Longtime lurker--can I join you?

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hi everyone--I've been lurking and reading for a long time and it is finally, at long last, time for me to join you :typing

(I love these emoticons). Anyway I've been reading and admiring for a long time and following your stories.

Here's my background...I have 3 college degrees, the 3rd of which is my AAS in practical nursing, new as of this past May. I have 5 kids and live in rural Minnesota and just can't see driving to any of the Rn programs which are all at LEAST an hour one way (this past year, driving a half hour each way, was tough enough, with the need to work,etc).

Because of all my past coursework, the only general I have left is sociology, and I'm getting set to CLEP that.

Like most of you, I've gone back and forth on to do or not to do (Excelsior) and it always comes back to it just being the most logical choice. I'm also a VA employee--and they'll pay for it, and theoretically, they hire Excelsior RNs, too.

I'm concerned about being a new LPN and will only have about a year of LPN experience when I (hopefully) finish the excelsior program..........but it was a matter of weighing that with the cost and emotional difficulty of a year or two of torture for me and my family (driving to a traditional program while working full time, which I have to do). Any words of wisdom there? :D Every time I read these threads I get all encouraged and know I'm doing the right thing, so I'd really appreciate any encouragement you have to offer. I'm not concerned about my ability to complete the program--I know it will be a challenge, especially the CPNE, but I definately know how to take tests after all that school! Oh, and in case you are wondering..my BS is in biology, my MA is in management, and I've really never used either one...I worked for nonprofits and the state for 10 years, always in human services, and finally realized that it was just time to go ahead and do what I've always wanted to do, which is nursing--and besides it fits into my family much better (shift flexibility) and suits my temperament--and pays much better too :D

I guess I do have one real question right now, aside from asking for encouragement about going this route as a new LPN....that is, do you buy all of the textbooks recommended on the EC bookstore for each exam? The VA will pay my tuition but not my textbooks so I need to save as much as possible---I know to go the ebay route and have found a few good deals but just want to find out what has worked for many of you in terms of what books to purchase, what study guides were particularly helpful, etc.

Whew--that was a book--sorry!!! :imbar

Looking forward to meeting all of you regulars..............

Donuts :nurse:

PS my husband is a baker.....thus the dorky screen name.

PSS edited to add---because of all the generals I've done, I'm going to go right on to BSN through a MN program that does RN to BSN at a distance and has monthly clinicals--I'm hoping this will offset some of the issues that can arise from the different clinical training excelsior offers. From what I understand--most traditional schools do accept the excelsior RN if you have your generals from brick and mortar schools...?

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Specializes in Vents, Telemetry, Home Care, Home infusion.

Welcome and enjoy our site...much wise wisdom re distance learning programs.

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From what I understand--most traditional schools do accept the excelsior RN if you have your generals from brick and mortar schools...?

You won;t have a problem with nursing schools. Your gen eds will depend n did they want a lab, yada yada yad. You might run into problems with licensure as an Excelsior grad depending upon which state you work.

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Specializes in Hem/Onc, LTC, AL, Homecare, Mgmt, Psych.

I live in Minnesota as well, so it was nice to read your post. :up:

I started Excelsior 2 years after I finished with my LPN. I have loved being able to study at home and take my time with it! Life would get in the way, and I could get back on track no problem. All I am waiting for at this time is my CPNE date, I applied mid-April. I took 11 courses thru EC and Clepped out of Humanities and Sociology at Inver Grove Heights CC.

In regards to the CPNE, I think with learning everything the way EC wants you do, you should be able to pass, regarless of years of experience. In fact it might be better because your LPN skills are still fresh in your mind and you haven't picked up too many not-by-the-book habits....

I hope to go onto my BSN sometime after I recover from my ASN. What school are you looking into for your BSN in MN?

Take care

Sara

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Specializes in Hem/Onc, LTC, AL, Homecare, Mgmt, Psych.
I live in Minnesota as well, so it was nice to read your post. :up:

I started Excelsior 2 years after I finished with my LPN. I have loved being able to study at home and take my time with it! Life would get in the way, and I could get back on track no problem. All I am waiting for at this time is my CPNE date, I applied mid-April. I took 11 courses thru EC and Clepped out of Humanities and Sociology at Inver Grove Heights CC.

In regards to the CPNE, I think with learning everything the way EC wants you do, you should be able to pass, regarless of years of experience. In fact it might be better because your LPN skills are still fresh in your mind and you haven't picked up too many not-by-the-book habits....

I hope to go onto my BSN sometime after I recover from my ASN. What school are you looking into for your BSN in MN?

Take care

Sara

Oh, forgot to add about the books. EC offers free study guides that suggest books for the courses. I would usually buy (for cheap on amazon) one of the suggested books and supplement with the books from my LPN course and local library and the outline and prac. questions on the studyguides. Saved buttloads of money this way. EC also has practice exams ($60 a piece) and those were very helpful, very concise q&a and descriptions, similar to the actual test. It's just what worked for me.

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Specializes in Trauma,ER,CCU/OHU/Nsg Ed/Nsg Research.

Welcome, Donut. We look forward to getting to know you. :)

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Specializes in oncology, med surg & corrections.

welcome lurker:chuckle, highly recommend the practice tests and study guides, i never bought any of the books, if you go to ebay there is alot of cheap material, along with going to the EPN on the EC site. We all help each other here and you're going to love all information you get. By the way, not too sure bout anyone else, I LOVE DONUTS maybe i'll trade you a guide for a jelly filled :yeah::yeah::yeah:

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

If your husband can find a way to make a low-carb, sugar-free donut, I will love you both forever. :D

Welcome to de-lurked status! :) :) :)

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Specializes in ER.

I finished LVN school in May 07 went to work at a rural hospital and started excelsior right away. I am very glad I did it was all fresh not a lot of new material to cover, (really). I took one nursing exam every 30 days studied my lvn books and got chancellors guides ( I bought one and 2 friends bought different ones then we traded worked great!) got the rest of Ebay. I am now a GN waiting to take the NCLEX. I feel from my own experience it was the perfect way to go for me I would not do anything differntly. Good luck to you hope this helps. Oh and at the college I got my LVN from the LVN's got 200 more clinical hours in 12months than the RN's did in 2 years. Check it out you may have more experience than your RN brick and morter coworkers.

TraciLVN/GN

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Wow thanks everyone! My day is much brighter for having checked in :p

I want to reply personally to everyone but it'll take me too long to figure out the format so I'm going to just do one reply and try not to feel too bad about not remember names

:D

(I could really get out of hand with these emoticons haha)

We totally don't believe in low fat, low carb, donuts, heck no, if you're gonna be bad, be bad in a serious way..don't you think? :D I just stay the heck away from his .............. buns!

To the other MN nurse.....I'm looking at Mankato state, one of my coworkers went t here for her BSN and I just like what I read and like that they offer clinicals and that it is a distance program. That's just a thought at this point though, I'll peek around a bit more once I get a good start on my Excelsior stuff.

Thanks a million to all the answers about books------------what I have done so far is download the content guide for Essentials of Nursing Care: Health Safety (the first one I have to take--formerly NC 1 I think?) but I CANNOT find the content guides for the rest. Under the publications link there are other nursing content guides that I can see, but they don't say the course names..it's like "Adult Nursing" "Gerontology" etc. I sent a message asking for clarification but won't hear back til tomorrow at the earliest, so if anyone logs on today and knows where I can find the other content guides, I'd be forever in her (his?) debt and perhaps would send a long a jelly donut or two................albeit fully ladden with artery clogging fat and other such deliciousities :wink2: anyway I also bought two of the recommened texts, the Kozier and Erb Fundamentals and the Wong's Essentials of Pediatrics, but i went back an edition and saved a TON. I figure I can maybe get the library to order the newer edition and I'll just compare and make sure I'm not missing anything.

I'm so glad to have "met" all of you and look forward to many adventures in learning! :yeah:

Tracy (my real name...did I put that down before?)

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Create a user account on the Excelsior site. More things are then available.

:)

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Specializes in oncology, med surg & corrections.

hello tracy, also alot of people "pay it forward" materials, when I pass the CPNE, I wont be able to get rid of all my supplies quick enough, I still have some books available, for humanities, eng comp, nc 2,4,7 not to sure what you need, but email me, have a great sunday :up::up::up:

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