I aM floored. I just received notice from GA Board of Nursing that they denied the endorsement of my MN RN license because I did not meet clinical practice requirements . When I called the board, they transferred me to a their Legal Nurse Consultant who stated that effective July 1, 2008 GA would no longer endorse RN license from Excelsior College students with no previous RN experience. She suggested that I go to my licensed state and work for a while then try again, but she could not give me a time frame.
Has anyone else experienced this. I thought we should at least have gotten some sort of notice/warning before this type of rule be adopted by the board. I am going to file a motion for reconsideration using an Attorney. Before I entered Excelsiors program I called GA Board to verify acceptance. I had been accepted to a traditional LPN to RN bridge program; I could have been almost finished their too. I am so sad right now. I have been crying for two days. I think I will need to see my doctor for Zoloft.
I have been an LPN for over 13 years doing Med/Surg for at least 10. I work on a hospital unit right now. THIS IS SO UNFAIR!!!:banghead:
Specializes in Vents, Telemetry, Home Care, Home infusion.
I did challenge her to produce some data to back up her claims that this is a matter of patient safety. Where are her records of EC grads' licenses being sanctioned? This should be fairly easy to produce. I also challenged her to take the CPNE off-the-record to see how rigorous it really is.
Of course, I did this in a courteous and professional manner.
Specializes in ER and family advanced nursing practice.
Here is a copy of the letter I sent to Representative Cooper. I will send the snail mail on Monday. Certified.
Representative Cooper,
Hello. My name is Ivan. I graduated in 2005 from the Excelsior College (EC) nursing program after a 13 year career as paramedic. I just recently watched you in an interview regarding the decision to no longer accept EC graduates. I must say, I was very disappointed by this decision, and I was especially disappointed by your responses in the interview. The statement that you made stating that any high school graduate is able to go out and complete the course and become an RN is not true. What’s more, once this error was pointed out, you indicated that nothing could change your mind regarding this issue. This troubles me on several levels. First, apparently, you made a decision based on erroneous information. I was wondering, as an RN yourself, do you recommend that other medical professionals do the same? Would you suggest to anyone that a competent professional should make decisions based on false or inaccurate information? Your decision that nothing could change your mind indicates to me a short sighted and inflexible attitude. This concerns me because of your professions as an RN and as a legislator. There is simply no place for that mind-set in either of your chosen fields.
My question to you is where is your data that suggests EC grads pose a greater risk to public safety than other nursing graduates? What studies have you done or have your read that indicate or even suggest this? Surely in your report, you cited some information to back up your conclusions. As a current graduate student if I were to do the same I would not receive a passing grade for my work. I would fail. I see from your bio that you have an extensive background in nursing education, and I applaud you for this. Since this is the case, I can not help but wonder why you have abandoned the accepted standards of evidence based practice and made a decision based on incorrect information and without any scientific evidence whatsoever.
I am not suggesting that there should be no dialogue on this. If there is a concern for patient safety then by all means let us address this matter as professionals. Going out and making “just because” decisions is not up to the standards of the profession that I belong to: Nursing. Please consider the hundreds of EC students that are hard working health care professionals with families and dreams of helping others. These inconvenienced students as you consider them, are working hard for the state of Georgia. I would hope that you reconsider your stance, even if it is just to go back and take another look at it using the principles of research that modern nursing is renowned for. I would ask you to be more thoughtful in your language when you refer to those people and their families who are making a great sacrifice so that they can better their lives and the lives of their loved ones. They are not merely inconvenienced students, and I can assure you as one of them, we are all just as concerned about public safety as you are. Thank you for your time.
Sharon Cooper has a MSN from Medical College of Georgia, but I can't find out what year she graduated nursing school. She appears to be in her mid to late 50's. The GABON says nursing grads should have a min. of 400 hours of clinical experience.
If she graduated 30 or more years ago, I doubt she had 400 hours of clinical experiences. So was she unsafe? Hummm that would be a nice little tidbit to ask her.
Sharon Cooper has a MSN from Medical College of Georgia, but I can't find out what year she graduated nursing school. She appears to be in her mid to late 50's. The GABON says nursing grads should have a min. of 400 hours of clinical experience.
If she graduated 30 or more years ago, I doubt she had 400 hours of clinical experiences. So was she unsafe? Hummm that would be a nice little tidbit to ask her.
Yeah, I was also wondering why her school of original licensure wasn't listed. And of course as we all know that "clinical experience after graduation, doesn't count". So, this should be interesting.
As an EC alumni, I have been watching these discussion boards and board of nursing decisions being made for several years since California of 2003.
I have written multiple letters to state reps and board of nursing members and signed multiple petitions regarding several states that do not affect me personally but that isn't the point.
Of all states that have been affected, I have to say that Georgia students and alumni are not going to take it lying down and I am so proud of the media coverage and other noise that Georgia is making over this.
Unless I am misinformed, I do not remember California students or alumni standing up for themselves in 2003 to the extent that is going on in GA right now and I'm now wondering why.
Just because your board of nursing said so in a meeting doesn't mean it's right and what's best for "patient safety" or in the best interest of it's citizens.
Board of nursing members should be held accountable for their actions instead of being treated as experts and "knowing what's best" for our profession.
Specializes in Trauma,ER,CCU/OHU/Nsg Ed/Nsg Research.
As an EC alumni, I have been watching these discussion boards and board of nursing decisions being made for several years since California of 2003.
I have written multiple letters to state reps and board of nursing members and signed multiple petitions regarding several states that do not affect me personally but that isn't the point.
Of all states that have been affected, I have to say that Georgia students and alumni are not going to take it lying down and I am so proud of the media coverage and other noise that Georgia is making over this.
Unless I am misinformed, I do not remember California students or alumni standing up for themselves in 2003 to the extent that is going on in GA right now and I'm now wondering why.
Just because your board of nursing said so in a meeting doesn't mean it's right and what's best for "patient safety" or in the best interest of it's citizens.
Board of nursing members should be held accountable for their actions instead of being treated as experts and "knowing what's best" for our profession.
Way to go Georgia!!
I think CA knew they would avoid current students organizing and protesting actively against their decision, by grandfathering them in, and by giving ample notice regarding the change. The GABON was not so smart. Of course, CA has a lot of very vocal nurse-activists, so their BON was probably more prepared to address this than GA.
. When I called the board, they transferred me to a their Legal Nurse Consultant who stated that effective July 1, 2008 GA would no longer endorse RN license from Excelsior College students with no previous RN experience. She suggested that I go to my licensed state and work for a while then try again, but she could not give me a time frame.
NRSKarenRN, BSN, RN
10 Articles; 19,190 Posts
here's link to other ga health and human services committee members to also educate.