What are my options?

kittygirlLVN · May 20, 2015

Hi there I at 58 have just enrolled at Kaplan LVN program here in San Diego having the same desire to Nurse, also I start on June 8th. But the reason I am responding is that I am a navy brat, my father a navel officer for 32 years. If I recall we were able to relocate every 4 years. Perhaps its time to relocate to a more convenient local where you can make your dreams happen. Just an idea and best of luck to you.

nurseprnRN, BSN, RN · May 20, 2015

Hi there I at 58 have just enrolled at Kaplan LVN program

Welcome to AllNurses, kittygirl! :flwrhrts:

You may not even know this, but it's not legal to use designations indicating your are licensed in nursing (LVN/LPN, RN) if you are not. If you are just starting your program, you aren't licensed yet. I see this is only your first post so you might not know this is a rule on AN too... you can still change your posting name, and it will change it in all posts, past and future.

Good luck in your schooling! :)

strawberryluv, BSN, RN · May 20, 2015

I second the person that says wait and sit in a school using the G.I. Bill. All the online hoops you're thinking of sounds costly and counterproductive. If your aim is to be a RN, BSN then just go to a 4-year college/university...I wouldn't do all that you're thinking of doing with the various online routes. It seems a waste of time.

springchick1, ADN, RN · May 20, 2015

Excelsior is not one of the approved nursing programs in my state either.

Editorial Team / Moderator · May 21, 2015

Really? I know it's probably on their website. Since I have no interest in Excelsior, I won't be visiting that website. My point to you was, you need to have clinical hours to sit for the NCLEX. There is no way around that. Also, as GrnTea pointed out, they are a shady school and not many places will even let you sit for the NCLEX much less get hired from a school like that. And they are expensive. So when you are all said and done with your "degree", it really is worthless. Check and see where the military wants their nurses from. I'm pretty sure they want it from an accredited, reputable school.

I am a commissioned officer in the Army Nurse Corps and also an Excelsior grad. :)

Editorial Team / Moderator · May 21, 2015

Chloe247, your plan really isn't sound, for many reasons. The military is drawing down, as I am sure you know, and that includes the Nurse Corps. New RNs aren't even considered for commission in the Army right now. A shake-and-bake paramedic program isn't going to give you a solid foundation for EC's program either. I agree with the poster who mentioned the GI Bill. That thing is gold! Complete your time, ETS, and go to school. With the backing of your GI Bill you can get a BSN that will allow you licensure in any state, unlike EC that is an ADN and will require you to jump through extra hoops in many states (and completely keep you from licensure in California).

I know this probably isn't what you wanted to hear, but it is just my opinion as an EC grad and Army nurse. Good luck!

Editorial Team / Moderator · May 21, 2015

I think Maryland is on that list, as well, but I may be reading this wrong.
Maryland Board of Nursing - Nursing Education

Maryland allows EC grads to endorse in with 1000 hours of RN experience. The entire list is here, and at the end of the day it is only California that will not license EC grads who enrolled after 2003: Excelsior College | State Board Requirements

But I know many excellent RNs who work in California who are EC grads; they just enrolled before 2003.

ThatBigGuy · May 21, 2015

Just to clarify, there is no possible way to become an RN without clinicals, so you're going to be severely limited in your choice of programs.

You'll have to find a program that lets you choose the clinical site, but you'll have to make sure you can do your clinicals at Gerald Champion, since that's the only hospital within an hour of Alamo. It's no Johns Hopkins, but it does offer an ICU along with an ER and some maternity services. You should check with them to see if they'd even allow you to do a clinical there. If they won't allow it, then you're likely out of luck.

NMSU-Alamogordo has been working on starting a BSN program on their campus, in cooperation with the main campus in Las Cruces. You should give them a call and see what the status of that program is. If they are still considering the program initiation, they would have been in contact with Gerald Champion in order to offer a clinical site, so GC might already be open to the idea of a student nurse doing clinicals there. It would be pretty sweet if NMSU-A just happens to be starting a program up soon, you sound like a pretty good starting candidate.

So first, check with NMSU-A to see if they will be opening up a program in the near future. If that's not a near-future possibility, find a program that allows you to pick the clinical site, and simultaneously contact Gerald Champion to see if they will even allow student clinicals. If these two options do not work out, you're probably not going to be able to gain any real headway towards becoming an RN.

I don't like your current plan very much, because there are so many rungs on this ladder, and most of them will cost more than more traditional programs. The only consensus on Excelsior is that there is no consensus as far as hiring managers go. There is real risk here that you'll spend a lot of time and money to receive a degree from a program that doesn't have a completely stellar record.

To be brutally honest, being in Alamo really kills nearly all of your chances at becoming an RN when paired with your restrictions on traveling. I think you need to be okay with not getting into a program until after your Alamo commitment is finished.

tnicnat · May 21, 2015

I don't know guys, when I was in the Army I wanted to be a broadcaster but could only get in going with Communications, so I served 2 years, re-enlisted tested for broadcasting got in the school and changed my MOS. If I had to do it all over again, I would have tested for Nursing and gone to school at Ft. Sam Houston, and gone to school for the 2 yrs there.....for me that would be the way to go....stay in and reclassify and then retire and then get a job on the outside. Just a thought

SmilingBluEyes · May 23, 2015

AH but that is not how a public forum works. You put it out there, you get what you get and do not get to choose who replies or how.

I would not go to Excelsior either. EXPEN$IVE. There are less expensive ways, and I would use my GI Bill to go to a nationally-accredited school without the history of Excelsior.

I like the suggestion to save money and go to school when feasible. Save money, use GI Bill, go to state school, less loan debt, more money in your pocket.

Do it smarter, not harder.

Going the EMT route is not really gonna get you there faster in most cases. Nursing and EMT are different animals. IF you want to be a nurse, be a NURSE.

Good luck.

Not sure what I did to deserve this reply. If you know absolutely nothing about the school, you have absolutely no "interest" in it, and refuse to look it up, I am not going to spend my time here educating you on it. I'm not saying this in a rude way either. Your reply was very unnecessary. I got your point that clinical hours are needed for the NCLEX but I guess you'll never understand how this one program works since you won't look into it. I do have my Bachelors degree and any education I receive afterwards isn't worthless as you mentioned. I do know how I would transition as a nurse in the military if I were to get my ADN from Excelsior & then further my nursing education elsewhere. I am working with a health recruiter and several nurses so that I'll have a mentor throughout this process. The school is accredited and reputable by the way.
I'd really appreciate it if I didn't receive any more replies from people who are too good for any of these options that I have since they are my only options.

katidid114 · May 24, 2015

Chloe247 -

I'm sorry that you are receiving unhelpful and rude responses that don't answer your questions - unfortunately I see more of this than helpful replies.

I understand your situation (I think). I was in the Air Force and worked a Command Post schedule, which made on-campus school difficult. I just completed my first quarter of nursing school and it's unlike anything I've done previously. I do not think that an EMT will help (except possibly getting you ready for what you may see as a nurse). I do think that a CNA will be helpful, as I'm learning that several schools are requiring them. :/ Some CNA classes can be done in the morning or at night, followed by about a week of clinical time where you will then go and take the practical test.

You mentioned that you have all your pre-requisites, is this right? Some schools have different requirements so maybe look at a few schools you want to go and see what they require. I would also strongly advise that you look at the state's board of nursing website under the education tab to see if those schools are regionally accredited and also what their pass rates for the NCLEX are (hugely important).

Next thing - nursing school is HARD. If you can find a night program, that would be amazing, given your military career. I don't know if I would walk away from that to go to school yet though...

Here.I.Stand, BSN, RN · May 25, 2015

You asked for advice and were given it...very sound advice, I might add. It's not about being too good for any of these options. It's about wanting you to succeed and not waste hundreds of hours and tens of thousands of dollars on a program that is very ill regarded in the nursing world. Please especially consider GrnTea's advice. She is extremely knowledgeable in this profession, and a nursing instructor to boot. When you have some time, I HIGHLY RECOMMEND going on YouTube and searching for "PBS Frontline for profit university." (I'm on my phone, otherwise would find it for you.) You need to be fully informed about this place.

You do have the option to wait until you are able to do this without Excelsior. I can't recommend that highly enough.