budhak0n

Oh and something else which really baffles me after having met with a College Network rep... I was told that during the "clinical" portion of the program , students do not have any actual patient contact... it is merely an evaluation of whether you understand the procedures , etc.... This blows my mind ... So basically you can become licensed to be a practicing R.N. by never once having treated or dealt with actual patients? Even in the local Phlebotomy course I took through the Community college we had weeks and weeks of actual physical patient contact.... Without which I would think It would be nearly impossible to have any proficiency whatsoever.

Ok this is understood ... so if I say have another degree ... in a different field... and I don't want to relocate.. I'm in South Jersey now... Can I obtain what basically amounts to an ATT by taking the basic nursing courses in a distance learning format through Excelsior? I've shot them off an email where I'm sure I'll get my answer but I'm not sure if you understand my situation.. I have a degree in another field. I want to get the most basic "licensing" to allow me to enter the "profession" whereby I would intend to enroll in a more advanced "accelerated 2nd Degree BSN"... Can this or can this not be done through distance learning? To me when you think of how they allow foreign nationals to test if qualified.... I would have to be completely direct in stating my "desire" or intention is solely to obtain and ATT for the NCLEX-RN and go from there.

Well I personally haven't enrolled in any program whatsoever yet, but some of the "opinions" which have surfaced on this thread do not surprise me in the least having dealt with some local health care facilities . Unfortunately what you have here as always is what I see over and over again. People being catty for no reason whatsoever. IF what you're trying to do is sit for the RN Licensure examination well then you need a couple of things... First off you need a sponsoring institution.. Me personally considering this is a second "career" of sorts I would support an arrangement whereby you would be permitted to take the test and let the best candidates prevail.... However state boards of nursing have determined that it is in the public's best interest that a sponsoring educational organization of some sort prepare you prior to allowing you to sit for licensure. The "college" network portion of it is insignificant... If I decide to buy a "barron's" study guide ? and I pass the test ... who really cares at that point. Frankly, after having seen everything associated with this supposed nursing shortage I have my doubts.... What I see here is a burgeoning business based on people who think they might want to .. maybe.. at some point... get a job... And let's get real... many facilities i've been around have person on top of person falling over each other complaining about this or that... It's about doing what you believe will help YOU the best get the piece of paper you need to do the work YOU wish to do.... For anyone to say well I believe that you're dumb to do this or that is just silly... It's like the guy who drives a Benz having an argument with somebody who drives an 81 honda... sure the Honda's got great gas mileage .. sure the payment's smaller.. sure they get to the same place ... but hey if you want to buy the Benz... go get it... Who's to say anything different... Everybody wants to be in everybody elses pockets these days... To me like I said you should be able to demonstrate academic proficiency in an objective manner without a sponsoring institution always necessary at a base "licensing" level... but come on now you can go into any major health care facility and find plenty of people working in jobs within the facility who don't have the licensing but do know the cousin in HR... And let's get real.. what is any of this going to get you? It's going to get you an "opportunity".. What you do with the opportunity.. whether you like your job.. whether you spend your time reading charts or filling up cokes in the Caf is entirely up to you... I personally think the College network is quite expensive but don't fully understand what people are saying... I can buy the College Network's study materials off ebay ok? .. then I can go to a sylvan learning center and take a test... ok .. then let's say I do that for the 7 "UNITS" i need to sit for my NCLEX-RN.... Who the heck is going to tell the state of new jersey that I'm qualified to sit for the test? And even if I pass who's going to guarantee that I'll even get a job out of it that pays more than my local contractor or wawa? Christ the UMDMJ is under indictment in this state already... lol... it's all kind of confusing BUT Much better than the local community college route where they are trying to tell me that I'd have to retake basic chemistry.. hilarious.