Seeking advice

reebokHCFR, MSN, EMT-P, APRN, NP · Oct 24, 2011

I am also a firemedic considering excelsior. there are many people in my dept who are in the program. As I am not in it yet, I don't know the answer to all your questions, but this is what I've found from my research so far.

1. many community colleges offer transition programs. Whether they offer it for medics or not varies. check locally. as far as online, excelsior is the only one I know of. indiana state has an lpn to rn program, but you have to be an lpn obviously, and find your own local preceptor for clinicals.

2. I think there are 8. go to this link and click Degree Chart. http://www.excelsior.edu/ecapps/faces/DegreeProgramController?action=detail&id=5

3. it looks like they do. http://www.excelsior.edu/state-board-requirements

4. no

good luck with your decision. I would like crna, but with all the requirements and full time school, it'd be difficult for me.

belgarion · Oct 24, 2011

My suggestion to you would be go ahead and apply for admission on the Excelsior website. Yeah, it costs 75 or 80 bucks but they will evaluate your transcript(s) and tell you exactly which tests you will need to take. You can also download copies of the RN bridge program catalog. You will also get access to academic advisors via e-mail who can answer your questions better than anyone here (except maybe Lunah).

Editorial Team / Moderator · Oct 24, 2011

OMG, I'm laughing at the 5, 5a, etc. What are you, my twin? LOL. Let me give this a go...

1. Is excelsior my only option to go from medic to RN (other than starting fresh, obviously)?

For the most part, probably, unless you can find a local P-to-RN program. We had one in Virginia for a while, but I believe it closed; I was trying to get into that one when I found out about EC, and the Virginia program had a wait list that basically ensured I'd never get in.

2. Is it true that there are only 7 classes that need to be taken, in my own time line, in order to take the nclex and become a licensed RN?

I think there are 8 exams these days, in addition to anything else you might need (probably not much). I came into EC with two Associates degree, so I had a lot of my credits covered. You will probably also need to take Information Literacy, which is a necessary evil (one-credit course, they used to only waive it if you had a Masters degree, not sure if that's still true). But there is a cheaper Info Lit option available through Penn Foster, when you get to that point.

Anyway ... the eight nursing exams:

Essentials of Nursing Care: Health Safety

Essentials of Nursing Care: Health Differences

Essentials of Nursing Care: Chronicity

Essentials of Nursing Care: Reproductive Health

Health Differences Across the Life Span 1

Health Differences Across the Life Span 2

Health Differences Across the Life Span 3

Transition to the Registered Professional Nurse Role

There are a couple of PDFs you can download from EC's website -- the school of nursing catalog has a great description of the ADN program, and there is another one somewhere that is called something like "How much will your ADN cost" that has a nice checklist.

3. Does anyone know for sure if Ohio accepts excelsior?

At last check, yes. I have a couple of friends who are EC grads in Ohio. But here is a page from EC's site:

http://www.excelsior.edu/state-board-requirements

4. Are there any hospital clinicals that need to be completed (other than the clinical exam at the end)?

Not for Ohio, nope.

5. I have read that some states don't accept excelsior, if I completed my RN at excelsior, became licensed in Ohio, then completed my BSN through Ohio University, would I be eligible to gain licensure anywhere?

No, it doesn't work like that -- the state boards of nursing will always consider the source of your RN licensure, which will be EC. I am an EC grad, my BSN is from Chamberlain, and I will never get licensed in whichever states don't like EC at this point. Except that I'm in the Army, so I can work in any Army facility in any state, and even in the sandbox.

5a. Given the above scenario, would I be a competitive or uncompetitive applicant for CRNA school?

With all your other stuff, I'd say you're competitive. I think CRNA schools are also concerned with critical care experience, etc. There is this thread: https://allnurses.com/distance-learning-nursing/excelsior-grads-where-217472.html -- as you can read, EC students are pretty successful. :) I wanna say there are a couple of CRNA students in there, but I could be wrong.

5b. Given the above scenario, if I obtain my CRNA, do licensure issues in other states become moot because of my advanced training?

Yep. :)

6. I recognize that the nursing scope of practice is different than that in EMS, however I would consider my assessment skills and critical thinking abilities to be strong. For those medics with >5 years experience before going to excelsior, did you feel at all behind on your first day as an RN compared to those around you who went the traditional route?

I didn't feel behind (only slightly overwhelmed by the paperwork!!), but I had also been working as an ER tech in the same ER for 3.5 years, so I had an advantage in that regard. I had been a paramedic for just over 5 years at that point.

7. Is there any stigma in hiring excelsior grads?

I'm sure it happens. What would you think if you though a program was all online, without understanding that the graduates are all healthcare providers of some sort already who have had clinicals in other settings? If a program said "become a nurse online," I'd think it was sketchy as well. However, EC is legit; I just explain how it works and give an overview of the CPNE, and that usually puts a lightbulb over someone's head. :) I had a per diem job at a Level 2 trauma center before I joined the Army, and when I explained EC's program to the two interviewing charge nurses, they said, OMG, that sounds intense.

7a. Will my many years experience in EMS help dampen any stigma that may exist?

Depends on where you work, I suppose. Start networking now! :) You know there are always those RNs who think medics are all just ambulance drivers anyway, so you won't get any credit from them in any situation (jerks!). You and I have a better inkling of what a paramedic education and experience entails. I educate people on that aspect as well. My paramedic education came with a degree, and was heavy into pathophysiology, pharm, and the "why" behind the "how to."

Feel free to ask questions...

FiremedicMike, RN, EMT-P · Oct 24, 2011

Awesome, thanks all..

I see several people mentioning the ADN program, is Excelsior OK with me just taking the core nursing classes with the intention of getting my ADN elsewhere (i.e. Columbus State)? On that note, does anyone know if Columbus State will grant "N" credit for my Excelsior RN towards the completion of my ADN there? (I'd ask them, but their nursing education staff is notoriously difficult to reach)

Editorial Team / Moderator · Oct 24, 2011

From what I've heard, most nursing programs will not accept classes from others. This is not particular to EC, but just in general.

belgarion · Oct 24, 2011

As far as Info Lit goes I did it recently through Penn Foster. I called them one afternoon and spoke to a very nice lady who took down my information and $105 later I was signed up. The course work took a few hours and I had my credit for Info LIt. Much cheaper than the $300 plus through Excelsior. As far as other leveling courses like A & P you can go through Straighterline. They charge $39 per course plus $99 per month so whether or not it is cheaper depends on you.

Like I said, go ahead and apply so they can tell you exactly what you need. I have a Masters but it was too old to cover the Info Lit. They also told me I needed Sociology and Human Growth and Development as well so I CLEPed them. Bottom line is find out for sure what credits you need and get them out of the way before you cough up a big enrollment fee.

FiremedicMike, RN, EMT-P · Oct 27, 2011

Does excelsior provide any study guides at all or just list textbooks to study from. I hear people talk about how the TCN study guides are expensive and lame, but I don't particularly care for straight up self study out of a textbook. As an example, my current geography class has a textbook and syllabus. The test comes right off the syllabus, so I simply study that and I'm good. It would be great if excelsior was the same?

reebokHCFR, MSN, EMT-P, APRN, NP · Oct 27, 2011

go here and click Nursing:

http://www.excelsior.edu/ecapps/exams/creditByExam.jsf

click a class (for instance, transition to rn)

on the next page, you can download the Content Guide which will help you a lot. it also has sample questions.

fwiw, a guy I work with said he is on his last nursing exam, and he only used the excelsior practice tests to study from. he said he's gotten A's and B's. That's what I'm trying now with the Transition class.

chuckster, ADN, BSN, RN, EMT-B · Oct 27, 2011

Awesome, thanks all..
I see several people mentioning the ADN program, is Excelsior OK with me just taking the core nursing classes with the intention of getting my ADN elsewhere (i.e. Columbus State)? On that note, does anyone know if Columbus State will grant "N" credit for my Excelsior RN towards the completion of my ADN there? (I'd ask them, but their nursing education staff is notoriously difficult to reach)

I don't know the answer regarding Columbus State but one alternative I'd suggest is community college. The CC I attended for nursing had a program for EMT-P to RN that was similar to that for LPN's - basically it reduced the number of nursing classes needed. I don't know whether this is common to other CC's but it should be worth looking into since it will likely be the lowest cost route to getting your RN.

You mention that you want to continue on for your CRNA which of course will mean a graduate degree. Since that's the case, you may want to look into the regional accreditation of any school you're considering attending to minimize potential issues with grad schools.

Best of luck to you. And FWIW, I wouldn't rule out med school simply on age.

FiremedicMike, RN, EMT-P · Oct 27, 2011

Columbus State's nursing program is notoriously difficult to get in to due to sheer number of applicants, in addition most of their classes are in-class, down town, and a pain to schedule around. Probably marginally cheaper, but the overall opportunity cost would likely be too high to consider.

As for medical school, it's less about age and more about the time remaining. I care less about not being an attending until I'm 42-43, and more about the fact that this is still 12-13 years from now.

I do appreciate the advise everyone has given thus far!

FiremedicMike, RN, EMT-P · Oct 27, 2011

go here and click Nursing:
http://www.excelsior.edu/ecapps/exams/creditByExam.jsf
click a class (for instance, transition to rn)
on the next page, you can download the Content Guide which will help you a lot. it also has sample questions.
fwiw, a guy I work with said he is on his last nursing exam, and he only used the excelsior practice tests to study from. he said he's gotten A's and B's. That's what I'm trying now with the Transition class.

So, that content guide... Is everything on the exams directly from the content guide?