ISU or EC

Assuming that you are an LPN; If you enroll in ISU, upon completion you will earn a BSN. EC will only grant LPNs an ADN and then after completion of that level you can also obtain a BSN-MSN. To my knowledge, Georgia and Virginia are the latest states caught in this limbo. With ISU you will attend clinicals in your home state.

have searched and searched here and on ISU and EC's sites...trying to find out the difference between the two. Is it only EC that virginia and georgia are not accepting of?--and why?

I see that ISU IS accepted in those 2 states(ga/va). Is it just the distance learning or is it more something to do w/ excelsior's distance learning specifically?

I am trying to very much decide to GET SOMETHING going, and had planned on EC, but know I am wondering w/ all the changes. thanx for any help!:usnvy:

]Just be sure to keep a close eye on your state BON for meeting minutes and introductions for new legislations that might disqualify the distance learning program you decide on. In Virginia, the new law doesn't name EC "specifically"...instead they wrote it like this:

18VAC90-20-120(E) A nursing education program preparing for licensure as a practical nurse shall provide a minimum of 400 hours of direct client care supervised by qualified faculty. A nursing education program preparing for licensure as a registered nurse shall provide a minimum of 500 hours of direct client care supervised by qualified faculty.

]Obviously EC does not provide 500 hours of clinicals in their program, so they will no longer be accepted.

]Of course, there is no mention of any portion of one's clinical hours from their LPN program carrying over in any way towards earning your RN degree, not to mention credit for years worked out in the field. I was sitting here doing the math and here is what I came up with for myself:

]Clinical hours in my LPN curriculum= 659 hrs.

]Clinical hours WORKED IN THE FIELD= 39,569 hrs.

]TOTAL COMBINED= 40,228 hours

]looks EVEN MORE REDICULOUS when I see it written out in that form!

]

]Clinical hours in my LPN curriculum= 659 hrs.

]Clinical hours WORKED IN THE FIELD= 39,569 hrs.

]TOTAL COMBINED= 40,228 hours

]looks EVEN MORE REDICULOUS when I see it written out in that form!

WOW.. you make a great point! I'm enrolled in EC and I was thinking about the same thing~ how come my LPN schooling doesn't count in any of this? Or my work hrs.. the hospitals around here will award new RN's 1 year as an RN for every 2 years worked as an LPN

Not only VA and GA but I know MD because I checked. The only one that MD accepts is ISU and there actually is a campus in which nursing students go and also the distance learning. Looks like ISU is more stable right now. You are an LPN and that qualifies you for the LPN to BSN. I think that is pretty good. I wish you a blessed career.

There are probably more differences than similarities. With EC you test out of everything. ISU is a program where you do the didactic online and clinicals in person with a preceptor. The didactic is the same as the on campus program but obviously not attending classes in person so you do the lectures and such online. ISU lets LPNs test out of pre-reqs and 4 beginning nursing classes (the ones that are a repeat of LPN school) but the rest you take with professors, clinicals, etc.