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So I graduated from a " non-traditional " college about 11 years ago with my ADN. Was a LPN for 4 years before that back when a LPN could work as a nurse on a med-surg unit. Now I have to move to another state and they refuse to grant me a license saying I need more experience. Or need to complete 480 hours of preceptorship? The way their statue looks this protocol seems to be for new grads which I am not. Anyone ever fought this and won? I have filed a formal grievance with the BON with no response. I guess the first time I asked I forgot to mention I worked first 3 years doing med-surg, 2 years ICU and since then work LTC once in a while but full time behavioral health for the past 6 years.

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Specializes in retired from healthcare.

If I know what state this I'll know not to move there.

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Specializes in Hospital Education Coordinator.

not sure I understand. The Board is refusing to offer you an RN license because you have not worked anything but behavioral health in the past 6 years? I do not see how the LVN practice affects this at all. I would certainly attempt to contact the Board for clarification. I wonder if they are looking at your LVN license not the RN one.

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Specializes in retired LTC.

Maybe consulting with a lawyer familiar with BON and/or licensure issues might be a good idea. Someone to go to bat for you who's on your side.

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I got an apology from the BON and a " we are currently looking into this " blah, blah, blah. However, in the meantime I got one heck of a great job offer 10 miles to the north in another state and got my license without any trouble there and got better pay to top it off. Of course this is the first time I have moved since I was a little girl so maybe this is how it is everywhere?

I say this was clear cut discrimination based on my non-traditional school background.

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Specializes in Hospital Education Coordinator.

still does not make sense. I do not know what you mean by 'non-tradtional" but if a school offers a program approved by the state's Board of Nursing, and you fulfilled obligations for licensure, and then received a license, where you went to school is not important. Something missing here.

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I went to Excelsior. There are a few states that even though it is a approved school these states don't like it so they make it difficult. Not sure why though since I have experience. I would totally understand though if I were a new grad.

I did not know about this when I went through the school. I knew back then that 1 state did not accept the curriculum and I knew the state I was applying to did not accept new grads without making them jump through hoops but I figured with my experience hands on that I would be able to endorse in.

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Specializes in Med-Surg, LTC, Psych, Addictions..

I'm jumping through hoops in Washington state trying to get my RN endorsement. I'm stuck here running low on funds while WAITING.

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Specializes in Med-Surg, LTC, Psych, Addictions..

Still waiting..........:(

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Specializes in Critical Care.

From Some states reject nurses from NY online school - The Pulse

The largest nursing school in the nation is right here in Albany, N.Y.

Excelsior College, an online school and nonprofit that has $60 million in revenue, has 16,000 nursing students and each year, graduates more than 2,000 nurses at the associate, bachelor’s and master’s level, with the majority earning associate degrees.

But Excelsior has come under fire in many states because its students do not get supervised clinical training – the hallmark of traditional nursing education. (See story: Online nurse training feels old-school heat – Times Union)

California and Maryland will not license Excelsior’s nursing graduates and nursing boards in thirteen other states have restrictions or additional training requirements for Excelsior graduates, including Alabama, Arizona, Colorado, Georgia, Illinois, Kansas, Louisiana, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Vermont, Virginia and Washington.

“It really comes down to philosophy,” said William Stewart, assistant vice president for institutional advancement at Excelsior. “Many of the folks on these boards came through the traditional program and it’s hard for them to understand how can you become a nurse without going through that traditional apprenticeship model.”

Stewart said no state has produced evidence that graduates from Excelsior are disciplined at higher rates or perform any worse or better than graduates from traditional schools.

Also:

  • Excelsior only enrolls students who have previous clinical care experience. Most of their students are licensed practical nurses.
  • In order to graduate, Excelsior students must pass a rigorous three-day evaluation of their clinical skills in a hospital setting with real patients.
  • About 85 percent of Excelsior students pass the National Council Licensure Exam for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN), which is on par with the U.S. average.
  • Thirty-seven states license Excelsior nurses without any restrictions, including New York and Texas.

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