suzi-Q

It sounds like you and I are in agreement about how Excelsior and College Network are designed. CLEP is cheaper; I forgot that part! I have not been in a regular college course for many years so I decided the best thing for me to do was take the English Composition for Nursing Professionals. I did not think I would do well if I "tested out" of my english requirement. Some people would do just fine though, I am sure. In case anybody wonders...I LOVED IT! Great class, great teacher, learned ALOT. I am happy to help anyone with Excelsior questions...:)

Hi and Welcome! College Network sells materials to help you study to take Excelsior Exams. EC exams are like CLEP exams. It is my understanding that it is much less expensive to purchase your materials right through Excelsior. I have also heard that College Network material are not as good. If you are a student at Excelsior you will have an advisor and they will help you ALOT. Mine has. The downside to being an official student, not just taking just the exams but also some classes, is that you pay an enrollment fee every year but I really needed help navigating the system. Also, to graduate you have to become an official student eventually anyway. Excelsior does make you take a couple classes and the others you can choose to either take or test out of. It is cheaper to test out, obviously. I have liked ENG101N, a composition class geared toward nurses. For the nursing classes you can only test out, they do not offer formal, online classes for these. I would go to the website, get the number, call, get a student id number, send your transcripts, and go from there. Once you have done those things they can advise you before you even send money. I hope this helps. Feel free to ask more questions if I can help you.:)

Does EC give credit for Penn Foster classes?

BTW...I am dreading a Humanities course right now too! We are in the same boat.

I can help with one thing! Set aside four and one half to five hours, sit down, and knock off Information Literacy. I did it in four and a half hours with two small breaks. It can be done. My advisor was very impressed and the best part is...It's done! It is only one credit so why kill yourself taking eight weeks? Seriously...4 & 1/2 hrs..... Get Er Done!

Thanks for the heads up on Lisa Arend's CD's. I bought one and thought "this is it?" Would love to hear what others think. I have just begun my EC adventure and am pleased so far. I would skip College Network so as not to pay a middle man and have an EC advisor available to you.

We have all been there. Near the end you are just tired and brain dead. Best wishes.

Oh well, ok, daytonite and I must have been typing at the same time. Can you tell I have alot less experience than she? Funny thing is I learned from her and she's the best so you got lucky that she saw your post!

Start with Maslow's and prioritize. This baby is having trouble breathing so I would start with that. Why is the baby having trouble? This will answer your related to for that. For the impaired skin integrity I would say r/t low muscle tone, but what you have is ok. Because of the lip issue does the baby have trouble feeding/sucking? That could lead you to a "risk for" diagnosis, but again probably related to the low muscle tone. Hope this helps lead you in the right direction. It's the best I can do without more info. Hopefully you have more to work with than this little bit!? (Is this baby pre-mature, what are the abg's? etc. etc.) Remember...prioritize first, then diagnose, then r/t.

that's exactly what was on my test...august 3rd 2009. must be priority stuff for new nurses! hope this helps those of you getting ready to go.

Use the Kaplan books. They give wonderful strategies. Although learning them is a whole other "learning process" added on to all your nursing knowledge. Give it a shot and good luck.

Yes, They are pretty standard. LPN and RN would be different....

I took it and did well. It was long though, but I hate sitting for long periods. It is a good predictor of how you will do on the NCLEX so pay attention to your results. Your teachers have prepared you for this so you will be fine. Brush up on lab values and such. Good luck.

I understand...My sister in-law is an RN and I got not one shred of advice, encouragment, or help from her. So I was even more determined to show her I was gonna be just fine without her!!! You can do the same. As far as support and guidance...I came here and got tons of answers. If I couldn't find it in a search (top right of page) I found someone who seemd like they enjoyed "mentoring" and sent them a private meassage. People here were all too happy to help and I thanked them everyday of my program. Now that I have graduated from my LPN program I also went back and thanked of few "in person" too. I would love to "pay it forward" so go ahead and ask away.... Another thought, a little negative but can't be helped....Maybe they don't know or remember their theory very well and don't want to be embarrased.

I agree with new in NY. Following along in an NCLEX review book is key. I suggest Saunders. I also did the writing out of the flashcards. Yes, it is time consuming BUT if you are a tactile person doing the writing gives you "muscle memory". I am convinced that all that hard work was the key to my success. (And I have a ton of flashcards to show for it.) Keep plugging away!

Must have Tabers, Davis drug guide for nurses or whatever drug guide your school uses, and a nursing diagnosis for clinicals. But Tabers is a must have...

Essential oils are great! I found this spray by a company called Young Living called Theives. It's made with real cinnamon and clove. Very strong and covers up almost everything. It is supposed to be anti-bacterial and anti-viral too. Try a squirt of that in a mask or two! Comes in little pocket size bottles, 3 to a pack, or a big size. Love pocket size stuff...

I keep a very small, thin tin of vicks in my pocket. It's very discreet. Sometimes you can get lucky and it comes in a sample package like this. The baby vicks with lavendar is nice and then you don't get so overwhelmed with the halls vapor smell. Lavendar is good for nausea anyway. Best wishes.

I have both. Very little difference between the two. Got a good deal buying used on amazon. Half.com has good deals too.

You'll do fine. You already write above that level! 6th grade? Mine was 12th!!! Brush up on math though. Good luck!!

Yellowfinchfan, I got the old "shoulder shrug" too. I will never forget that...

I have had many "reincarnations" as far as careers go and I can sum this all up very simply... IN ALL THINGS, SHOW INITIATIVE! It is always admired and always rewarded. Peace

I was "allowed to leave" or have some untrue things put in my file. I left. Not a traditional firing but for what it has done to me it might as well have been. It has taken a long time to get over it. I wish you well! I have posed this question before so if someone would like to pm me or is bold enough to post here - I am interested, for my own future reference, what kinds of things nurses are getting fired for.? And, yes I am still a little skittish after what I have already been through...

I will be 42 at the begining of my program and 44-45 when I get my RN.

:yeahthat:Wow, did you hit the nail on the head, NREMT-P/RN, all the way around! Thanks.