I was totally dissed last night

Nursing Students Online Learning

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During my shift at the hospital I work at, I was talking to several nurses who know I'm an Excelsior student. This is a unit I very much want to work in when i graduate. To make a long story short, the charge nurse walks up in the middle of the convo, and asks about the program. She asked, "what about clinicals?". When I explained how the program worked, she replied "Well I hope they don't hire you for this unit, I don't see how that sort of program can produce a competent nurse." Ouch! I know she doesn't do the hiring, and when the person that does do the hiring sees my qualifications, I'll be hired on the spot. I also knew this sort of discrimination exists, but had never experienced it first hand. Very disheartening.

Who's problem is this? I didn't choose a traditional program for several reasons:1. the ridiculous amount of BS classes you have to take outside of the core requirements; 2. the unfair treatment many male students have reported to me that they received at local schools; 3. time restraints on my schedule due to head-of-household issues. If you have issues with the time investment, maybe you should look into alternative programs.:)

I don't have any issues with the time investment because no one is going to question my degree, which is the way I want it. I do have issues with people claiming they've accomplished more than I have because they took a short cut. And let's face it: being able to skip the clinical hours is not an accomplishment, that's a short cut.

:coollook:

I don't have any issues with the time investment because no one is going to question my degree, which is the way I want it.
In my state, my degree isn't questioned either. In fact, locally, they like EC so much that they started a new testing site for the CPNE. Yay! :)
I do have issues with people claiming they've accomplished more than I have because they took a short cut.
Well, I can't speak for everyone, but I never claimed to have accomplished 'more'. If you'll read my post earlier, you quoted me, so you should be aware that I wasn't claiming to have achieved 'more', but rather equivilent in a shorter time. Your perception of my statement is inaccurate.

And let's face it: being able to skip the clinical hours is not an accomplishment, that's a short cut.
who's 'skipping'? It's more like being given credit for time served. Your lack of attention to the details is the rate limiting step to the advancement of this discussion.

Peace, and have a good day.

In my state, my degree isn't questioned either. In fact, locally, they like EC so much that they started a new testing site for the CPNE. Yay! :)

The whole thread was about a charge nurse questioning your degree. Obviously someone is questioning it.

If you'll read my post earlier, you quoted me, so you should be aware that I wasn't claiming to have achieved 'more', but rather equivilent in a shorter time. Your perception of my statement is inaccurate.

We can argue about language, but it's not the equivalent either. The equivalent would be putting in the same amount of clinical hours that LVN's do in traditional programs. EC students don't do that.

who's 'skipping'? It's more like being given credit for time served.

This is the crux of EC's argument, but not all of the states are buying it. Kansas and Colorado are no longer allowing "credit for time served." You now have to put in the clinical hours as a student, or you have to go out of state and work 1000-2000 hours as an RN. In Illinois you also have to practice in another state for two years. An Alabama EC paramedic was denied licensure because he didn't have enough clinical nursing hours. No credit for time served there either. And, of course, California no longer allows EC at all.

The overall message here is that "credit for time served" doesn't fly like it used to. You can argue that it's not "skipping" the requirements but, the overall trend here is BON's imposing more, not less, requirements on EC students.

:coollook:

The whole thread was about a charge nurse questioning your degree. Obviously someone is questioning it.

wrong, reread the title. it's about a personal attack

but it's not the equivalent either

really? tell that to the many EC grads around here who are earning as much at traditional grads.

but not all of the states are buying it

my state still buys it, at a premium I might add.

wrong, reread the title. it's about a personal attack

really? tell that to the many EC grads around here who are earning as much at traditional grads.

my state still buys it, at a premium I might add.

Dont be suprised if you see a lot of bons follow the example of California and Colorado. I'm not here to bash EC, but all you doing is challening 7 nursing exams and taking a cpne test for these days. I talked with a person who become a CMA just to get accepted into EC, and she did get accepted, and she told me she has no medical experience, she just has a CMA certficate, but she was able to pass all of her nursing concept exams, and she says that she is afraid to be a nurse, because she dosen't have any clinical experience. This is truly sad. I truly believe trdational nursing programs are the way to if you want to learn the right way. Anybody can challenge an exam.

I truly believe trdational nursing programs are the way to if you want to learn the right way.

This is your opinion. What makes debating matters of opinion difficult, is that it is impossible to account for taste on an emperical level.

Dont be suprised if you see a lot of bons follow the example of California and Colorado.

I won't. By the time any of this takes place, I will probably be finished with my online RN-BSN degree, and have the '2000' hrs of RN experience. Not to mention the CCRN and GRE as well. :) BUT, until they do, people using just 4-5/50 states of this Republic as an argument that EC is not valued is laughable.

I talked with a person who become a CMA just to get accepted into EC, and she did get accepted, and she told me she has no medical experience, she just has a CMA certficate, but she was able to pass all of her nursing concept exams, and she says that she is afraid to be a nurse, because she dosen't have any clinical experience.

So, you're basing your belief that nontraditional means of education are of no value to the profession based on this one experience? :uhoh3:

This is truly sad.

No, what is sad is that a group of people are discriminated against because of their choice of education. Make no mistake, incompetence comes in many forms, traditional education or not. Just last week I had to write an incident report on a nurse that delivered an inhalation med orally. I know there are many examples on both sides of the aisle, but I'm not about to make generalizations because of that persons choice of education.

If you want to talk about trends, lets talk about all the upper level degrees that are being offered online. How about MSNs? How about medschools that are severely reducing the number of lectures, to the point that gives the impression that it is a segue to an online format for the first 2 years of medschool. But, speaking in absolute terms when our contentions have not had enough time to materialize is ridiculous, don't ya think?

Have a good one.

Sheesh, and all I came here for was some EC love!:chuckle

Specializes in 5 yrs OR, ASU Pre-Op 2 yr. ER.

Seems like the point that start out on the first post on this thread is that someone took it upon themselves to judge someone's nursing ability based on where they are receiving their degree or education from, not a let's-slam-EC-and-every-other-program thread.

In other words, the charge nurse should have just kept her rude and insulting (not to mention interupting) opinion to herself, especially since it isn't up to her to determine who would be compentent on that floor, and who wouldn't be. If this woman wasn't sure how this program could put out competent nurses, then perhaps she should research and get a definite answer. :rolleyes:

constipated people don't give a crap.

:chuckle

Sheesh, and all I came here for was some EC love!:chuckle

EC students get much love, but I think we are all trying to make a point. My point is , and I get down to the bottom line is that EC nursing program online does not provide you with a quality nursing education, and you can't compare ec online program with other traditional nursing school online programs. You dont even have nursing professors at EC nursing school, and you have to pay for online conference just to study for a nursing concept exam, that is nonsense. I'm not questioning your credentials, I pretty sure you are a good nurse, I'm just questioning the creditionals of ec nursing program!

Law of Fives, if you have a lot of hands-on experience with the specific skills of nursing, then a program like EC is good, I think. It is a waste of time to jump through hoops that you already are competent with! However, if you have little practice with skills in nursing then I see where people question a program like EC. I, too, have quite a bit of anatomy and pathophysiology knowledge, but I was lacking in knowing the skills. Knowledge really is irrelevant if you don't know how to use it properly. A student with a background like mine that is lacking in skills shouldn't be able to take a program like EC and be a nurse because they wouldn't know which end of a Foley catheter to put into a patient, much less how to do it right. I am in a program that has clinicals, and since I have little hands-on experience, that's a good thing.

bottom line is that EC nursing program online does not provide you with a quality nursing educatio
your opinion, it's america tho, you're entitled.

you can't compare ec online program with other traditional nursing school online programs.
what is your point here exactly? One better than the other?

You dont even have nursing professors at EC nursing school, and you have to pay for online conference just to study for a nursing concept exam, that is nonsense
one of the reasons I chose EC. Some people can assimilate information without having to be spoon fed by 'professors'. The nonsense part, IMHO, is still your (not only 'your')opinion (no offense), care to back it up?

I'm not questioning your credentials
Good, but why would you? You don't even know me. Others here are questioning 'credentials' without knowing anything other than the fact that I am 'nontraditional' in my current educational endeavors. Their prejudicial tone when dicussing the matter further validates the fact that they are basing their beliefs on something less than conjecture.

I pretty sure you are a good nurse
I'm not a nurse yet. Seriously, read the thread, with an open mind. I have, and found it to be very enlightening.:)

I'm just questioning the creditionals of ec nursing program!
Based on what, again? Not on the end product, because I can think of two handfuls of retort.

Good talking to ya, have a good day!

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