Texas Lvn's

bioniclewoman · Jul 21, 2004

I just hung up the phone with the Texas BNE. They told me that since Indiana State University was approved by the NLN anyone completing this program could sit for the NCLEX. They say any program must be NLN approved or you cannot sit for the boards. They also told me they were having a meeting tomm and the Excelceir College is under review. They are concerned that this program does not have a clinical componet through out the program . She said if they restricted grads from taking the NCLEX it would be within the next three months....

So you can get a nursing degree through Excelceir without having one clinical? I've seen post form people getting their nursing degrees online, but I thought it was ADNs just taking some basic courses like math to get their BSN. How can someone be a nurse without haveing any clinical training?

txspadequeenRN, BSN, RN · Jul 22, 2004

I didnt say it did not have a clinical, I said it didnt have a clinical throughout the program. Excelceir has a 3 day "bashing" if you will at the end of the nursing studies where you must prove your skills. This is the CPNE ,which they consider the clinical portion. Now the BNE is investigating because they have had some complaints from ,who or what I do not know . However the lady from the BNE told me they prefer for there to be a clinical throughout the entire program. :) And the people that go through Excelceir are already either nurses or have some significant type of medical training.:)

So you can get a nursing degree through Excelceir without having one clinical? I've seen post form people getting their nursing degrees online, but I thought it was ADNs just taking some basic courses like math to get their BSN. How can someone be a nurse without haveing any clinical training?

RN34TX · Jul 24, 2004

I just hung up the phone with the Texas BNE. They told me that since Indiana State University was approved by the NLN anyone completing this program could sit for the NCLEX. They say any program must be NLN approved or you cannot sit for the boards. They also told me they were having a meeting tomm and the Excelceir College is under review. They are concerned that this program does not have a clinical componet through out the program . She said if they restricted grads from taking the NCLEX it would be within the next three months....

I was very concerned by your last thread regarding Texas and Excelsior so I called Excelsior and spoke to the licensing/state board division.

They were not aware that TX was reviewing their program until I called them and told them what you wrote on this website. Since these meetings Excelsior has been in contact with the TX BON and I was told that they were reviewing the CA decision and the program iteself but they do not intend to follow suit. She told me that many state boards are talking about CA's recent actions because they did take such a radical stance and make major changes in their licensing policies but reviewing Excelsior at board meetings is not necessarily for the purpose of doing the same thing as CA. All schools get reviewed from time to time and Excelsior is popping up on many state board agendas due to the recent CA decision.

Again, Excelsior told me that there is no cause for alarm because Texas does not intend to make any changes regarding the acceptance of Excelsior grads and that the board meetings regarding Excelsior were very positive.

But keep in mind that I'm only going by what Excelsior has told me. I intend to call the TX BON myself on monday (when I have a spare 2 hours to be on hold due to their "high volume of calls") so I can get the scoop on the outcomes of their meetings myself.

I will post this message on your other thread as well to keep other TX students and grads updated.

txspadequeenRN, BSN, RN · Jul 24, 2004

HMMM This ladyt at the BON made it very clear to me that the board was reviewing this program for denial. She said and I quote " We are concerned that they do not have a clinical componet all the way through the course, we have also had MANY complaints". I was just calling the BON to make sure that I could go to Indiana State University if I wanted (the new distance program) . When I ask her about any other programs she recommends I got this Excelsior speech, which she started off by saying "Well I must tell you that we are having a meeting tomm morn on whether to cont allowing Excelsior grads to take the NCLEX". The lady at the BON may have had happy hour early , I dont know . Keep me posted on this ,Excelsior was kinda in my plans if all else failed.... :uhoh3:

I was very concerned by your last thread regarding Texas and Excelsior so I called Excelsior and spoke to the licensing/state board division.
They were not aware that TX was reviewing their program until I called them and told them what you wrote on this website. Since these meetings Excelsior has been in contact with the TX BON and I was told that they were reviewing the CA decision and the program iteself but they do not intend to follow suit. She told me that many state boards are talking about CA's recent actions because they did take such a radical stance and make major changes in their licensing policies but reviewing Excelsior at board meetings is not necessarily for the purpose of doing the same thing as CA. All schools get reviewed from time to time and Excelsior is popping up on many state board agendas due to the recent CA decision.
Again, Excelsior told me that there is no cause for alarm because Texas does not intend to make any changes regarding the acceptance of Excelsior grads and that the board meetings regarding Excelsior were very positive.
But keep in mind that I'm only going by what Excelsior has told me. I intend to call the TX BON myself on monday (when I have a spare 2 hours to be on hold due to their "high volume of calls") so I can get the scoop on the outcomes of their meetings myself.
I will post this message on your other thread as well to keep other TX students and grads updated.

RN34TX · Jul 24, 2004

I will definitely call them on monday and see what type of response I get. I remember a thread where several people called the CA BON regarding Excelsior and they got different responses depending on who you got on the phone.

I'd like to find out more about the "complaints" they've been getting.

I've read about people alluding (sp?) to Excelsior grads not being competent or making dangerous mistakes or something along those lines but I've yet to see clear examples of it or anyone actually stating that they work with Excelsior grads and believe them to be incompetent or dangerous.

I read posts with people saying that they wouldn't want one of them being their nurse if they were a patient but none of them ever seem to actually know or work with Excelsior grads.

Maybe the TX BNE will give me more info on this.

Sheri257 · Jul 24, 2004

I've read about people alluding (sp?) to Excelsior grads not being competent or making dangerous mistakes or something along those lines but I've yet to see clear examples of it or anyone actually stating that they work with Excelsior grads and believe them to be incompetent or dangerous.

You may want to check out this thread, particularly posts by pugluvnrun, who experienced problems with Excelsior grads in Orange County, California.

https://allnurses.com/forums/showthread.php?t=43775&page=2&pp=10

As far as Texas, I hope they do post something on their website since everybody seems to post confusing info when they call.

:coollook:

bioniclewoman · Jul 25, 2004

Where do you do the "bashing" at since it is a distance learning program? Do they have something set up with most hopitals where their students can do the "bashing"? Do they have one of their professors come to the hopital to over see the students? Is the "bashing" after each course or just at the end of the program?

I looked at their web site, but I didn't see much info about the program. I'm very curious about it. This whole distance learning thing is new to me. Back when I went to college the first time, you couldn't even take a history class through distance learning at least not through any of the school I knew of.

RN34TX · Jul 26, 2004

You may want to check out this thread, particularly posts by pugluvnrun, who experienced problems with Excelsior grads in Orange County, California.
https://allnurses.com/forums/showthread.php?t=43775&page=2&pp=10
As far as Texas, I hope they do post something on their website since everybody seems to post confusing info when they call.

Thank you Lizz, I read the entire thread. I have to admit that I was a little disappointed in that I was hoping that it would have come from someone OTHER than from California simply because I'm tired of hearing from them since it has become such a hot topic out there and I can't help but be a little suspicious that Excelsior grads might be a little more focused on and their errors as new grads might be magnified and taken notice of a little more than your average new community college or University grad simply because everyone out there is talking about how bad Excelsior is but nonetheless it was nice to read posts from someone who actually worked with Excelsior grads instead of just spewing out their opinions.

Honestly if people have had the actual experience with working with them and it had always been negative I can't say that I would blame them for wondering about the school's ability to graduate competent nurses because if I had kept getting problem grads from the same school, no matter what school it was, I would probably start wondering about that school as well.

I can only speak for myself and the grads that I have worked with. Some of them became my supervisors and went into management and all of them have enjoyed excellent reputations at the facilities that they worked at. I never heard of all of these problems until about a year ago when I started reading it on the internet.

As far as "everyone" posting confusing information about Texas, if that was aimed at me I apologize but I didn't think that there was anything confusing about it. I stated up front that I have not yet contacted the TX BNE and all of my info was from my phone call with Excelsior who has been in contact with the TX BNE. I myself never got any info straight from the TX BNE, and like I stated earlier, when I have a spare 2 hours to sit on hold due to the "high volume of calls" that seem to occur no matter when you call them, I will do so.

Whatever happens here in Texas, I hope any decision would be based on evaluating Texas grads and how they are performing here, not horror stories from CA and that it not simply become a copycat situation.

That wasn't an attempt to slam CA, it just would be nice to get some input from elsewhere with the situation out there being the way it is.

You know what? I think I'll post something and ask if other people have had problems with orienting/precepting Excelsior grads and see what they say. I know that I'm asking for trouble but I'll bet you would be interested in reading the responses as well. I've never started a thread before, only responded to them. Hope nobody slams me too much, I know that I can be a little harsh but some of them out there are downright mean.

Sheri257 · Jul 26, 2004

As far as "everyone" posting confusing information about Texas, if that was aimed at me I apologize but I didn't think that there was anything confusing about it.

No need to apologize. I was just hoping to avoid the same confusion we had with people calling the California BORN on the other thread, and getting all kinds of different answers. I wasn't confused by your post at all.

:coollook:

txspadequeenRN, BSN, RN · Jul 26, 2004

At the end of your nursing classes you go to one of several sites (Hospitals) across the US and do your three day clinical.:)

Where do you do the "bashing" at since it is a distance learning program? Do they have something set up with most hopitals where their students can do the "bashing"? Do they have one of their professors come to the hopital to over see the students? Is the "bashing" after each course or just at the end of the program?
I looked at their web site, but I didn't see much info about the program. I'm very curious about it. This whole distance learning thing is new to me. Back when I went to college the first time, you couldn't even take a history class through distance learning at least not through any of the school I knew of.

Sheri257 · Jul 26, 2004

I have to admit that I was a little disappointed in that I was hoping that it would have come from someone OTHER than from California simply because I'm tired of hearing from them since it has become such a hot topic out there and I can't help but be a little suspicious that Excelsior grads might be a little more focused on and their errors as new grads might be magnified and taken notice of a little more than your average new community college or University grad simply because everyone out there is talking about how bad Excelsior is but nonetheless it was nice to read posts from someone who actually worked with Excelsior grads instead of just spewing out their opinions.

You might already be familiar with this thread, but Shotzie from South Texas posted this:

"I know that when I worked as a nurse recruiter my hospital and all the others around us did not consider that a valid degree and would not hire these graduates, even with a nursing shortage going on."

https://allnurses.com/forums/showthread.php?t=62382&page=1&pp=10&highlight=excelsior+georgia+illinois+south+carolina

Just some info from a non-California person.

:coollook: