend LPN school and sit out the looooong CC competitive LPN-RN bridge program OR seek licensure in an another healthcare career (eligibile for Excelsior admission plus a specialty) and seek RN admission to Excelsior. I'm in my early 40's with a M.Ed. and I really don't want to waste time. All advice is greatly appreciated.

Specializes in Pediatrics/Adult Float Pool.

strawberry-you may not fail, but it may be very difficult to pass...but the good thing is that you realize that. i work full time in a hospital, so my patients have also become my clinical setting. the coursework wasn't so bad, i finished it up fairly quickly. so, that said, even if you aren't going to work somewhere full time as a nurse, is there any way you can get some hands-on patient care going? what about prn in a long term facility, va home, doctors office, home health care? even if you just worked 1 day a week, some patient contact would definitely make it easier. what are you doing now? anything in the healthcare industry that you can draw from? this program is great that it lets you be self paced...that also means get creative! you can achieve anything if you want it bad enough! good luck!

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strawberry-you may not fail, but it may be very difficult to pass...but the good thing is that you realize that. i work full time in a hospital, so my patients have also become my clinical setting. the coursework wasn't so bad, i finished it up fairly quickly. so, that said, even if you aren't going to work somewhere full time as a nurse, is there any way you can get some hands-on patient care going? what about prn in a long term facility, va home, doctors office, home health care? even if you just worked 1 day a week, some patient contact would definitely make it easier. what are you doing now? anything in the healthcare industry that you can draw from? this program is great that it lets you be self paced...that also means get creative! you can achieve anything if you want it bad enough! good luck!

i actually wanted to volunteer 2 days per week..but i'm not sure if that would be possible. i posted a resume on monster for volunteering and i can't believe i didn't receive one reply. i posted it in nyc too!...since i'm going to move closer to there. btw, what is a prn? i definitely do want to keep my skills fresh (whatever i have anyway lol) and i hope i can find something.

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Specializes in Pediatrics/Adult Float Pool.

prn--sometimes facilities will post positions they need filled with no guaranteed hours...so you may work 40 hours one week and only 8 the next. the facility i work at is pretty good about letting you know what's going on, so it's not like a big surprise, but you just fill where they need the coverage...usually no benefits, but the luxury of only working 1 or 2 days a week makes up for it. what about a military base, school nursing...um...travel nursing? you can specify where/how far you are willing to go...maybe monster isn't "personal" enough...look in local newspapers, even online versions, for openings. or, just start sending out resumes...sometimes you'll get thrown in the pool, but sometimes, you might snag an interview for a position that hasn't even been posted yet. and don't ever take no for no--ask if they know of anyone else that you might look to for assistance. in this biz, its all about who you know, not what you know, so if you don't know anyone, just ask questions til ya do! and, if you run out of ideas, the folks on here are usually a pretty creative bunch!

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Specializes in Psych, LTC, Acute Care.
I keep hearing that you will zip through this program if you start right when you get your LPN license and I just find it SO encouraging! I feel positive again :D. I come from an AWFUL program. That year of my life was just a disappointment. I am looking to enter the EC ADN program as a newbie LPN graduate...I'll be less than 3 months out of Nursing school.

Here's what scares me a tad:

1) My education, I feel, was sub par. Clinical rotations were VERY basic and many of them were spent in a classroom with dummies and not enough supplies.

2) I have NEVER worked in Health Care.

3) I don't plan on using my nursing license, to work, as I finish at EC, so I'm afraid I really won't know how to deal with patients at ALL.

4) Pretty much 1-3 summed up. I feel I'll end up at the CPNE, with that being the first time I EVER really deal with a patient or that kind of environment and I feel as though I'm setting myself up for failure :(.

I enrolled in EC right out of LPN school. I worked in a nursing home while doing the program. It took me a year to finish the program. It definety can be don with alot of practice.

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Thanks for the encouragement you guys!

I would love to work as a travel nurse, but I don't feel that's realistic, as they don't really have a demand for LPNs, nor do I have the 1-2 year min. of experience that they require.

Here is my dilemma: College Financial Aid.

I can have my Bachelors paid for, after I finish Excelsior. I'm in NYC and college is EXPENSIVE, so it's actually almost worth it to NOT work. If I'm going to work and have to file taxes, more than 9/10 I will be getting next to zilch for financial aid. I'm talking about the kind I do not have to pay back. I know this due to personal experience. It's almost as though you have to make minimum wage and have 8 kids to receive any help from our dandy country ;).

I'm still debating whether to work. With Excelsior, I planned on being pregnant, not working, and finishing it as quickly as possible. With pregnancy, I am very tired and usually nauseous, so Excelsior would work out great, as I can lay down, take naps, run errands, cook, etc. all at my convenience. It just comes into play in so many ways.

Do you guys think it's impossible to pass unless I work or volunteer? I'm still definitely counting on volunteering.

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

What kind of hands-on, applicable experience can you get from volunteering?

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What kind of hands-on, applicable experience can you get from volunteering?

To be honest, I'm not sure. I guess I should say that I would be looking for an unpaid internship...perhaps that and volunteering differ?

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Working and/or volunteering will usually get in the way somehow. At work, you learn bad habits (if you are working as an LPN). Either way you take time away from study, make yourself tired, and are not necessarily doing something that will help you reach your goal. If you can find a way not to work, then don't work. The same advice goes no matter what kind of nursing program you are in. As for the pregnancy thing, up to you concerning your family planning. I wouldn't want to be doing anything strenuous, mentally or physically, if I was in baby mode. I worked full time and can tell you from experience, never would I willingly do that again!

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Thanks caliotter. I actually was planning on NOT working at all, as I do have a means...However, I am beginning to second-guess myself from comments on the forum. It seems as though I would be totally clueless and doing myself a disservice. I have absolutely NO medical/nursing experience outside of the few crummy rotations I had in LPN school..and I truly didn't do anything intense.

But....I have heard MANY people say what you are saying..that in nursing, you're taught bad habits...things the wrong way..etc. It's weird to imagine..but many people in my LPN program, who DID have medical experience, actually weren't the top students and said that school mode and work are much different.

I just DREAD/FEAR the CPNE, as I wonder how I will be able to work with patients, performing in depth skills, for the first time...and it being my actual exam...that's the only reason I thought that maybe I should volunteer.

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I currently Just applied to EC and Iam hoping is the right move for me,,,,I just graduated LPN & got my license recently, ive been in school for years and dont want to waste anytime...I have over 77 Credits and I know from passed blogs that I credit from one exam and I need to wait for my credits to b eveluated,,so what I understand so far is that the LPN-RN is based on the theory exams, u download the study guides and study and then u apply to test? is it correct because I'm lost..Can someone tell me what is the average time to graduate for an LPN?

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So, students in CA can't attend Excelsior, right?

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Specializes in EMS, ED, Trauma, CEN, CPEN, TCRN.
So, students in CA can't attend Excelsior, right?

Anyone who meets the admission criteria (https://www.excelsior.edu/Excelsior_College/School_Of_Nursing/School_of_Nursing_Admission_Policy) can do Excelsior's program, but licensing in California will be problematic: https://www.excelsior.edu/Excelsior_College/School_Of_Nursing/Accreditation_and_Licensure/State_Board_Requirements. The program is only open to people who are some kind of healthcare provider already, or who have completed at least 50% of a nursing program.

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