I really needed to find this site

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Specializes in med/surg, geriatrics, corrections.

I have been a LPN for 17 years. I thought of returning to school many times but wife, kids, work... I'm sure my story sounds familiar to many of you. Well, I did return in 2003 for a couple semesters and knocked out my prerequisites but life got busy again. I have looked into Excelsior almost every year for 17 years and never made the plunge for fear of spending a lot of money on the CPNE and not passing it. Now, I'm not bragging by any means but I passed my prereqs. with a 3.87 average and really didn't study that much HOWEVER, I have always worried about that darn CPNE! THE CPNE and ONLY the CPNE have stopped me from moving forward. Well, now at the "ripe old age" of 46 I have taken the plunge and and sent my application fee in last week to attend Excelsior. I just wanted to say "Thank You" to all of the inspiring stories of those who are going through it or have gone through it. This is very encouraging to those of us just starting the journey. I ordered four books on Half.com that only cost $42 and would have cost me $375 brand new. I have never taken this step forward so I know I am serious. I will continue to visit this site during my journey and I hope, like many, I can complete this journey in a year. I only work three 12 hour shifts per week with a "call day" twice in six weeks(which I usually have to work) so I have the time to study. I'm not going to worry about the CPNE...no excuses this time!

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Specializes in Surgery, Med/Surg/ICU, OB-Peds, Ophth.
I have been a LPN for 17 years. I thought of returning to school many times but wife, kids, work... I'm sure my story sounds familiar to many of you. Well, I did return in 2003 for a couple semesters and knocked out my prerequisites but life got busy again. I have looked into Excelsior almost every year for 17 years and never made the plunge for fear of spending a lot of money on the CPNE and not passing it. Now, I'm not bragging by any means but I passed my prereqs. with a 3.87 average and really didn't study that much HOWEVER, I have always worried about that darn CPNE! THE CPNE and ONLY the CPNE have stopped me from moving forward. Well, now at the "ripe old age" of 46 I have taken the plunge and and sent my application fee in last week to attend Excelsior. I just wanted to say "Thank You" to all of the inspiring stories of those who are going through it or have gone through it. This is very encouraging to those of us just starting the journey. I ordered four books on Half.com that only cost $42 and would have cost me $375 brand new. I have never taken this step forward so I know I am serious. I will continue to visit this site during my journey and I hope, like many, I can complete this journey in a year. I only work three 12 hour shifts per week with a "call day" twice in six weeks(which I usually have to work) so I have the time to study. I'm not going to worry about the CPNE...no excuses this time!

Congrats on making your committment to Excelsior! I know I wish I would have found this site when I first enrolled, I would have saved $$$ on my books, but life moves on...no regrets! I am on my last few exams, hoping to be done by late Spring/Summer. Everything so far has been going well for me so far. I have been a LPN for 19 years and I am also a Certified Surgical Assistant in an on call position where I usually work around 20 hrs per week, sometimes alot more, sometimes alot less so my progress varies on much I can get things done. The biggest thing with this program is the discipline needed for self study. I thought it would be easy, but when life gets busy...it gets tough, lol! I can allow myself to get horrified when I hear the stories of CPNE, but I quickly put these things out of my mind. In my profession, we are allowed absolutely no shortcuts or bad habits (which it seems alot of CPNE failures are blamed on, that and nerves) so I am going to look at my 19 years experience as feathers in my cap ;) Good luck to you and congrats again!!

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Good luck with your adventure....I just started the program as well...taking my first exam Health and Safety March 7th....I to have put this program off because of the cpne and all the horror stories I have heard about it. I started taking some pre-reqs at a local college but it is just to hard to work all day then go to class at nite.....so I thought I would give EC a try....I have since ran into several people who have completed the program or are halfway thru it...Good luck again

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Specializes in med/surg, geriatrics, corrections.

Thanks, good luck to you too. Do you have a time frame in mind or are you just playing it by ear?

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Specializes in Wound Care, LTC, Sub-Acute, Vents.

good luck savagetrojan. make sure you visit this site often and update us with your progress. this site really helped me progress quickly. when ever i felt lazy and not in the mood to study, i would go to this site and read posts of other members passing those exams so quick so i got "jealous" and told myself if this person could do it, i could too.

i posted every time i passed an exam. it helped me kept my momentum. and now that i am done, i could visit my old posts and read it and have my very own "journal" with dates and everything. :D

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

The CPNE is do-able. Really! By the time you get to that point, you'll be ready for it. Welcome to the site, and to the Distance Learning forum! These people have seen me go from paramedic to RN, to RN-BSN, and now to the Army Nurse Corps (HOOAH!). I love these peeps. :D Best support system around!

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Specializes in Med-Surg, Orthopedics,Cardio,Geriatrics.

Congrats!!!!!! on making the first step!! This is indeed itself a triumph to completing your GOAL!!! I too have also made the 1st step and have sent the request to my school for my transcripts to be forwarded and am sending in the application fee, sent for my transcripts earlier so that they would arrive before my application fee to be ahead so that I can get my transcript evaluation. I too have also committed and made another step also brought 5 books but, brought mine from amazon.com. I am also on a journey with you as well, but put it off because of the horrifying stories and fear of not passing that dreaded CPNE I hear so much about! But I do have one of my LPN classmates who has 3 kids worked all the time and passed everything with A's , took the workshop and took the CPNE in Wisconsin. And is now working on her BSN online with Indiana University!

Called Excelsior today and they informed me they have received my transcripts so my next step is to send in my application fee, the $75, and a copy of my LPN license. I was overjoyed to hear this good news so I am well, on my way with you!!! Hope that we can share our many stories of passing these tests as well! Again Congrats and we are both on our way to being Excelsior RN grads!!!

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I am proud of you for taking the leap. Just remember that the CPNE is passed every weekend all over the country. You can be one of those people. Welcome to an exciting ride :)

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Specializes in med/surg, geriatrics, corrections.

Thank you to everyone that has responded so far. I appreciate the words of encouragement for those who have been there and those who are just starting their journey as well. I received notification that my transcripts have arrived and now I am just waiting for my books to get here so I can start studying and register for my first test. I am reading mixed reviews about study guides on ebay so I am hesitant to order from any of them so I will wait for the textbooks unless someone has some good advice to the contrary. Again, thank you everyone!

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I have been a LPN for 17 years. I thought of returning to school many times but wife, kids, work... I'm sure my story sounds familiar to many of you. Well, I did return in 2003 for a couple semesters and knocked out my prerequisites but life got busy again. I have looked into Excelsior almost every year for 17 years and never made the plunge for fear of spending a lot of money on the CPNE and not passing it. Now, I'm not bragging by any means but I passed my prereqs. with a 3.87 average and really didn't study that much HOWEVER, I have always worried about that darn CPNE! THE CPNE and ONLY the CPNE have stopped me from moving forward. Well, now at the "ripe old age" of 46 I have taken the plunge and and sent my application fee in last week to attend Excelsior. I just wanted to say "Thank You" to all of the inspiring stories of those who are going through it or have gone through it. This is very encouraging to those of us just starting the journey. I ordered four books on Half.com that only cost $42 and would have cost me $375 brand new. I have never taken this step forward so I know I am serious. I will continue to visit this site during my journey and I hope, like many, I can complete this journey in a year. I only work three 12 hour shifts per week with a "call day" twice in six weeks(which I usually have to work) so I have the time to study. I'm not going to worry about the CPNE...no excuses this time!

Hi,

What books did you purchased? I purchased the study guide from ebay and still waiting for it. And also, looking for cheap book.. GOOD LUCK to US!! =)

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Specializes in Med-Surg, Orthopedics,Cardio,Geriatrics.

I purchased the Fundamentals book, The RN ROLE Transition book, the Pharmacology book, the Nursing Diagnosis book, and the Pediatric book, their is a web site where you can go online and get the NEW !!! Brunner and Suddarth's Med Surgical Book on line for FREE!!!! instead of buying it . I have the website for you to go and download it to your lap top or computer mine's is downloaded on my IPAD I will post it for you tomorrow because I am out of town with my family and did not bring it with us have just my laptop bring it along to watch movies! But, will post it to this posting ok!! I preferably like to use just the book and not anyone's notes, cannot really afford the notes since I want to be able to pay for the practice exams! Which everyone has said is the most helpful and went all out and brought the Saunders Comprehensive Review to the NCLEX-RN EXAMINATION Book this is definitely a must have it puts everything in to perspective to better break down the areas and help you to understand how things work. Definitely invest in it, again I feel that I can do just as well with the books, and the NCLEX- Book and my practice exams, but everyone has their own preference, Good luck to you in whichever you find more helpful to you and let's stay in touch OK!!. :up::up::up:

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I purchased the Fundamentals book, The RN ROLE Transition book, the Pharmacology book, the Nursing Diagnosis book, and the Pediatric book, their is a web site where you can go online and get the NEW !!! Brunner and Suddarth's Med Surgical Book on line for FREE!!!! instead of buying it . I have the website for you to go and download it to your lap top or computer mine's is downloaded on my IPAD I will post it for you tomorrow because I am out of town with my family and did not bring it with us have just my laptop bring it along to watch movies! But, will post it to this posting ok!! I preferably like to use just the book and not anyone's notes, cannot really afford the notes since I want to be able to pay for the practice exams! Which everyone has said is the most helpful and went all out and brought the Saunders Comprehensive Review to the NCLEX-RN EXAMINATION Book this is definitely a must have it puts everything in to perspective to better break down the areas and help you to understand how things work. Definitely invest in it, again I feel that I can do just as well with the books, and the NCLEX- Book and my practice exams, but everyone has their own preference, Good luck to you in whichever you find more helpful to you and let's stay in touch OK!!. :up::up::up:

Thank You So much!! GOOD LUCK to you TOO!!! Yes, for sure ill keep everyone posted ... WE CAN DO THIS!! :):)

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