ctcpete

Thank you so much for this info Karen, it is greatly appreciated and very kind of you to post it. I'm an older guy in the midst of a career change and am into my 8th month as a working RN. I have an ADN degree and am about to enroll for my BSN. Working full time at a long term care facility (sub-acute and dementia) and part time at the county jail. Paying my dues and glad for the initial opportunities but ready to branch out. This is great info. I'm in Central NJ if anyone wants to touch base. Have been considering finding a specialty. Maybe dialysis or addiction services. I like psych too. Good luck everyone.

Thank you for the reply The Commuter. I'm leaning towards WGU. Read some threads about students not getting good support from U of TX..hard to reach advisers etc.

After reading a lot of this old thread, WGU is looking better and better..

Mods: If this thread would work bette in a different sub forum, feel free to move ..thanks. I am a graduate of Excelsior College's ADN program and want my BSN. I am considering WGU and The University of TX at Arlington. Any advice or comments regarding these two programs would be great. Specifically, I am super busy (kids, two RN jobs etc etc) and I am almost 58 years old..doing a career change. Speed and cost are factors. Does anyone know if either program accepts pre reqs done by Straighterline or ALEKS? Both are online pre req programs from what have heard that are cheaper and quicker than a traditional per credit college. I went to tech school and vocational LPN school back when so I may need extra credits. If could do Stats etc with them it would be great. I just called U of TX, not super impressed with my first conversations. I know that EC grads go there but the rep did not seem to know much about what transfers in etc.. kind of odd. Thanks for any advice. Edit to add: I just spoke to a friend who is enrolled in WGU. He says they have a "jump" program..ADN to Masters. Unlike other similar programs though, they will issue your BSN when you hit that level, then you can start on your Masters. Interesting.

Be cautious with Robs..back when I was doing CPNE his were considered outdated. Remember critical elements change with each SG..missing one can result in a failure. Get on those groups..interact with other students..talk to advisers etc. The new SG comes out each Nov..go through both versions if it applies to you..lI went page by page..found lots of changes not listed by EC in their "list of changes"..I'm a little over the top though..

Bumping this thread..I passed in NOV, graduated in Jan..been working as an RN for 3 months. For cpne..you need teamwork to prep. Get on the official EC student discussion forum..under "my EC community" also..get on the "lets conquer the cpne beast" fb group..from there there are a few more good ones..one just for care planning the ec way..prepare..I passed my 1st try at Utica but was lost when I first read the study guide..it is doable but there are strategies..Christy Rodriguiz (spelling?) has cpne boot camp..google it..great care planning on line course, also on site classes in FL and she travels..she is great. Sheri Taylor has some on line stuff I would recommend to watch for a month or two (monthly charge)..do the EC cp's first with your adviser..make your weekly calls to EC even if you don't know what to talk about.. use mnemonics for critical elements.. but don'[t do it alone..there are many students paying stuff forward if you look...same with nclex.. get on that beast group.. Good Luck it is doable

Update..just finishing my orientation with correct care solutions at my local county jail. I found a full time job at a local rehab/long term care facility..hired for sub acute at a low rate (foot in the door at least..going on 3 months). Floating to other floors..very hard and frustrating at many levels, can't wait to get out but for now it's a job and building to that 6 months or a year of experience everyone wants to hire me. In contrast I love the jail. Much easier, slower paced (my heart isn't in my mouth the entire shift at least ha ha). Did vitals on a few guys who were on the front page the previous day. Interesting if you like psych stuff. And addiction (another interest for me) is a huge factor with many inmates. I would go with them full time but I want more experience with sub acute etc first. Signing up for BSN school. WGU or Univ. of TX at Arlington. Good luck all.

I just checked out University of Texas at Arlington. Anyone doing that one? Heard some good comments on a few nursing groups on fb.

No labs with EC..big fat books though ha ha..

Wow great info Murse901, and thanks to everyone who has responded. Chamberlain is out. I am considering WGU and have also heard about the U of Texas at Arlington program and someone mentioned Purdue as well. Have not looked at those two yet. I'm a January graduate of EC's ADN program and going for the ADN to BSN degree. One possible bump in the road, hopefully only a rumor, is that WGU may make me re do A&P and Micro..is that true? I graduated from DeVry in the dinosaur era ha ha..1983 with a degree in Electronics Technology..like a 2 year degree..worked in the field for 25 years and doing a career change now. Not sure if that will help but I will ask. EC would not take any of those credits or my LPN vocational school stuff. Thanks again.

Bumping this thread up, I've been considering Chamberlain or WGU for my ADN to BSN degree. Been finding (FWIW of course) complaints regarding Chamberlain. I do know someone doing it though and they seem to like it. Cost and time is an issue, I don't care if all I get is a B. Any thoughts or comments are appreciated. I've been working for 3 months paying my dues as a new RN. My head may have stopped spinning enough for me to start to consider getting that BSN. Interesting that Chamberlain is affiliated with DeVry. I have a electronics degree from them. Excelsior College would not accept any of those credits, maybe Chamberlain would? From all I'm hearing though, WGU sounds good.

Hi, I am recently licensed in NJ as an RN (associates). Enrolled in a BS program too through Excelsior. Getting that first job with no experience is proving to be a challenge. I am considering correctional nursing. Anyone here in NJ doing it? Any advice is appreciated. I liked psych nursing in school and I come from the streets as a kid..I could have made many of the bad choices that the prison population made. Many of my childhood friends did. So I have empathy and street smarts..if that helps. Any job leads in NJ would be appreciated as well. I just completed Excelsior's ADN program and helped many students. I am kind of that way naturally I guess. I could use a hand now. Thanks.

Congrats Tasha and thanks for the encouragement.

Thanks for that link, I'm in the midst of this thing.

double post

Good luck Peterjoy..

Reebok, you have a pm..

Just SG 101? Guess I did it old school. I like books and info. Good for you.

So no books whatsoever? No reading up on subjects? Just practice tests comprised of stuff from the internet put together by who knows who? I respectfully disagree. At least old LPN or other nursing books or NCLEX books I hope. I like or need to know the logic behind the subjects, something to go back to, kind of old school that way. Many questions on EC tests are from the texts as well. And the content guides are based on them by chapter including what to study by chapter and topic and what not to worry about. Re the OP's question, you may get by ok with a previous editions but it is easier to have the current one. I started with the current editions, I'm now about to test out on my last EC course tomorrow (FCCA), some of my previously current editions are now one behind. The chapters and sections that EC calls out on their content/study guides may not match up chapter wise but the stuff is usually to be found. Sometimes using an older edition I wonder if I'm getting all the info, but so far so good. I'd say get the current editions especially for funds and med surg. AP, Micro, Repro, Peds, Psych maybe not so important. If you can afford it, get more. When you are at the end, your new ones may be behind, I wouldn't want to be behind too much. Old LPN books helped me with AP, the EC text is huge, I got lost in it. Saunders NCLEX RN book has a good cd with it with hundreds of good practice questions broken down to subjects..very good. I tried study guide 101 very briefly, went to the above method. Good luck.

I've done all the courses, use the content guide and get the recommended books. The content guide is your #1 source of what to know. Do a google search and there are lots and lots of posts out there from here and other sites with tips. Also, EC has a student discussion forum on their site where advisers offer advice for each class and you can ask questions. Good luck.

Really if you care about having a grasp of the topics and understanding the logic you have to have the books. Especially in this program where you don't have a teacher. At least the authors of the books are experts and draw on other sources of info. I could not imagine not having the books, like cheating yourself, even if you do pass. And a nCLEX prep book and CD (Saunders yellow book). Content guides are #1.

Luck! Re FCCA, yes we can't talk about it. EC recommends one at a time. Depending how much time you have, some do both at once. Even if you fail one and have to retake one you will be in the same boat time wise. You would have to pay again though, $165 i think. If you pass both you gain 2 months. That was my thinking, actually another guy's comment which makes sense, I'm in the midst of it. Most or maybe all of the books are all already recommended ones you should have from other courses. I did ask an adviser a little early to make sure I had all the books.

Way to go, very happy for you. and thanks for the tips.

I'm also doing both sections, unfortunately we can't talk about it. Funny thing is this is the only one that I have ever really felt a need or wanted to talk about ha ha, go figure. I do feel your pain though..

Just stumbled across this, let me stress, I asked for and did not receive a replacement, I then gave a mediocre rating on e bay.