Kashlee

hello, I looked in to Indiana state university, the LPN-BSN program, then I got this info from them. There are about 20 prerec's to do, then all the nursing classes! Some of the prerec's I can see, but History, foreign language, ect!!! It would take me forever to do this program. Plus this would cost at least 30,000 I am leaning toward excelsior, because of less classes, and way cheaper. But I do like the idea of the LPN-BSN program. Here is part of the letter I got: Phase I: Completion of general education and cognate courses required for the nursing major through a combination of transfer credit previously awarded from accredited college/universities, courses completed in a traditional classroom setting or online, and/or successful completion of proficiency examinations. Students prepare for these proficiency examinations through The College Network’s study guide program. Credits received from successful completion of the American Council on Education (ACE) approved proficiency examinations are then transferred to Indiana State University. Enrollment in Indiana State University is not required for completion of Phase I, however, it is required prior to progressing to Phase II. As indicated in the Admission Requirements section, there are ten (10) courses that the student must complete prior to enrolling into the College of Nursing, if credit has not been previously awarded in those subjects. Anatomy & Physiology (6 credit hours) Chemistry (4 credit hours) College Algebra (3 credit hours) Information Technology (3 credit hours) Life Span Developmental Psychology (3 credit hours) Microbiology (3 credit hours) General Psychology (3 credit hours) Introduction to Communications (3 credit hours) Foundations of Sociology (3 credit hours) Freshman Writing (3 credit hours) Other general education and cognate courses required for degree completion are: Advanced Expository Writing (3 credit hours) Foreign Language (6 credit hours) Pathophysiology (3 credit hours) Statistics (3 credit hours) Physical Education (2 credit hours) Literary, Artistic and Philosophical Studies (6 credit hours) Multicultural Diversity – International Cultures (3 credit hours) Multicultural Studies - U.S. Diversity (3 credit hours) History (3 credit hours) Phase II: Lower-level online nursing and Customized Study Material (CSM) courses are completed during Phase II of the program. Acceptance by and enrollment in Indiana State University and the College of Nursing is required prior to registering for the online nursing or CSM courses. Students will be accepted for enrollment into the College of Nursing on a conditional basis, until the successful completion of Nursing 200 and 208. At that time, the student will receive full enrollment status. Nursing 200/200L: Nursing Assessment of the Adult (3 credit hours) Nursing 208: Transition for LPN to BSN (3 credit hours) When completed with a C or better, credit is awarded for: oNursing 104: Introduction to Nursing (2 credit hours) oNursing 204: Fundamentals of Nursing Practice, and (5 credit hours) oNursing 228: Clinical Pharmacology (3 credit hours) CSM Courses: oNursing 106: Mental Health Aspects of Nursing (2 credit hours) oNursing 224: Nursing Care of Adults I (5 credit hours) oNursing 328: Nursing Care of the Child and Family (4 credit hours) oNursing 330: Nursing Care of the Childbearing Family (4 credit hours) Phase III: Once the student has completed all general education, lower-level nursing and CSM courses, the remaining upper-level nursing courses are completed online with Indiana State University. Nursing 226/226L: Nursing in Mental Illness (3 credit hours) Nursing 318: Nursing Care of Families in Stress and Crisis (4 credit hours) Nursing 322: Research/Theoretical Basis for Nursing Practice (3 credit hours) Nursing 324/324L: Nursing Care of Adults II (5 credit hours) Nursing 424/424L: Nursing Care of Adults III (5 credit hours) Nursing 450/450L: Population-Focused Community Health Nursing (6 credit hours) Nursing 470: Nursing Leadership (3 credit hours) Nursing 484/484L: Reflective Nursing Practice, and (3 credit hours) Nursing 486: Professional Nursing Synthesis (3 credit hours) Customized Study Materials (CSM) for Phase II Nursing Courses Indiana State University and The College Network have developed a set of four Customized Study Materials (CSMs) that have been integrated into the LPN-BSN curriculum. After completion of each CSM, students will complete a proctored Web-based examination administered by Indiana State University. Each CSM is completed in place of one of four nursing courses: Nursing 106: Mental Health Aspects of Nursing (2 credit hours no clinical), Nursing 224: Nursing Care of Adults I (5 credit hours with clinical), Nursing 328: Nursing Care of the Child and Family (4 credit hours with clinical), Nursing 330: Nursing Care of Childbearing Families (4 credit hours with clinical). Should additional clinical experience be needed in one of these areas, prior to the one day clinical test-out, the student should arrange the number of hours needed and a preceptor experience, with the faculty course coordinator prior to the final clinical test-out. These clinical hours will be credited to Nursing 484, which is a self-selected 135 hours of clinical learning experience. Distance Education Nursing Courses There are eleven nursing courses, completed online through Indiana State University, required for the program of study. Six of these courses have a required clinical component. The minimum 495 clinical hours required for the program are completed concurrently with theory courses and under the supervision of an approved preceptor in the student’s local area. Contracts are arranged with clinical agencies prior to the start of clinicals. There is a one-to-one ratio of preceptor to student during the clinical learning experience. Clinical hours are required in the following areas: NURS 200 Nursing Assessment of the Adult involves 45 hours of clinical education in the health assessment of the adult and older adult. The student will use effective communication strategies to provide health promotion, health counseling, and health education to promote wellness in adults. NURS 226 Nursing in Mental Illness involves 45 hours of clinical education in the inpatient psychiatric nursing care of clients with common acute and chronic mental health disorders. NURS 324 Nursing Care of Adults II involves 90 hours of clinical education in medical-surgical inpatient care and discharge of clients with common acute and chronic health problems. NURS 424 Nursing Care of Adults III involves 90 hours of clinical education in medical-surgical inpatient care with clients in acute and intensive care with complex health problems. NURS 450 Population-Focused Community Health Nursing involves 90 hours of clinical learning experience outside of the online studies in a community agency, such as a local health department, school nurse station, or occupational health-nursing agency. The focus of this course is the professional nurse’s role in working with aggregates in the community. Concepts and principles of public health nursing, wellness, health promotion, and national health objectives are emphasized. NURS 484 Reflective Nursing Practice involves 135 hours of clinical learning experience. This clinical concentration course provides an opportunity for synthesis and evaluation of professional nursing role behaviors essential to the care of clients experiencing complex health care needs across the lifespan in a variety of settings. Emphasis is placed on refinement of critical thinking and communication skills, refinement of appropriate and effective leadership/managerial skills, and the integration of a range of therapeutic interventions into nursing practice, including those appropriate to individual clients, their families/significant others, and relevant population-based groups. Students will be given the opportunity to become more familiar with hospital nursing as their major focus of the semester. Students may also choose to have some limited experience in non-hospital nursing functions (i.e., home health, public health in a health department, well-baby clinics, or rural health clinics.) If the student does not have clinical experience in an area listed below, additional clinical experience may be required. Clinical hours completed will be credited to NURS 484, which is a self-selected clinical experience. NURS 224 Nursing Care of the Adults I involves 90 hours of clinical education in the promotion of optimal health among adults experiencing or recovering from illness. The recipient of care is the young, middle, or older adult in the hospital and other community settings. NURS 328 Nursing Care of the Child and Family involves 45 hours of clinical education to assist children and their families in the promotion and maintenance of health and the prevention of and/or recovery from illness in the hospital and community setting. The focus of the course is nursing interventions to meet common, well-defined health needs of children in relation to the total environment. The recipient of care is the individual child as a member of a family from infancy through adolescence. NURS 330 Nursing Care of the Childbearing Family involves 45 hours of clinical education of women and infants during the reproductive life cycle. Clinical experience will provide opportunities to observe and provide professional nursing care in primary, community, and acute health care settings.

I also applied to allexcelsiornurses and got no reply. I was automatically denied by yahoo, because they didn't reply withing 14 days.

Hello, I have been a nurse for about 4 years, and I was a cena for about 7 years before that. I have worked in long term care the whole time. One thing I have come to realize that the top priorit for the Managament, including the cooperate people is Money. Money will always come before patient care. We work short, they have done budget cuts, stopped sending out morning snacks, and afternoon snacks for the patients becasue its not in the budget. I love being a nurse, taking care of people, but it gets hard when management is thinking "how much will this cost" instead of "how will this help the patient". We do not use agency for that reason, MONEY! The more that is saved on the floor (meaning the less that is used for the patients) the more that will go into the pockets of the cooperate and management. Now I have never worked in a hospital, but I assume its probably the same. Kathy Michigan

Hello, Thanks for the response, this helps. Kathy

Hello Everyone! I have an question for nursing in Michigan. Does the Michigan Board of nursing have any additional requirements after graduation from Excelsior or is graduating enough. I have heard about other states that require additional clinicals or classes. Thanks, Kathy

Hello Everyone, I checked out the website and found these FAQ, it looks like you have to go to 12 weeks of clinicals 32 hours a week! (and work full time, no way!) Kathy 1.How does an online nursing program work? This is a full time program of study. It requires as much work or more than a traditional classroom program. The difference is that the lectures, discussions, and communications are done online within a traditional college semester rather than in a classroom on the college campus. Students still have some clinical assignments throughout the program, and the final twelve week summer semester is all clinical with about 32 hours of clinical per week. 2.What about clinicals? Once a student is admitted, faculty (with the student's assistance if needed) identify available clinical sites. Clinical must include obstetrics, pediatrics, mental health, medical-surgical, and leadership experiences, and the facility must agree to have a clinical contract with the college. Several clinical sites will probably be needed. The course faculty will arrange for supervision of clinical experience at each site. For locations with enough students within commuting distances, faculty may supervise groups of students. For other students more isolated, nurse preceptors will be identified for supervision. The final summer semester is when most of the clinical will take place. The semester is 12 weeks long and students will be required to participate in 32 or more clinical hours per week, and these hours are not flexible so a student must be available for any days or shifts assigned. 3.When can I start the program? The program begins each fall semester (late August). Interested applicants must have all application materials (including official transcripts) submitted to the degree granting/home college so they are received no later than May 1st to be considered for fall admission. Students will all prerequisites complete and all materials received by May 1st will be ranked by date of program application by college for admission. Notification of admission status will be by June 1st.

Hello, I have actually e-mailed excelsior a few times with questions, and they have e-mailed me back within 24 hours to let me know that they are forwarding my question to the right department (I never seem to know what e-mail to pick) and then the right department answers my question within a day by e-mail. E-mailing seems to work good.

I haven't gone through the program yet. I just wanted to check things out before I jumped into this.

Thanks for the reply! I don't want to get through this and find out I can't get a job! But it looks like a lot of people have done this I have been watching post on this site and some yahoo groups! This sounds like a great way for me to get my RN degree. I am a single mom, and just don't want to or have time to spend all my time in a college!! This helps. :wink2: Thanks, Kathy

Has anyone here that has done the RN program through Excelsior's had a problem getting a job? Thanks, Kathy

Has anyone here that has done the RN program through excelsior's had a problem getting job? Kathy

Hello Everyone! I am just looking into obtaining my RN with excelsior. There are many options. Has anyone used I Studysmart.com? What do you think. I don't want to sign a contract with Chancellors or Rue. I studysmart looks like you can pay as you go. Any opinions? thanks, kathy

Thanks for the info!! Kathy

Soon2BNurse Hi, I am a LPN, I work in a long term care home (nursing home) on the medicare wing. I have 7 in each ear (a total of 14) I wear studs while at work. Which is no problem, the don't hang. I have ahad a few patients make positive comments about them. I don't have to cover them up. Hope this helps Kathy [ QUOTE=Soon2BNurse]Kashlee.. If you don't mind :) What dept do you work in? What kind of nurse are you? You said you had 7 in each ear? Meaning you have 14 total in your ears or did I read that wrong and that meant 7 total? Do you do anything to "cover them up" or do you just wear normal earrings? I'm sorry if I sound like I am being nosey, but most nurses don't have anything near what you have. And it would be nice to get some sort of advice from someone who actually has that many piercings.

Hello Everyone, Well I have been a nurse for about 4 years, I have 4 tatoo's and 7 ear peircings in each ear, the only time I had any problems was in nursing school, that was just with the peircings. My tatoo's show at times, arm and back, due to short sleeves or I have to wear white and you can usually see through white! Kathy