Getting Flack from "real nurses"

SuesquatchRN, BSN, RN · Dec 17, 2007

What a bunch of clowns!

Mia, I can't imagine how jealous they must be to refuse to move you up. What do they possibly think you haven't done as an LPN that you'll do as an RN aside from, what, IVPB?

Get hired on somewhere else NOW as a GN. Because you WILL pass on your first shot.

Drysolong · Dec 17, 2007

greetings,
i have recently completed excelsior college's adn program and i am waiting to take the state boards. all of this makes me extremely happy, however, i recently over heard my nursing supervisor complaining to other coworkers that i did nursing school the easy way and that it is an insult to her and the nursing profession that i can sit for the state boards. she also proceeded to state that i probably will not pass the state boards anyway because i did not do the three years of clinical she did. i have pretended that i did not over hear these comments and have kept a "business as usual" attitude.
my question is this, will other nurses who did it the conventional way ever see us as equals? or will they let their assumptions about the excelsior program cloud their judgment. i throughly enjoyed the program and never would have gotten my degree any other way since i work full time days and support my family. i feel that i am prepared for the nursing world and that i will be a great asset. but, will i be given the chance to prove that if there are those who would seek to put me down? i have worked with these people for 9 years. they always say that i am the best they have and they always turn to me when problems arise. i am just shocked that they are not supportive in any way, shape, or form.
sorry for my rant, i guess i just need to see if there are others out there who ran into this type of discrimination and how they handled it.
thanks
mia

congratulations!!!

i hope to follow in your footsteps soon!!!

jnette, ASN, EMT-I · Dec 17, 2007

Successful and grateful Excelsior Grad here... went through that myself about five yrs. ago when one of my (then) co-workers rolled her eyes and mumbled something about my "virtual degree".

Yes, after working full time 10 hour days in a busy dialysis unit and spending every spare minute of my time off studying for a total of four years, I must say I really wanted to jerk a knot in her tail. :trout:

However.. I just smiled instead and went about my work. It's better that way. If you "defend" yourself, ppl think you have something which NEEDS defending. I knew I did not.

But truly, I have never had ANYONE question my credentials as a nurse, and have never had ANY difficulties securing a good nursing postition.

There will always be a "few" who might resent your degree, but they have no CLUE about how difficult it is obtaining that degree.

We have numerous Excelsior grads in our area, and all are doing superbly, and are every bit as well accepted as any of the "traditional" degree nurses.

Hold you head high...your degree is every bit as valid as anyone else's.

Ppl can only make you feel inferior if you ALLOW them to. :nono:

And congrats to you !!! :balloons: Good job !

Trauma Columnist · Dec 17, 2007

You know - when you become an RN, few people will care how you did it, just that you did do it. Congrats on this accomplishment and please don't listen to those that know not of what they speak.

Good luck on the NCLEX!

yellow finch, BSN, RN · Dec 18, 2007

This is what your nursing supervisor thinks of you and she has the gall to speak about you in this unprofessional manner? Nine years or not, why don't you consider a new place of employment to go along with that new license you are about to earn by passing the boards, like anyone else? Your supervisor is obviously jealous and immature and should be avoided. The best way to avoid someone like her is to go elsewhere where you will be appreciated for what you will be, an RN.

Ditto. I'm horrified that anybody would speak like that about you without knowing anything about the program.

While I did not attend EC, I worked with a girl who started as an LPN, then earned her ADN and BSN from EC. She has successfully worked in ICUs around my area and recently accepted a position in a CVICU in a top-notch hospital.

Find yourself a good job with respectful staff where you'll be accepted no matter what.

caliotter3 · Dec 19, 2007

What your employer is failing to see, is that by refusing to hire you as an RN after you obtain your license via Excelsior, they are really telling the world what a lousy place they are to work at. After all, your "clinical" was the nine years of experience (and any other experience you gained) that you racked up working in this "elite" establishment. Instead of praising you for improving yourself and doing something positive, like giving you reimbursement for part or most of your Excelsior fees, they are broadcasting to the world, that they do not hire, or retain, qualified RNs. They are probably just too stingy to give you a well deserved pay raise. You are better off to be rid of this place and that awful supervisor. Good luck with your fresh start.

lvnandmomx3 · Dec 19, 2007

Well Caliotter3 I definately have to find a new place to work because on top of everything, I was informed a few months back that they would not hire me as an RN because of the lack of clinical in the EC program.

Maybe you would be better off at a new place if your current employer is treating you this way. I'm appauled that they would even say that you are not eligable for an RN position because you don't have the clinical exp. Ummmmmm there are very few things that RN's do that LVN's can't, even if you did 100's of hours in clinicals you may not have even had an opportunity to perform these few things. Are they saying that your LVN experience does not count at all........ I say they need to get a life.....IMHO This type of thinking really irks me.

janettalinda · Dec 19, 2007

I don't care what "real nurses" have to say about me as long as I get a real paycheck. Some people need to put others down to build themselves up (at least in their own eyes). I like your positive attitude. Keep on trucking.

"Take it easy but take it."-Woody Guthrie, Pete Seegar, and others

CSLee3, ASN, BSN, LVN, EMT-P · Dec 20, 2007

Dude, never let morons like that slow you down. :** Just smile and move along. I was once asked about EC and said I bet the best nurse in this building could not pass CPNE right now, or next week or next month. Alot of people are scared of alternative learning or something they see as different. IT would SHOCK you to see the credentials of doctors in your area. Many go outside the box for their education, just like us nurses do. Our local medical society has a book of docs with all their bio stuff and history. INTERESTING to say the least. Many are from foreign med schools like Greneda, St Johns Island, Mexico, Nigeria, India, China, Russia, on and on. Do we ever ask them where they went to school? Most people don't think to ask, especially lay people. There is now a distance learning medical school in Guam or some S. Pacific island i belive that is WHO accredited. They host seminars in the Dallas area to get the word out. A great Cardiologist I know went to med school in another country. When we were chating over coffee one day, he asked if anyone gave my any grief over EC and I said no, not really. Mainly because everyone knew I was a hard working LVN amd several people before me went from my clinic. He said the only people that gave him grief were his own peers, if they happen to find out about it. What a crock. Her is a brilliant man, taught by brilliant people and yet because he went outside the box, he is somehow not a 'real doc' Wow. BTW, document comments like that...it is Slander.

YOU just hang in there...ignorance is bliss...

Like Excelsior College says...."What you know if more important than where you learned it".

ERDUDE

dessyrell · Dec 20, 2007

wow...people can be mean, that's for sure. it's for the best that you'll work in a different place where you'll be appreciated. the truth is people don't like it when others (like you) succeed. i learnt that fast...was a very good CNA (am not ashamed of saying i was good, i took pride in my job and didn't see it like other people do, wiping behinds all day), then i went back to school and became an LPN...boy, exactly the same people that i thought were my friends, were the first to try to bring me down...got into a few fights and showed them they couldn't push me around, but i was very hurt...then i started my EC, oh, boy, were they pissed again! as the time went by, i realized it was 100% jealousy! it was amazing, but almost everybody that "hated" me had somebody in the family, or they themselves failed out of one program or another...on the other side, it was kind of nice, i got to see who my real friends were.

i am proud i went through this program. and i'm going to shout it out loud when i'll pass my CPNE. for people who will doubt me, i'm going to challenge them take this program. truth is, most of them can't do it, they lack the self-discipline. they need to "sit in a class and have somebody read the material to them" as most of them confessed. and that's ok, but don't try to say i'm no good. guess what, my RN license is going to look just like theirs...but i got it in 1 year! :cheers:

keep your head up and be proud of yourself! :studyowl:

Mcbrello · Dec 21, 2007

Wow! Thank you Jnette, Tracylvn, Janettalinda, CSLee3, and Dessyrell for your words and encouragement. It is amazing that I get more support from complete strangers than I do with the people I spend 40 plus hours a week with.

On a side note to Caliotter3, you mentioned something about my hospital paying the EC fees for my education. The funny thing is... they actually paid for me to go there. I would pre-pay for my tests and submit my grade and they would pay me back. That is what is so hilarious about the whole situation, the hospital paid for me to go, but will not employ me afterwards! Guess it is their loss eh? LOL that reminds me, when I went to the human resources office to see if they would pay, I remember the gal there saying to me "Why don't you just do it the normal way?" because she did not want to take the time to understand the program. I guess that should have given me a clue. When you present an alternate way to get things accomplished that is innovative, time saving, and accredited, people do not want anything to do with it because they are so set in their ways.

Thanks a bunch guys and have a very happy holiday season

Mia

FocusRN · Dec 22, 2007

IT would SHOCK you to see the credentials of doctors in your area. Many go outside the box for their education, just like us nurses do. Our local medical society has a book of docs with all their bio stuff and history. INTERESTING to say the least. Many are from foreign med schools like Greneda, St Johns Island, Mexico, Nigeria, India, China, Russia, on and on. Do we ever ask them where they went to school? Most people don't think to ask, especially lay people. There is now a distance learning medical school in Guam or some S. Pacific island i belive that is WHO accredited.
ERDUDE

Soooooo true. I looked into this wen I was thinking about med school. Believe it or not it is somewhat easy to become an MD, through distance learning STRAIGHT OUT OF HIGH SCHOOL!