Paramedic to RN via Excelsior?

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Are there any Paramedic to RN via Excelsior students on the board?

How long would you recommend someone practice as an medic befor trying for Excelsior?

What about the accelerated Paramedic programs? Would they be enough for skills work?

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Specializes in ICU, PICC Nurse, Nursing Supervisor.

i know lunah is a paramedic and i am pretty sure eric the mod was one as well .

are there any paramedic to rn via excelsior students on the board?

how long would you recommend someone practice as an medic befor trying for excelsior?

what about the accelerated paramedic programs? would they be enough for skills work?

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

I've been a Paramedic since 2003. My P program had very extensive clinicals ... four semesters' worth. Many, many, many hours of clinicals! I'm not sure what kind of skills practice or clinicals go into an accelerated Paramedic program, so I can't answer that.

I also have in-hospital experience. I've been working full-time as an ED Tech for almost three years, and I can't begin to list the many things I've learned by working in a hospital setting ... everything from patient care to disease processes to trauma to lab values.

I know Paramedics have been successful with EC just being "street medics," so it really comes down to how you feel about your skills and knowledge. :)

Sorry if this isn't coherent ... I haven't had coffee yet and it's really freakin' early.

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I've been a Paramedic since 2003. My P program had very extensive clinicals ... four semesters' worth. Many, many, many hours of clinicals! I'm not sure what kind of skills practice or clinicals go into an accelerated Paramedic program, so I can't answer that.

I also have in-hospital experience. I've been working full-time as an ED Tech for almost three years, and I can't begin to list the many things I've learned by working in a hospital setting ... everything from patient care to disease processes to trauma to lab values.

I know Paramedics have been successful with EC just being "street medics," so it really comes down to how you feel about your skills and knowledge. :)

Sorry if this isn't coherent ... I haven't had coffee yet and it's really freakin' early.

"just being "street medics"???????????? Grrrrrrrrr:madface::trout:

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Specializes in EMS, ED, Trauma, CEN, CPEN, TCRN.
"just being "street medics"???????????? Grrrrrrrrr:madface::trout:

That's why I put it in quotes. :) I've talked to a few medics who have done the program without in-hospital experience, and that's how they described themselves. YMMV.

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Agree with Lunah. Hard to comment on an individual applicant's preparation since programs are still so different from one place to another (and because people pick up a comfort level with skills at such different paces), but there are many very successful EC grads who worked in EMS prior to graduation from EC.

National Registry has somewhat standardized EMS education in some of the states, but there are still wide variations in programs out there. If you're going through a paramedic program with a minimal amount of clinical hours (esp hospital time), I would definitely plan on working for a while. Then again, there are people who do fine without a ton of solid EMS experience.

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Specializes in Critical Care, Emergency, Education, Informatics.
Are there any Paramedic to RN via Excelsior students on the board?

How long would you recommend someone practice as an medic befor trying for Excelsior?

What about the accelerated Paramedic programs? Would they be enough for skills work?

Like people have said, there is no real defininte time line. You will have to study, you're prob not going to be able to just walk in and take a test. You will need to do some real study work to prep for the CPNE, the dreaded practical exam. If I were you I'd try to get an ED tech job somewhere. Those "nursing" skills like turning, ambulating and dressing changes are things that need to be practiced. When i did it Many many years ago I had the benifit of being a Medic Instructor for the USAF prior to taking the tests so most of what I was being tested on was things I was dong on a daily basis. I tool 2 tests a month and got it done in less than 6 months. As an EMT-P instructor for many years I can say in "MOST" cases not all, your pre-hospital clinical will get your started, but you will need to make up the difference somehow.

Be honest with your self evaluation and your future goals and then take one of the tests. You can take a couple before you have to enroll and see how you do.

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It sounds like you want to become a paramedic just to get into Excelsior's nurisng program, am I right? I've never been in any type of accelerated program, but I can say that unless you learn at a fast pace and can literally put your entire life on hold, for however long the program is, you may want to look into a regular one. And coming from outside of the healthcare field you need to absorb everything that you can. Excelsior's is about (and sometimes) is not the quickest route to a degree. SO take your time, soak up ALL the knowledge that you can in any program you choose, start EC, and start working at little also. You'll need it, and if you are blessed to graduate so will your patients, and I am more that sure that they'll appreciate you taking the time to learn.

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Specializes in cardiology, psychiatry, corrections.

It's good to have a nice mix of both prehospial and private ambulance transport, especially if you want to become a RN. I am current an EC student and I have only worked private EMS, but the companies I have worked for have also contracted with local fire departments to provide transport.

Most private ambulance services do not pay well, but the experience is valuable. If you transport from one hospital to another, you can find out what the pt came in for, what has been done for the pt so far and what they are being transported to a hospital with more advanced capabilities for. For instance, in paramedic school, I learned cardiology and pharmacology, but when I started working, we transported pts from ERs to other hospitals for emergency cardiac caths. I learned about cardiac enzymes, the different types of IV meds like Integrilin, Aggrastat, IV nitro and heparin, and the possible fixes such as angioplasty, stents or a CABG.

If you work rescue you will get a lot of hands on experience, especially IV starts. You may also want to consider working in a hospial ER. I have never worked in a hospital, but some of my friends do, and one said he has learned more in the hospital in 6 months than he has 10 years working the road. It will also teach you how to multi task, handle multiple pts and to be organized.

I don't think it would be a bad idea to start Excelsior right now as long as you just concentrate on one area at a time. You can learn and get experience meanwhile. Good Luck.

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Specializes in Med/Surg, ICU, ER, Peds ER-CPEN.

Check with your state's BON regarding excelsior as well, the state of FL has had some controversy in the past over graduates who were not LPN's prior to entering the excelsior ADN program, it's still not quite clear if they will acknowldge them and allow them to sit boards or not, best to be safe and make sure your state's BON would allow that

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Specializes in Anesthesia, CTICU.
Are there any Paramedic to RN via Excelsior students on the board?

How long would you recommend someone practice as an medic befor trying for Excelsior?

What about the accelerated Paramedic programs? Would they be enough for skills work?

Yes, John... I grad from my medic basic program in 1999. Registered for Excelsior in July 2006 after having taken the first 2 Nursing Concepts exams prior. After going through paramedic program, the exams really weren't terribly difficult. Still required studying because there is additional material to learn, but the material is no where as intensive or in-depth for instance as learning cardiology, respiratory, or pharmacology in medic class. Finished the concepts exams 3-7 by sept 2006, and then registered for CPNE which just took and completed in Sept 2007. The CPNE was the really challenging part from the stand-point of being a paramedic, especially with limited in-hospital experience. My only hospital experience was on medic rotations in the ER, ICU, OB, etc... To make up for this, I took the excelsior 3 day workshop as well as the chancellor's 5 day workshop. Through these two workshops I was able to get enough hands-on practice with unfamiliar procedures (wound care, incentive spirometer, etal...) to pass CPNE on the first shot. Good luck to you John!

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Are there any Paramedic to RN via Excelsior students on the board?

How long would you recommend someone practice as an medic befor trying for Excelsior?

What about the accelerated Paramedic programs? Would they be enough for skills work?

I worked 20 years as a Paramedic before enrolling. took me 3 years to finish ec and get rn license, so it isn't a quick fix. the testing was the easy stuff for me (except CPNE, which was stressful), but the hard part is actually working now as an rn---because i had (have) NO hospital experience. If i had it to do over, i would probably quit my F/T Paramedic position, go to a trad. 2 year RN school and work as a nurse extern while in school. Then i would 1. be assured of passing at the end (unlike the CPNE) and 2. get the valuable experience of the hospital in small, long doses. and 3. have the income while getting the experience.

i am just damn lucky that the hospital that hired me has stuck with me. i didn't lie to them about anything, told them that i had no experience---but then we both realized that i was way behind other "new grads". this is very stressful. so i am recommending to others in my boat that they skip ec.

If you are an LPN or have significant hosp. experience, you will probably do fine.

---W

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