What LPN courses does EC accept?

Katmease · Aug 26, 2005

Excelsior used to have a program that you could send a fee & see what would apply & what you would need for completion & that fee would be appied to your enrollment.

Who is the accrediting agency for your program? I doubt that it will apply either but you never know. Generally, LPN coursework does not count towards a college degree anywhere. I'm not bashing LPNs (afterall, I didn't start out as an RN either )

Laurie888 · Aug 27, 2005

Have a service where you pay a fee and they evaluate your credits. If you talk to the right person at the right time (I would suggest a nursing advisor) they may gladly look at your transcripts (she just asked me to fax a copy) and tell you approximately where you stand. This for me was three years ago, but it was a huge help. It was also just before they implemented the separate fee for applying to the nursing program, which you do first.

Offhand I would GUESS your human development will transfer, and if you have a "b" average or better in your LPN program I believe you don't have to take Nursing Concepts 2.

Your psych would probably transfer, and you could probably take CLEP tests (much cheaper) for sociology -- I did that back when I was in traditional school and after the psych and nursing 101 I found it was pretty easy. They would also want descriptions of the courses, possibly you might have *some* a&p credit there? Hard to say.

Beyond that I wouldn't wager any guesses! But I DO know that you absolutely do NOT need to pay an enrollment fee to find out where you stand! Try calling a nursing advisor directly and see what they advise.

Talked with an EC rep yesterday (still trying to decide whether to enroll with EC) and asked which of my LPN courses would be accepted toward my RN degree through their program. He said "probably none because you went to a vocational school and they are rarely accredited."
The vocational center where I graduated in Oklahoma is indeed accredited (I checked and had it verified) and told him so. He still couldn't tell me which of my classes would count toward my RN degreee and said any of my classes that counted would be determined by an advisor once I was accepted and enrolled in EC and after I paid the $895 enrollment fee.
I'd like to get an idea what to expect before I sign on the dotted financial obigation line, not after I've forked out money from my humble savings account.
My LPN classes were the following:
LEVEL 1:
1) Nursing Concepts I - 36 Theory hrs., 24 Clinical Hrs.
2) Body Structure & Function - 90 Theory hrs.
3) Nutrition - 12 Theory hrs.
4) Growth & Development/Life Span - 18 Theory hrs., 24 Clinicial Hrs.
5) Nursing Principals & Skills - 90 Theory Hrs., 90 Lab hrs., 96 Clinicial hrs.
LEVEL 2:
1) Pharmacology - 27 Theory hrs., 18 Lab hrs., 72 Clinicial Hrs.
(We had to be IV certified to graduate from our school)
2) Med-Surg Nursing I - 42 Theory hrs., 18 Lab hrs., 72 Clinical hrs.
3) Maternity & Child Nursing - 39 Theory hrs., 48 Clinical hrs.
LEVEL 3:
1) Mental Health - 30 Theory hrs., 24 Clinical hrs.
2) Med-Surg Nursing II - 144 Theory hrs., 12 Lab hrs., 224 Clinical hrs.
3) Nursing Concepts II - 12 Theory hrs., 64 Clinical hrs.
I graduated with honors and am a member of the National Vocational Honor Society. I've also taken a college-level Psych class.
I am asking my question to better determine just how much my RN degree will cost me. I don't care overly much for paying out $895 without knowing all the details - like how many more classes I'll to take and budget for. (Anal retentive, I know!)
Sorry about the length of this post but I thought that by giving complete info on my prior classes, it might expediate informed replies from past or current EC students. As always, I appreciate the help!
Cindy

barbiedee · Aug 31, 2005

I am not sure what the EC requirements are for LPN training, but they must have changed recently. I have finished most of my EC and am now waiting for my CPNE date. I graduated 15 years ago from our local community college. A recent LPN grad from the same college I went to (Which is now a University...not just a college) was just refused entry to EC as his LPN program wasn't acceptable. Go figure. The current LPN program is 3 months longer than when I graduated and it wasn't accepted. I suggested the LPN contact EC and ask why it was unacceptable. I'll post again if I find out why.

mobileLPN · Aug 31, 2005

Talked with an EC rep yesterday (still trying to decide whether to enroll with EC) and asked which of my LPN courses would be accepted toward my RN degree through their program. He said "probably none because you went to a vocational school and they are rarely accredited."
The vocational center where I graduated in Oklahoma is indeed accredited (I checked and had it verified) and told him so. He still couldn't tell me which of my classes would count toward my RN degreee and said any of my classes that counted would be determined by an advisor once I was accepted and enrolled in EC and after I paid the $895 enrollment fee.
I'd like to get an idea what to expect before I sign on the dotted financial obigation line, not after I've forked out money from my humble savings account.
My LPN classes were the following:
LEVEL 1:
1) Nursing Concepts I - 36 Theory hrs., 24 Clinical Hrs.
2) Body Structure & Function - 90 Theory hrs.
3) Nutrition - 12 Theory hrs.
4) Growth & Development/Life Span - 18 Theory hrs., 24 Clinicial Hrs.
5) Nursing Principals & Skills - 90 Theory Hrs., 90 Lab hrs., 96 Clinicial hrs.
LEVEL 2:
1) Pharmacology - 27 Theory hrs., 18 Lab hrs., 72 Clinicial Hrs.
(We had to be IV certified to graduate from our school)
2) Med-Surg Nursing I - 42 Theory hrs., 18 Lab hrs., 72 Clinical hrs.
3) Maternity & Child Nursing - 39 Theory hrs., 48 Clinical hrs.
LEVEL 3:
1) Mental Health - 30 Theory hrs., 24 Clinical hrs.
2) Med-Surg Nursing II - 144 Theory hrs., 12 Lab hrs., 224 Clinical hrs.
3) Nursing Concepts II - 12 Theory hrs., 64 Clinical hrs.
I graduated with honors and am a member of the National Vocational Honor Society. I've also taken a college-level Psych class.
I am asking my question to better determine just how much my RN degree will cost me. I don't care overly much for paying out $895 without knowing all the details - like how many more classes I'll to take and budget for. (Anal retentive, I know!)
Sorry about the length of this post but I thought that by giving complete info on my prior classes, it might expediate informed replies from past or current EC students. As always, I appreciate the help!
Cindy

Because these classes were at a vo-tech, even a great one, they will be lumped together under "LPN Training" which will let you skip NC-2. They are not college classes unless one of the local colleges has agreed to grant credit for it. If that is the case, you will have to send the transcripts from the college that grants the credit. Colleges are accredited by different agencies than Vo-techs. (The NLN accredits both, but for different reasons) I too graduated from a vo-tech (or Technology center, as they call them now) in Oklahoma, and this was indeed the situation. To get this from the horses mouth, call EC and ask to speak to a nursing advisor.

Realize that EC offers exams for the Human Growth and Development and Anat and Phys that you can take for a lot less than taking the classes.

Southern_Male_Nurse · Aug 31, 2005

I know that Army trained 91c (practical nurses) their course work will transfer. Mine got me 30 credits alone when I went to get my rn. And plus, several states )WV and CA) will automatically allow army trained 91c's sit for the RN board w/o even going to get their ADN. The course is that intense.

copnlpn2 · Aug 31, 2005

Thanks for the recent info!

Yesterday I spoke with an highly skeptical EC nursing advisor who told me that IF my school was "really" accredited, which she really doubted was the case :angryfire , I would receive credit for 9 to 12 hours of my LPN course work. What ensued was a flurry of phone calls on my part - and with good results!

I found out for sure that my LPN school (at a technical center in Oklahoma) was indeed nationally accredited. As proof of it's accreditation, I will soon be receiving letters from my school's administrator and from the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission.

The lady I spoke with at NLNAC was truly indignant when I told her EC said the NLNAC accreditation wasn't acceptable. She said the NLNAC actually accredits EC so they darned well better not say that the NLNAC accreditation of my school is "not good enough" for them to recognize!

My next battle will be regarding IV certification. Students in my LPN school had to be IV certified to graduate. After moving from Oklahoma to Ohio and got an LPN job at a LTC/Skilled facility, I told the DON I was IV certified but she wasn't sure if my certification was "good enough" for Ohio. :rolleyes:

I've never pushed the issue since LPNs at our facility don't get a pay differential for doing IVs, just the extra responsibility/headaches. But now that I want to become an RN, I want the matter resolved so I'll know now whether I have to take an entire "Ohio approved" IV certification course or my IV certification is "good enough" for Ohio. (I'd still take a refresher course since it's been a few years since I used my IV skills). Anyone come across this issue before?

Still haven't signed on the dotted line with EC yet. I fully intend to have answers to all my questions before I send them a penny. Just hope they don't get so tired of my questions that they stop taking my calls!

Wish me luck in my endeavors!

mobileLPN · Aug 31, 2005

Thanks for the recent info!
Yesterday I spoke with an highly skeptical EC nursing advisor who told me that IF my school was "really" accredited, which she really doubted was the case :angryfire , I would receive credit for 9 to 12 hours of my LPN course work. What ensued was a flurry of phone calls on my part - and with good results!
I found out for sure that my LPN school (at a technical center in Oklahoma) was indeed nationally accredited. As proof of it's accreditation, I will soon be receiving letters from my school's administrator and from the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission.
My next battle will be regarding IV certification. Students in my LPN school had to be IV certified to graduate. After moving from Oklahoma to Ohio and got an LPN job at a LTC/Skilled facility, I told the DON I was IV certified but she wasn't sure if my certification was "good enough" for Ohio.
I've never pushed the issue since LPNs at our facility don't get a pay differential for doing IVs, just the extra responsibility/headaches. But now that I want to become an RN, I want the matter resolved so I'll know now whether I have to take an entire "Ohio approved" IV certification course or my IV certification is "good enough" for Ohio. (I'd still take a refresher course since it's been a few years since I used my IV skills). Anyone come across this issue before?
Wish me luck in my endeavors!

NLNAC accredits nursing programs only. They do not accredit a college for gen ed requirements like Human Development and Anatomy and Physiology. The agencies that accredit colleges for these classes are Middle States and North Central Associations of Colleges and schools. Even within these organizations, schools can be accredited differently as Vo-techs and colleges. A good test would be for you to take your transcripts down to your local community college and ask if they will give you credit for those individual classes (and not just for having LPN status). If they will not, it is unlikely that EC will either.

As far as IV certification, I had the same problem. My LPN program in OKC included IV certification. Most states I've traveled to just accepted that. California was different. I had my transcript indicating IV therapy training sent to the CA LVN board. They sent me a letter stating that it didn't count because the training wasn't done by a CAli. Licensed RN!! Like that makes any difference in the world! So I had to jump through the hoops to get IV certified for CA.

Good luck with your studies.

fireflyLPN · Sep 2, 2005

Cindy,

I am an LPN looking to attend RN school. While trying to figure out where I want to go, I contacted several universities (both 2 & 4 yr), and I got the same response (your school is not accredited). I thought what the heck, I know they are!!! After asking a administrator @ my LPN program I found out why. They are not accredited in the same manner that the 2 or 4 yr institutions were. My school was nationally accredited & the RN programs are regionally. Its the difference in accreditation types that makes them unwilling to accept the transfer credits. It has nothing to do with being NLN accredited.

Hope this helps!

longtimenurse · Feb 7, 2006

Cindy,

I enrolled in EC a couple of years ago and found that the only way to find out for sure what college credits would transfer was to enroll and have the transcripts sent directly from the colleges in which the courses were taken. I was in one of the last "step" programs; we took LPN boards at the end of the first year of a two year RN program. I was unable to complete the second year. When I enrolled at EC most of my college credits were accepted but I lost some credits because my classes were quarterly instead of semester. I also was not given credit for A&P but received full credit for micrbiology(go figure!). Bottom line your must have college credits not vocational to transfer. Nursing courses may transfer if they are within the time frame, which used to be five years. Also note that when you enroll you can download study guides, access the virtual library and many other

resources. Talk to the advisors and go to the website and look around.

Good luck! :nurse:

sak25 · Feb 22, 2006

The college I graduated from is accredited I think by middle states.... will my courses transfer?

S.K.

pedinurse05 · Feb 22, 2006

The college I graduated from is accredited I think by middle states.... will my courses transfer?
S.K.

They will not accept any courses within the LPN program--like A&P, etc. You must have taken these classes seperately. They will however waive NC 2 if you are a recent grad with A B level in your LPN program.