Need Advice On The Excelsior Program

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Hi, Does Anyone Know What Is The Shortest Amount Of Time That Other Students Have Completed Their Ec Rn Program. I Will Be Graduating From My Lvn Program In About 1 Week And Plan On Taking The Ec Program To Become An Rn Right Away. I Plan On Doing The Program In The Least Amount Of Time. Is It Possible For Me To Take The Boards For Rn Let's Say By January Of 2006 Or Before? Am I Being Realistic, Or Would It Take Longer? Any Advice Would Be Greatly Appreciated. Thank You

Carlos R.

Specializes in ER.
Were do you take the Excelsior test 1-6?

Thanks

It's actually 7 nursing exams plus A&P, Micro, and others. You register for them at excelsior.edu and take them at a prometric site. You can go to the prometric website (I don't have it in front of me) to find the nearest center to you.

Chip

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If one is an employee of HCA Hospital Corporation of America, one can enroll in the http://www.istudysmart.com classes which are a copy of the Excelsior classes for the ADN.

I do believe this is a benefit to the employees provided at no cost.

Then one can challenge the Excelsior exams.

If someone knows differently, please feel free to correct my assertion.

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If one is an employee of HCA Hospital Corporation of America, one can enroll in the www.istudysmart.com classes which are a copy of the Excelsior classes for the ADN.

I do believe this is a benefit to the employees provided at no cost.

Then one can challenge the Excelsior exams.

If someone knows differently, please feel free to correct my assertion.

I work for HCA, and I just checked out that website, and it does say "endorsed by the Hospital Corporation of America."

However, istudysmart is just another of many study aids. No one in the nontraditional program offered by Excelsior does anything other than "challenge" the exams. You get the outline of what is expected of you in terms of learning, you are given suggested reading in suggested texts, but nobody checks and nobody cares whether you get it there or on google (like I did) or from istudysmart or whatever.

I know that HCA will reimburse for required study materials (e.g., books and equipment). Whether they will reimburse for optional study materials should be checked out and gotten in writing before commiting oneself to the expense. Once HCA gets wind that this is superfluous and many, many students do very well without it, they may decide not to reimburse..... But who knows?

As far as Excelsior is concerned, here's how it works (briefly). You register for the exams and you take them. If you pass, you move on. If you fail, you can move on and the retake that exam later. Once you complete the seven (or more, depending on what you have when you apply) exams, you are eligible to apply to take the comprehensive clinical final. When you successfully complete that, you can graduate. Ta-da!

It really is a simple system, based totally upon the learner demonstrating competency.

No signing in to classes, no group projects that depend upon your classmates not being idiots or having it in for you, losing points because you were tardy, or overslept, or the instructor is a real you-know-what--this is strictly on your own.

There are numerous free resources, not the least of which is the yahoo group called nontradnurses.

But you don't have to pay anybody (reimbursed by employer or not) to make a success in the Excelsior program and become a very competent RN.

The downside of the Excelsior program? You really have to be motivated. They will not come to you and say, hey, get with it. You can easily drag the program out to five years (or less, if they've put a cap on that now). Or you can get right to it and do it.

And it makes a big, big difference if you have nursing background. Some things are very hard to learn on your own--some clinical skills for example.

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Is anyone or has anyone recently taken the EC microbio exam? It is just killing me. Maybe I should have taken it at a community college coz everytime I look at the book, I have forgotten what I read yesterday!! Don't get me wrong, I have already taken concepts 1,2 plus A&P but micro has just stumped me. What do I need to concentrate on? Does anyone have any pointers for me like a book that might help? Any help will be highly appreciated.

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Specializes in Infection Control, Quality, Risk.

This information has been very helpful. I just made my down payment to RUE today for the Excelsior program. I have completed some of my general education through traditional education, but because of family/budget requirements, finishing my degree has been a real problem.

I did finish some of the core including my sciences in the "regular" college setting b/c I just can't imagine teaching myself microbiology, or A&P (that cat dissection was really interesting!). So now I have 2 general ed classes and the nurses courses to finish my associates degree.

I'm quite excited about this. My first set of study materials should be here this week!!!

I'll keep you posted on how it goes. Wish me luck!!!

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Specializes in LTC, Hospice, Case Management.
This information has been very helpful. I just made my down payment to RUE today for the Excelsior program. I have completed some of my general education through traditional education, but because of family/budget requirements, finishing my degree has been a real problem.

I did finish some of the core including my sciences in the "regular" college setting b/c I just can't imagine teaching myself microbiology, or A&P (that cat dissection was really interesting!). So now I have 2 general ed classes and the nurses courses to finish my associates degree.

I'm quite excited about this. My first set of study materials should be here this week!!!

I'll keep you posted on how it goes. Wish me luck!!!

STOP!! Can you get out of this contract with RUE??? If so, stop it now!! You can get many of these exact study guides off ebay for a FRACTION OF THE COST!! RUE is probably charging several hundred $$ for one study guide - you can find them on ebay for $40-$60/guide. Go to ebay and check it out. Call RUE and cancel contract. Good luck :smackingf

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totally agree with the above! it is more than 300 bucks for a study guide, sometimes that includes a new textbook, sometimes not. u can also get them used from some of the yahoo groups including a newer one for excelsior textbooks! feel free to pm me if u need more info!

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This information has been very helpful. I just made my down payment to RUE today for the Excelsior program. I have completed some of my general education through traditional education, but because of family/budget requirements, finishing my degree has been a real problem.

I did finish some of the core including my sciences in the "regular" college setting b/c I just can't imagine teaching myself microbiology, or A&P (that cat dissection was really interesting!). So now I have 2 general ed classes and the nurses courses to finish my associates degree.

I'm quite excited about this. My first set of study materials should be here this week!!!

I'll keep you posted on how it goes. Wish me luck!!!

No kidding, STOP!!!

Rue is nothing more than an overpriced set of notes.

You still have to apply to Excelsior, and be accepted by them, and PAY them.

If money is an issue, Rue is not the answer, nor is any of the other note set companies.

You can get everything you need for free. The yahoo group called nontradnurses has note files for every exam. If you look at those, and at the outline Excelsior can send you (or you can save a tree and download the outlines to your own computer in moments), then use http://www.google.com for everything you don't understand. I made A's on all my exams--and my strongest resource was those notes on nontradnurses and google.

IF YOU HAVE EXTRA MONEY TO SPEND, SEND IT TO YOUR FAVORITE CHARITY AND SKIP THE COSTLY NOTESET COMPANIES. GET IT ALL FOR FREE, ONLINE.

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I graduated from Regents ( now Excelsior) in 1999. There were only 6 nursing exams then and I also had to take micro. I had been an LPN for 7 years working TELE/ ICU stepdown and surgery. The CPNE exam was nerve wracking. I think it would have been very difficult to pass without the clinical experience I had. To take it without enough experience may lead to failure. The first patient I had required alot of care, including trach care. I did not learn that in LPN school, but had done it nearly every day on the floor. I had 3 adult patients and 2 Peds patients for my CPNE. There were 5 of us taking the exam at the same time. Of the 5, three had taken the exam and failed previously.

I used study guides from The College Network (which I still have). They helped me alot, but they cost about $2000. I also purchased the video about the CPNE. I started the exams in Dec 1998 and finished in Oct 1999. I took my CPNE in early Dec 1999, and my NCLEX in Jan 2000. I passed the NCLEX after finishing 75 questions.

I have heard a few comments about how I got my degree, but the proof is in how I care for my patients. I was a good LPN and I am a very good RN.

I wish others who are in this program the best of luck. You cannot be too prepared for the CPNE.

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Specializes in Counseling Service, Children's Pastor.

Chancellor's is alot cheaper than Rue or the College Network. They have a one week lab that you can go to that increased the pass rate of the CPNE from 60% to 92%. I'm an LPN with experience and a lot of other college credit. So this is the best option for me. I have ADHD and learn differently and LPN school nearly cracked me completely. Also, I have a night job at a drug rehab and have lots of time to study.

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hello well I am an old grad of EC before they changed names.. I think it's a great program if you know your critical elements.. I finished the complete program in 9 months but that was before the waiting lists were so long.. just be prepared.. I am now looking into going back for MSN.

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Specializes in icu.

i failed my first cpne because of nerves last weekend. any advice for me? does anybody know of anyone who failed the cpne 3 times?

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