Fl non-LPN Excelsior students

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Fl BON has recently made a decision regarding non-LPN students enrolled in the Excelsior nursing program, they will no longer accept licensure endorsement, you will have to practice in another state for 2 yrs. or can only practice in Fl at a federal facility for 2 yrs. then seek endorsement. Before I enrolled with EC I called Fl BON and they informed me they accept endorsement, now they are changing the rules which affects all non-LPN students REGARDLESS of the fact if you enrolled in EC when they did accept endorsement. I am emailing and calling Fl. BON Director Rick Garcia @ [email protected] or 850-245-4158 and other Fl. legistrators and I encourage other students to also do the same. I'm sure that I am not the only non-LPN who entered the program when FL BON informed students that Fl would accept licensure endorsement. To inforce this new decision on currently enrolled students is unfair. EC nursing program is accredited. I am encouraging other Fl non-LPN students to follow thru, email or call your representatives. You enrolled in the program based on the Fl BON regulations at that time and they should still apply.

It is actually affecting more than that. Excelsior is only counting person currently living in Florida. I had intentions to move to the area where I have family living after NCLEX. I spoke with a woman named, Paula yesterday. She is with the NY BON, and stated they hope to meet with Mr. Garcia and his office in October.

During the time between now and October, I will inform as many people about this rule interpretation as possible.

Thanks Mondragon for the link. I fired off mutiple e-mails yestarday. Please, any current and past grads in Florida, get fired up and started being heard. I was told by Excelsior there are a little over 200 people enrolled that this change is affecting. Anybody that was a Paramedic graduate that went throught the endrosement route please send me a private message.

Thanks!!

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Wow...I am so sorry about your situation, I am in the same boat just not as close to finishing as you. i have contacted Mr Gacia, who happens to be out of the office until the 13th of Aug. and he insists Florida never endorsed and that has been in effect since 1996. This is going to be a fight, but one I hope we can prevail at.

I recieved the now dreaded letter from Excelsior telling me about the FL BON's sudden change TWO DAYS before my NCLEX (which I passed!!). I too was told the same thing when researching whether to do Excelsior. Hey Florida, why the sudden change? I have contacted Excelsior and they said that they are trying to resolve the matter with FL. I have been a Firefighter/Paramedic for 10 years. I have also worked in hospitals as an ER Tech. I have made many contacts with nursing directors at several different hopitals. I was told that when I finished I would have a job waiting for me, but now everything is on hold. I will be applying at the VA hospital but since there are none in my general area it will be a 30 -40 mile drive plus it is going to take a lot more time to start working then if I had just been able to endorse. I also plan on calling Mr. Garcia and writing. Hopefully this can all be resolved quickly.
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So what has been your experience with Florida in the past concerning endorsement? What I was told when I started at Excelsior in 2004 and contacted the Board was endorement was the policy for non-LPN grads. Thanks

Resqyou,

I'm the EC grad on staff here, but I'm licensed only in Texas and I was an EMT-Intermediate on admission to EC (back when they used to allow that). Just didn't want anyone to get confused.

I have written about the FL non-LPN policy before, at least as they have been applying it until now. It's a little silly, IMHO. Not qualified for initial licensure, but if they go apply for a license in another state, they're qualified to apply for endorsement without working a single day? Why make people jump through the hoops (and foot the bill) for licensure in a jurisdiction where they'll likely never work?

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Specializes in LTAC, Telemetry, Thoracic Surgery, ED.

I'm sure the media would LOVE to hear about something like this. Although it could always backfire.

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Specializes in NICU, Psych, Education.
So what has been your experience with Florida in the past concerning endorsement? What I was told when I started at Excelsior in 2004 and contacted the Board was endorement was the policy for non-LPN grads. Thanks

No personal experience with Florida, but I'm familiar with non-LPN members here who applied for initial licensure with other states, then turned around and immediately applied for licensure by endorsement in Florida.

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I have met non-LPN's online who did have their license endorsed into Fl. and are working in Fl now. I agree that going public on the news would backfire because there are bigger issues than us in this country currently. The good news is I recieved a response from a Fl .Senator , he took this seriously and is looking into it . So keep contacting Fl representatives.

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I have been writing to all the representatives in my district today. Which Senator responded to you? I agree about the media as well, also I would hate to put someone's licensure on the line, Mr Garcia seems the type to try and revoke privledges to someone that was previously endorsed. Excelsior will be meeting with the FL BON from October 10-12 to discuss this matter, they tried to get on the agenda for this months meeting, but were denied.

I have met non-LPN's online who did have their license endorsed into Fl. and are working in Fl now. I agree that going public on the news would backfire because there are bigger issues than us in this country currently. The good news is I recieved a response from a Fl .Senator , he took this seriously and is looking into it . So keep contacting Fl representatives.
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Keep up the work on contacting state legislatives. Senator Charlie Justice replied to me and he is already looking into the issue.

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I will. Senator Justice is one of the Senators from my district that I wrote to today.

Keep up the work on contacting state legislatives. Senator Charlie Justice replied to me and he is already looking into the issue.
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Well all, not so good news via Mr Justice in my opinion. He simply quoted the letter from the Asst Attn General Ms Gustafson, basically reiterating what the Board says has been their practice since 1996. He said he will communicate with Mr Garcia, but doesnt sound like much hope in that respect...wish I had a better outlook for us at this point.:angryfire

I will. Senator Justice is one of the Senators from my district that I wrote to today.
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I recieved another respnse from Senator Justice office today. Fl BON is saying they have never waivered from the non-LPN Stipulation of requiring 2 years employment at a Fl Federal facility or 2 years in another state. They are saying they have never endorsed the license of a non-LPN. And that is absolutely incorrect, they have endorsed the license of non-LPN's and that is exactly the information Fl. BON gave students by phone. So if they say they have never waivered then all the patients who recieved nursing care from non-LPN's who had thier license endorsed by Fl. BON would be able to file a suit against Fl. BON and the State of Florida because they failed to follow their governing board regulations.To me it sounds like they did not think this thru before acting on it.

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Hmmm..Interesting point as well...I wonder if we can find out who the past director of the BON was and contact him/her to see what they remember being the practice and whether they would suppport us on this?:idea:

I recieved another respnse from Senator Justice office today. Fl BON is saying they have never waivered from the non-LPN Stipulation of requiring 2 years employment at a Fl Federal facility or 2 years in another state. They are saying they have never endorsed the license of a non-LPN. And that is absolutely incorrect, they have endorsed the license of non-LPN's and that is exactly the information Fl. BON gave students by phone. So if they say they have never waivered then all the patients who recieved nursing care from non-LPN's who had thier license endorsed by Fl. BON would be able to file a suit against Fl. BON and the State of Florida because they failed to follow their governing board regulations.To me it sounds like they did not think this thru before acting on it.
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