Nursing students sue Excelsior College

Nursing Students Excelsior

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Will be interesting to see what the jury thinks.

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How about letting the jury decide?

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Specializes in Complex pedi to LTC/SA & now a manager.

I doubt this will ever make it to a jury trial. Most class action suits never see a jury. They are either thrown out by the judge due to lack of merit or settled out of court. Again all the information is available in the college catalog & nursing program handbook for those who choose to read before they sign/agree.

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Specializes in EMS, ED, Trauma, CEN, CPEN, TCRN.
How about letting the jury decide?

Highly doubt it will get there. And as an EC grad, I have shared my opinion. To those who feel wronged by the school, I hope you ultimately find satisfaction, whatever form that takes. Good luck.

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I'm an EC grad of 2003 and have mixed feelings on the matter. I joined AllNurses a few months after graduating and felt like I was the only one who "passed" who didn't sing the praises of EC.

It seemed in those days that if you dared to speak out against EC that you were labeled as bitter or sour grapes for not passing.

I even expressed my concerns about the exam after I took and passed it on EC's own "Electronic Peer Network" as it was called back then and was immediately shot down by EC staff.

But I did pass (the first time around) and more than 10 years later will still state that yes, it is most definitely a very subjective exam and was not consistent across the board in its testing practices.

I believe that any traditional nursing program has potential for favoritism and subjectivity and any school can have the potential for having students who have futures that are at the mercy of unethical and biased instructors.

I am very thankful for the opportunity to have had EC as an option and have enjoyed a very successful nursing career since graduating.

But I sometimes think that fellow graduates will defend the program to the end because they are afraid that negative remarks about the school will be a reflection on them as RN's who graduated from that program.

Having said that, when I enrolled in 1999 it was most definitely clear in the nursing catalog and student handbook exactly what was expected of me and the CPNE pass rate was 57% at that time and it was clearly stated.

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"My my top three tips for the CPNE for those who are readying themselves:

1. KNOW THOSE CRITICAL ELEMENTS

2. KEEP THOSE NERVES IN CHECK

3. DO NOT DISCLOSE YOUR EXAM DATE: this secrecy goes a long way in relaxing you in the sense that you won't make a careless mistake due to being pressured to pass because so-and-so knows you're testing, and they are waiting to hear how you did...what they don't know won't hurt YOU!!!"

Love these tips!!! Thanks!!

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I'm an EC grad of 2003 and have mixed feelings on the matter. I joined AllNurses a few months after graduating and felt like I was the only one who "passed" who didn't sing the praises of EC.

It seemed in those days that if you dared to speak out against EC that you were labeled as bitter or sour grapes for not passing.

I even expressed my concerns about the exam after I took and passed it on EC's own "Electronic Peer Network" as it was called back then and was immediately shot down by EC staff.

...

There is a difference in how some people complain about EC. Some blast EC and say they are giving people their degrees without making them do what they need to do. Some do think that an Excelsior grad is less prepared than a "normal" school grad. Those are the ones I have issues with. Just saying something critical of EC in general is not an issue for me personally.

I have told a few friends not to do EC, I did not think it was right for them. I have told them all that it is not an "easy" way to get your degree (as several thought). The time you need to put into it is as much as a "regular" nursing course, but you have flexibility with it.

I have never knocked EC itself, the program does work, but it is not for everyone. It has it's flaws, as does any program.

The CPNE can be a very subjective exam, but I felt my entire group of examiners were very fair. The skills I failed were because of my mistakes and were spelled out clearly in the study materials. I did pass all my PCS though, but almost failed 1 due to a subjective "error" (I forgot to write some information in the correct spot on the form, but it was written and clearly labeled on the back of the form where I did my assessment, my CE argued to the CA that I had the information on the form, just not in the correct spot, and the CA agreed and I passed it).

As for the lawsuit, no grounds whatsoever. If you get into this and don't know about it, that is your fault, it is easily available to find prior to starting.

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There is a difference in how some people complain about EC. Some blast EC and say they are giving people their degrees without making them do what they need to do. Some do think that an Excelsior grad is less prepared than a "normal" school grad. Those are the ones I have issues with. Just saying something critical of EC in general is not an issue for me personally.

I have told a few friends not to do EC, I did not think it was right for them. I have told them all that it is not an "easy" way to get your degree (as several thought). The time you need to put into it is as much as a "regular" nursing course, but you have flexibility with it.

I have never knocked EC itself, the program does work, but it is not for everyone. It has it's flaws, as does any program.

Agreed.

I don't pay much attention to those types of remarks either because you can slam the program all you want, but my track record, evaluations, and work history speak for themselves and can't be disputed.

Regardless of how I feel about the CPNE itself, I'm living proof that the program does work and the states that look down on it don't deserve my talent so it's their loss.

The lawsuit to me is another symptom of our sue-happy culture that encourages the shucking of personal responsibility and that everything that goes wrong in one's life is always someone else's fault.

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Agreed.

Regardless of how I feel about the CPNE itself, I'm living proof that the program does work and the states that look down on it don't deserve my talent so it's their loss.

The thing about Excelsior Nursing grads is the fact that many people that come into the program there are already clinicans of some sort.....whether as an LPN, RRT, CRT, or Paramedic and they have clinical expeirence and are proven clinicans in practice..

In actuality, you can Argue that as a patient, you'd be in better hands with an Excelsior Grad than a grad of a traditional program because the graduates of the program are already experienced clinicians unless that person only had a lisence and never worked for whatever reason, as opposed to a traditional program where it is many student's second career and thus, they have no experience in healthcare.

At the end of the day, Excelsior Grads still pass the same boards as tradtitional programs, and as many have said before, Excelsior is not "The Easy Way Out".....therefore it's not meant to be a cakewalk.....And btw, you also have to still work for your RN lisence (I know right?? Crazy idea).....Excelsior also wouldnt be the first Nursing Program, traditional or not that people would want to sue for something fishy or unfair.....

Im sure a ton of Nursing programs have likely come across issues like this before....hell im sure you can find students on here who want to sue their current Nursing Program because they're failing....is it valid? Maybe? If you can provide the evidence to support it, anything is....but in this case, I just dont see it aside from the alleged Subjective nature of the CPNE and the outrageous.....that might be something there?

Does it make right? No....but unfortunately thats just the way it is, and thats why its important for people, like the ones who are suing to read everything, do your research and due dilligence.

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Certainly though, there are things that can be improved with Excelsior Nursing

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I think that before people form opinions about Excelsior or any other non-traditional learning program, they should talk to someone who has actually been through it or is going through it before they criticize or comment negatively about it. These programs have been a tremendous help to working students who otherwise would not be able to advance themselves.

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Specializes in Med/Surg, LTACH, LTC, Home Health.
Certainly though, there are things that can be improved with Excelsior Nursing

Absolutely!!! As an example, I think that writing requirement is UTTERLY RIDICULOUS, especially if one already holds previous degrees in other fields OR if one has proven the ability to write scholarly papers in courses at other institutions which were accepted by EC in transfer. As a program loaded with test-out options, there should be one for this particular requirement as well, instead of a mandate for ALL students. Some of us, MANY of us already know APA format. Per Excelsior's own statement, it is said that what we know is more important than where or how we learned it. At least, that was part of their statement when I first applied/enrolled in 2009. I found out what options I had right here on allnurses.com. I presented that request for door #2 to my advisor, s/he granted approval, and off I went.

I hated the thought of having to take their 15-week class because I could prove and have proven that I could do what they asked. But I didn't even consider filing a formal complaint. I did have a little tiff with my advisor, though, :cheeky:, right before I took another university's writing course in less than half the time and a quarter of the cost, and transferred that A into EC, where I'm now only 5 1/2 months away from completing my second EC degree.

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