3 States Won't License Excelsior's ADN Grads

Nursing Students Excelsior

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I'm an LPN with 1.5 years experience. I've researched Excelsior and know the pros and cons, and for me the pros outweigh the cons (over a year to wait for CPNE, oh well). I don't plan on going any further than ADN, I'm turning 49 y.o. this year. It's interesting to note that when I move with the wife within the next 2 to 3 years, I won't be moving to Alabama, California, or Maryland. Those states flat out will not extend an Excelsior ADN RN licensure by endorsement or examination (https://www.excelsior.edu/state-board-requirements). Has this had a negative impact on any Excelsior ADN RN grad?

Specializes in Peds, MS, DIDD, Corrections, HH, LTC, School Nurse.
On 2/4/2019 at 4:48 PM, moretonel said:

Wow, I don't understand the AL, CA, MD BONs for not granting licensures. Yeah EC has no clinicals, but EC is for working LPNs, LPNs who took clinicals in LPN school, and LPNs working doing nursing skills everyday, some with several years experience. I'm sure EC argued these and other point before the DONs, unsuccessfully unfortunately. The only state that may have had a possible "ah, c'mon man!" reaction from me is MD. I have family in DC-MD-VA area. When the wife and I move, obviously MD is not an option, but DC and VA would allow us to be close to family.

Excelsior may not have clinicals, but there is a 3 day CPNE that has to be passed. In my humble opinion the CPNE is more grueling than clinicals. It's pass or fail and self-taught.

3 Votes
On 3/27/2019 at 4:39 PM, SURGICALNURSE2NPORMD said:

California board of nursing advised me to obtain your BSN through a school approved by california and you can still obtain your license there(it must have a clinical component).

this is not true. you can't get a cali license no matter where you attended after excelsior. I know from experience. I have tried every option and avenue including sending a letter to the governor. There is no way to get the license unless you go back to school for your RN again.

1 Votes
Specializes in LTC & Private Duty Pediatrics.

There was a nurse, he goes by the name "Nick the Nurse" and used to run a blog.

Anyhow, he received his ASN from Excelsior. Applied to California. They turned him down.

He appealed their initial ruling. They told him to get his BSN. He went to that online Western Governor's University for his BSN (which he managed to get in a few weeks ... as this school gives credit for "life experiences.").

California accepted his BSN and granted him a license. This would be around the 2010 timeframe.

----

I am wrapping up by PMHNP/DNP at the University of Pittsburgh. Did my ASN through Excelsior, and BSN through Univ of Pgh. Am thinking there might be a legal loop hole or legal case to get a California NP license (which I know requires an RN license).

I believe Nick the Nurse, used several legal arguments in presenting his case. He published his argument, but has since taken it down. If anyone has a copy, can you please post.

Thanks!!

2 Votes

I am in Ca but plan to move so I was looking at EC and also Achieve which is credit by testing out.

Anyone had any luck with these?

1 Votes
Specializes in Nurse Scientist-Research.
On 7/2/2019 at 5:51 PM, Lyss1313 said:

this is not true. you can't get a cali license no matter where you attended after excelsior. I know from experience. I have tried every option and avenue including sending a letter to the governor. There is no way to get the license unless you go back to school for your RN again.

There is one more exemption though relevant to few. California did grandfather in EC graduates from prior to 2003 (I believe). Important since my hubby graduated from EC in 2001. But, he only plans to practice as a nurse for a few more years and Cali plans are not in play. I just follow this controversy since I have this association with EC. Also, I did get my BSN from them though I have my ADN from a traditional community college.

I used to be much more up to speed on the reasons CA did this, and it definitely seems all political (strength of the private for-profit ADN school lobby in CA). CA allows LVNs from their state to challenge the RN exam if they complete some of the general education components and have clinical experience (as an LPN obviously). That seems very comparable to what EC does except EC actually requires their students to demonstrate RN level skills in the CPNE. One limitation of CA's 30-unit option is that those nurses' RN license is not transferable outside CA.

3 Votes
Specializes in EMS, ED, Trauma, CEN, CPEN, TCRN.
10 minutes ago, TiffyRN said:

There is one more exemption though relevant to few. California did grandfather in EC graduates from prior to 2003 (I believe).

You had to have maintained continuous enrollment from before December 2003, so because EC allows 7 years for its program, anyone grandfathered under that would have graduated by the end of 2010.

1 Votes
On 8/7/2019 at 10:44 AM, NurseChristy said:

I am in Ca but plan to move so I was looking at EC and also Achieve which is credit by testing out.

Anyone had any luck with these?

Achieve Test Prep and The College Network are TEST PREP PROVIDERS (NOT A COLLEGE OR UNIVERSITY) and PUBLISHING COMPANIES, selling test preparation guides and materials for CLEP, DSST, and UExcel exams. You STILL have to be accepted and enrolled in a school that ACCEPTS transfer credits from these exams. You STILL have to be accepted and enrolled in an Associate's or Bachelor's degree nursing program. Achieve Test Prep do have UExcel nursing exams. This is where the scam comes in. ABSOLUTELY GUARANTEED NO NURSING PROGRAM ACCEPTS NURSING CREDITS FROM ANOTHER NURSING PROGRAM, MUCH MUCH LESS WILL A NURSING PROGRAM ACCEPT CREDITS FROM A CREDIT-BY-EXAM TEST.

Achieve Test Prep own website says (under the "What Is Credit-By-Examination" heading - https://www.achievetestprep.com/healthcare-degrees):
"Our Credit-by-Examination Test-Out Program is a test-prep curriculum for college students interested in fast-tracking their general education courses".

Not even EC will accept UExcel nursing credits, though they do accept many of the UExcel general requirements credits. In fact, you can prepare for UExcel exams directly THROUGH Excelsior.

Excelsior College IS a college. The nursing program is nationally accredited, and is recognized by the National League of Nursing as a Center of Excellence. I'm not trying to sell you on EC, but since you were "looking at EC and also Achieve", I'm trying to give an unbiased assessment.

EC does have drawbacks, the biggest being that EC nursing graduates of all levels, and EC nursing graduates who later earn higher degrees from other programs, will not be eligible to hold licenses in California, Maryland, and Georgia, ever.

I'm just starting the ASN program, taking my last pre-requirement (Microbiology) starting in about 2 weeks, online. No lab component - one of the issues CA, MA, and GA have with issuing RN licenses to EC grads. Since I'm close to 50 years old, and not planning to move to any of those states, it's not an issue with me. You, being from California, it's NOT an option for you either. Western Governor's University () would be for you, if trying to the online LPN-to-RN route.

The take-away - Achieve and College Network ARE SCAMS. It's better to get an associate's from a local community college, maybe in Health Careers or Medical Assistant to get your pre-requirements (Chemistry, Biology, A&P I, A&P II, Microbiology) and most of your general requirements. It will take you 2 years to fulfill your pre-requirements, might as well get a degree with them.

3 Votes

I tried Excelsior for a year. I'm not paying money to teach myself AND have my license not be recognized in some states. Find a school geared toward health sciences. I'm currently enrolled in one in my state and will graduate next May. It will have taken me 2 years and a couple months to do all of my pre-requisites, LPN bridge module, and my final 2 semesters. In that time, I've also taken 3 classes towards my bachelor's degree. I waited for so many years to go back because I told nearly I couldn't work and go to a campus for school. It can be done, especially if you want to be able to travel without worrying if your license will be accepted.

3 Votes
Specializes in Emergency.

I'm in the same boat as the OP. Excelsior grad who lives in a (at the time) state that didn't allow direct licensure but did allow transfer of license after 1000 hours of practice elsewhere. A little over halfway through my 1000 hours, WaBoN changed the law and I could complete my hours on an intermediate license in state.

I realize there are some restrictions to my license by state but since I, like the OP, became an RN at an "advanced age", flexibility and moving around a bunch isn't in the plans anyway.

2 Votes
On 8/21/2019 at 10:16 PM, Taraisms said:

I tried Excelsior for a year. I'm not paying money to teach myself AND have my license not be recognized in some states. Find a school geared toward health sciences. I'm currently enrolled in one in my state and will graduate next May. It will have taken me 2 years and a couple months to do all of my pre-requisites, LPN bridge module, and my final 2 semesters. In that time, I've also taken 3 classes towards my bachelor's degree. I waited for so many years to go back because I told nearly I couldn't work and go to a campus for school. It can be done, especially if you want to be able to travel without worrying if your license will be accepted.

I recently enrolled into a traditional lpn-rn bridge in my state and so glad I did because i'll only have 10 months to complete. None of my ec courses I've taken were accepted. All of my gen ed's are done so just waiting to start in the spring. Also glad I won't have that worry if my education will be recognized by other states and some employers. Good luck to those hanging in there with EC.

1 Votes
On 3/27/2019 at 7:42 PM, SURGICALNURSE2NPORMD said:

Remember MD is a compact state as well so if you have license in a compact state you can work there

That is absolutely incorrect if you also *live* in Maryland. If you live and work in Maryland you MUST be licensed in Maryland. That same statement is true for any compact state- you must be licensed by the state in which you live. T

Beware taking (unreferenced) advice like in the above post, do your own research- see below.

https://www.ncsbn.org/NLC_What_Nurses_Need_to_Know.pdf

1 Votes
Specializes in Hospice,LTC,Pacu,Regulatory,Operating room.
On 2/11/2020 at 2:21 PM, professorjameshall said:

That is absolutely incorrect if you also *live* in Maryland. If you live and work in Maryland you MUST be licensed in Maryland. That same statement is true for any compact state- you must be licensed by the state in which you live. T

Beware taking (unreferenced) advice like in the above post, do your own research- see below.

https://www.NCSBN.org/NLC_What_Nurses_Need_to_Know.pdf

lets be clear if you live in a compact state and do travel nursing you can use your home license to work in other states. Calm down. Nurses always trying to prove they know more.  If your home address is in one state you can work in other states that are in the nursing compact.

4 Votes
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