Roll Call for Excelsior Grads - stand up and be counted

BBFRN, BSN, PhD · Nov 3, 2005

I also would love to do Excelsior again for my BSN, but the idea of another clincal with them doesn't thrill me. Especially now that as an RN there are a lot more programs to look at out there.
Dawn in PA

I was told by an EC BSN advisor that Athabasca University's Health Assessment course can be taken in lieu of the HAPE, so that may help if you want to get aorund the clinical exam. Here's the link:

http://www.athabascau.ca/html/syllabi/nurs/nurs326.htm

chip193 · Nov 4, 2005

a. Your graduation date

April, 2004. It was very nice to be a month ahead of the traditional students when looking for a job!

b. Your best advice to someone starting the program

Join the Yahoo groups and stay away from the publishing companies! Also, take the EC prep course for the CPNE - they were wonderful.

c. Would you do it all over again?

Without reservation.

d. What are you doing now?

ER, EMS Clincial Education, and still teaching all the merit badge courses!

Chip

mytoon38 · Nov 12, 2005

Hi. How many Excelsior grads are out here? Please share with all of us

a. Your graduation date

b. Your best advice to someone starting the program

c. Would you do it all over again?

d. What are you doing now?

a. June 2005

b. Don't listen to all the negative stuff about the program, WE TAKE

c. YES! I just would not procrastinate this time!

d. I am doing a travel contract on a Psych unit (they usually don't take New Grads. as travel nurses, but they took me, because I was here on the same unit last year as an L.P.N., and the Unit Manager wanted me back as an R.N.

rnwendy23 · Nov 18, 2005

a. b. your best advice to someone starting the program
Just go for it. I was worried because I had only been an LPN for 5 months when I started the program. I finished all my Nursing Concepts tests in 2 months, then just waited for a CPNE date while I finished my general ed classes. Just do it!!

WOW, I can't believe you finished all the nursing concepts exams in 2 months. How did you do it? It's been a year since I took the 1st exam and I'm really needing a little push to go on. Any advice would be helpful?

Thanks, Wendy

Spazzy Nurse, RN · Nov 21, 2005

a. Your graduation date April 2003

b. Your best advice to someone starting the program (Listen up Wendy! :) Take a deep breath and dive in. Don't come up for air until you have swam through the program. It's SO HARD to go back down again once you've come up. I got pregnant a month after starting the program, so I did end up stopping and restarting a couple of times so I know how hard it is to restart. Try not to do that to yourself.

c. Would you do it all over again? Absolutely!

d. What are you doing now? I am the RN Consultant for a company overseeing the medical departments in 3 psych facilities.

iLOVEbees · Nov 22, 2005

A. I graduated SEPTEMBER 16TH, 2005

B. Don't procrastinate. It took me several (as in about 7) years to go from start to finish. I was worried about the CPNE and just kept pushing it off. Learn from my mistake.

C. I should have went to a traditional ADN program - I would have finished sooner. However, I do not regret the way I did it and if you have more drive than me, you can get it done much quicker.

D. Working agency in Med Surg and ICU. I worked both beforehand as an LVN w/ 10 years experience, so I hopped right in with my exisiting employers except for more money

A lot of people say to just use Excelsior's guides. I say thee nay. Chancellor's has excellent, albeit expensive, guides. Excelsior students have shown me the guides they bought from other vendors - they do not compare.