I couldn't do it, but that doesn't mean you can't!

[vamedic4, EMT-P]

First of all, congratulations on your acceptance and willingness to further your education into the field of nursing care. I started the EC nursing program after it was recommended to me by a coworker who had been through it and passed, so I enrolled without truly taking stock of what was involved. At the time you were able to take NCI and II prior to enrollment to see if it was going to be a good fit for you, but I lacked the funds to do so. I wish I had, that would have shown me the sheer volume of info I would have been responsible for knowing for those exams.

I enrolled in 2005, and set to work on NC I. I read, and took notes...copious notes. I even looked online for notes on different subjects, but they didn't really help me if I didn't first read the material myself. I also bought myself a digital voice recorder, to read my notes and listen to them at a different time. Repetition, for me, is everything.

I was five years into EC before I ever took a test. Five years. The material seemed so much, and my own doubt set me on a path toward uncertainty that I just couldn't shake. Things are very different when you are trying to "teach yourself" and assure yourself that you are actually learning the material. My advice is to set a time limit for yourself for each exam, and make it both realistic and achievable. Don't do what I did and just be like ..."meh, I'll take it sometime soon." You'll never finish that way.

One of the problems I had was distraction. There was always something more important, and the "no semesters" format only lent to me putting off studying in favor of just about anything else. Whether it was the kids or the wife or my own unwillingness to sit an learn, it all led to me running out of time and having to request an extension on the seven years they give you to complete the program. And by the time I did actually get busy and really study for the exams, there wasn't enough time left for me to finish. I finished six of

the eight exams I needed (minus the FCCA and CPNE) but ran out of time - again, due to my procrastination.

It was not a lost cause, however. The things I've learned from the program and from my studies have helped me to do my own job better and enhanced my knowledge of the nursing process and disease processes so that I may be of more help to the nurses I work with.

Be honest with yourself. That is perhaps the best advice I can give you. While a lot of what nurses do is common sense and intuitive, a great deal of it is not and if you don't have a solid foundation then you may struggle with the program. If you know you're prone to procrastination, this program is not for you. If you learn better from an actual instructor, perhaps this program is not for you. If you don't like to read, this program is not for you. If you are not self motivated, this program is not for you.

I don't want to crush anyone's dreams, quite the contrary. I just hope that you can be realistic about the work you are about to undertake. The program requires a good deal of work, dedication, and your best effort. Only by giving your best can you expect the best results.

You are given seven years to fulfill the requirements and complete the program, but I was unable to finish before the deadline. I place the blame squarely on my own shoulders, and think of all the time I wasted when I should have been studying. But that was my journey, and I made the decisions that affected my progression, so I have no one but myself to blame. Don't be afraid, just follow your content guide and do what you know works best for you. But don't dawdle. Take it seriously and get it done. You'll be glad you did.

And I'd be remiss if I didn't mention that Allnurses.com is an awesome reference for all of you about to undertake this journey on your way to becoming a registered nurse. Many of the members here have been successful at Excelsior and have offered invaluable information that might be able to help you, too.

Good luck to you as you begin your journey toward becoming a nurse. And thanks to all of you who have helped me along the way. This isn't the last you'll see of me, I'll be back. I've just got to head in a different direction for a little while. All the best to everyone.

[EricJRN, MSN, RN]

Hey man -

I'm not around here all that much anymore, and it was nice to run into your post. I wish it was happier news. Your post is so valuable though. Human nature dictates that people like to talk more freely about their successes, so I sometimes worry that we're painting an overly positive picture. Truth be told, EC's nursing program just doesn't mesh well with some learning styles. A person's life circumstances and other commitments also have a lot to do with it, like you point out.

It takes a big person to share these kinds of experiences when things don't go to plan, allowing others to learn from you. I'm wishing you the best for you and I'm glad to hear that we'll hear more from you down the road.

Eric

[veggieLPN]

Thanks for your honesty. I believe that this program, especially the credit by exam program, is meant for people who enjoy self-teaching/self-learning and have a history of doing better on tests than on traditional homework.

I spent a two year break due to procrastination, a job promotion, and general feelings of "I can't do it." I'm proud to say I'm back on track and have passed 2 exams in the past 2 months. I have 3 remaining.

My advice for those currently enrolled is to dive right in to nursing courses with a practice exam. It lets you know exactly what you are in for, and lets you know exactly where you stand before even picking up a book, downloading a study guide, etc.

Also, set rules for pacing yourself. I have a friend taking courses at an accelerated brick and mortar Nursing school. I pace myself by trying to finish my courses in the same time frame as her courses. If it's a subject I'm struggling with, I allow myself double the time she has.

The excelsior program is very forgiving, if you fail a course once, even twice, you are allowed to retake it. I've found allnurses to be a great source of information and support. If you feel lost or confused about the program, just pick up the phone and call an advisor. This has always been helpful for me.

Sorry to hear that you couldn't make it all the way through. Again, thanks for sharing your story.

[vamedic4, EMT-P]

Thank you both. And Eric, it's great to hear from you, too! Always nice to see a familiar poster on here. I haven't been back to allnurses since I dropped out of the program, but I felt I needed to share some things and perhaps someone might take something from my experience.

I think I started out with realistic expectations, but they fell by the wayside when I enrolled and couldn't afford to pay for exams. That led me to take far too long to get my exams done. And with all that time came doubt. Doubt that I could recall the material. Doubt that I could get it done in time. Doubt because I thought I was missing something.

I actually got two grades below C, and had to retake Chronicity and Maternal Child which totally sucked, but by far the worst mistake was paying for an exam and not showing up. Yep...got lost, couldn't get where I was supposed to be, and lost all the money I paid for the exam - $265. That was painful enough, but not near as painful as trying to tell my wife what happened. Yeah.

I just hope that those who embark on the EC journey remain acutely aware of the program's expectations and their own limitations, that way they can get everything out of the program that they work so hard to achieve.

[Molemedic, MSN, EMT-P, NP]

Your honesty truly speaks volumes. I hope this doesn't deter you from pursuing your dream, lots of things may seem more important at the time because procrastination is easy but like you said setting a time limit would force you to study. I hope in the future you reconsider and decide to further your education. You have a great outlook and a positive attitude.

[Nalon1 RN/EMT-P, BSN, RN]

That is a tough expensive lesson there. Sorry to hear about it. I started Excelsior in 2005 also, but not the nursing part, just the pre-req's. I started the nursing part in 2009 or 2010 and graduated in 2013. I hear these stories of people finishing in less than an year and am amazed. I too had a hard time with the self study and no strict time line. Stuff would come up in life and I could take a break, which was nice (job change, illness and death of parent, birth of son), but I took way too long to get started again.

So any plans to start another nursing program?

[Lunah, MSN, RN]

Hey, vamedic4! Great to "see" you again. Thank you for sharing your wisdom. :)

(formerly Lunah)

[OrganizedChaos, LVN]

Thank you for this. I just enrolled in EC & will start after I finish micro & A&P (through NMJC). But since EC has added different options I will use the course option instead of testing out since I know what works for me. Plus I want to apply for financial aid.

[CKPM2RN, ASN, EMT-P]

Such familiiar stories here! I am preparing for my CPNE (date TBD) and I was lucky enough to be a good self-guided studier. VeggieLPN says it best: Dive right in to the practice exam to know where you stand and what you need to focus on. I also always set my test date the day I signed up for the exam so that I would have a deadline. A lot of us don't work well without a clear deadline, just human nature.

Now to survive and make it through the CPNE! Gah.

[Kamilah Coney, ASN, BSN, RN]

I hate to see posts like these í ½í¸ž But it's good to see that you remain in good spirits even though things didn't go as you planned. I am on my way to being 3 years enrolled.

I have managed to get almost 3 exams away from the FCCA courses. I am praying that I don't go into another 6 month "pause". I might now be as motivated to pick up where I left off. I can absolutely understand why some of us get off track, because we all have lives outside Excelsior College students. May those who are fortunate enough to still be on the, road to becoming a nurse path, be successful in your endeavors. í ½í¸Ší ½í¸Ší ½í¸Š

[Kamilah Coney, ASN, BSN, RN]

I hate to see posts like these í ½í¸ž But it's good to see that you remain in good spirits even though things didn't go as you planned. I am on my way to being 3 years enrolled.

I have managed to almost be 3 exams away from the FCCA courses. I am praying that I don't go into another 6 month "pause". I might not be as motivated to pick up where I left off. I can absolutely understand why some of us get off track, because we all have lives outside Excelsior College students. May those who are fortunate enough to still be on the, road to becoming a nurse path, be successful in your endeavors. í ½í¸Ší ½í¸Ší ½í¸Š

[vamedic4, EMT-P]

Haven't been back here since I wrote that post, and I wanted to thank you all for your comments and encouragement. Thank you all, sincerely.

Right now I am very happy with the work that I continue to do...happier than I have been in previous years because not only am I able to make a significant difference in the lives of my patients every day, my coworkers and management fully approve of my efforts on everyone's behalf. It wasn't always like that.

At one time I thought that the only thing I could do to make my job better for myself was to actually get a better one - as a nurse, but, for me at least, that is not the case. My job has me filling in a very important role, and I've struggled to find an appropriate term for it, but that doesn't matter. My job title may say Paramedic, but my job duties should literally be Jack Of All Trades..and I know there are so many nurses who also feel the exact same way.

I am still a paramedic, I still work with very sick children. But beyond my patient care duties I have acquired knowledge, skills, and experience to branch out and focus on the ability to provide my floor with someone who is an excellent communicator - not everyone excels in this arena..let's be honest. I am also equal parts firefighter (I put out the small fires before they become a bigger issue and require more resources), paramedic (performing my role as paramedic by keeping my nurses updated on any changes in the condition of their patients or anything I know they are wanting to know), patient advocate (solving problems for families without requiring the manager or nurse's time), and even crisis mitigator - by explaining to parents, in language they understand, exactly what is going on when we engage in emergency procedures on their children. I actually started doing that many years ago, when I observed how no one was talking to the family during a code and found that inexcusable at best. I wanted them to have some understanding of what was going on during what was probably one of the worst moment's of their lives.

As a result of the positive feedback I have received from my current leadership and coworkers, I finally realized that it wasn't necessary to me to become a nurse to bring about change, to educate, to console and comfort, to excel in my caring for children and helping others do the same. All I needed was a change in my attitude and a change in my environment.

When those around you are no longer aware or appreciative of the extent and scope of your contribution, it is time to leave.

That was a hard realization for me, and one long overdue. During the time I was doing the program, I was working at what began as a wonderful place to be, but over the years morphed into a place I barely recognized...and it took a toll on my studies, and my life in general. Even though I thought I could weather the storm, I was drowning and couldn't even recognize it. I had done my part to let my studies fall by the wayside. It was time once again to prioritize and get back to what I did well.

Who knows, maybe I'll find myself in nursing school in a few years, again? Perhaps not. All I know is that right now I am happy to be where I am. And I wouldn't have been here were it not for my own particular circumstances and ability to learn from my mistakes.

Thank you to all of you who have provided me with encouragement over the years! You were there even when I didn't think I needed someone, and I am forever grateful. This is a great community of nurses and others who should be proud of their contributions to this site and its members. What I want my nurses to never forget is that regardless of our role, we are all in this together. Saving lives, making lives better, that's no job for just one person...it is a team effort. And my current team, like so many other teams I've had in my 22 plus years in pediatrics, is amazing.