Where are each of you in the EC program?

mona b RN, BSN, RN · Nov 5, 2004

You have to complete your nursing exams and be within 9 credits of your other requirements. I'm not sure what the truth is, but if it is 6-8 weeks to get notification of eligibility (i've heard it doesn't really take that long) and 4-6 months (depends partly on the site you pick, the mid-west sites look like 6 months at the moment, others as little as 4) it COULD take a max of 8 or as little as 5 months -- and there are always the cancellation dates that get you in earilier.
For me, I will need that time to shadow some nurses, take workshops, brush up on skills, find a way to work as a CNA and get closer to patient care again (have been trying for a year for the md. bon to tell me what I need to practice as a student at excelsior and have gotten nowhere).
I know that when I take an exam I usually have updated trancripts inside of a month, so maybe it doesn't really take that long to be notified of eligibility.

Thanks for the info. I guess when you start adding things like workshops etc, the time starts to add up. I am hoping to hit the nc's hard so I can apply for the cpne as soon as I am eligible. Of course, I have not actually experienced a NC exam yet so we will see.

I have read about other students taking an exam q 2-4 wk. That sure would nice :)

Anybody have thoughts on this?

bellcollector · Nov 14, 2004

A friend and I from work buddied up and split the cost for the RUE system. This is not reccommended or needed but we felt it was the best choice for us. So far we have done two classes, ethics and NC1--A's on both. We both felt that ethics was much harder than NC1. So far we are going at a rate of about 6wks per test. We would like to speed that up to about 1 per month. I really think this is possible as we have only been studying every Wed night. If we add another day per week or do a bit more independant study I think 1 per month would be very doable. We are really pumped and depending on how this all goes we are thinking of doing the RN to MSN after this. It will probably take us several yrs to do that but those yrs go by anyway.

This was a good idea.

dvapwr · Nov 14, 2004

Hi ...has anyone done English Comp through EC .... If so, How was it ....thanks

JKohler · Nov 17, 2004

Hi...I pan on enrolling into Excelsior after this semester of college ( finishing pre-reqs).

Question...For those of you already taking NC courses, are you just using the study guides? Or have you bought the required/suggested books as well?

opalmRN · Nov 18, 2004

For those of you already taking NC courses, are you just using the study guides? Or have you bought the required/suggested books as well?

I purchased the recommended pharm text as the one I have is very limited. Other than that, I am just using the textbooks from my PN classes, the FREE EC study guides and the FREE stuff donated generously to my cause by my good EC friends here on allnurses :kiss

mona b RN, BSN, RN · Nov 18, 2004

Hi...I pan on enrolling into Excelsior after this semester of college ( finishing pre-reqs).
Question...For those of you already taking NC courses, are you just using the study guides? Or have you bought the required/suggested books as well?

I bought used books off of Amazon. I just ordered Wong's pediatrics and the Med/surg Smeltzer(i think). These books are huge though. I don't know if I will be cozying up in the easy chair with these suckers. :uhoh21:

I probably didn't need to buy the suggested books but it made me feel better knowing I have the books that they suggested. I also bought a nursing dictionary. I can always sell them when I am done so I am not worried about spending the money.

Amazon is a great place to get used nursing books.

Spazzy Nurse, RN · Nov 18, 2004

I did the same as Opalm and Mona did..... I used lots of my LPN books and bought a few others used online. I think that a med surg book is a med surg book, and an A&P book is an A&P book..... meaning that I don't think it's always necessary to get the exact ones that they recommend--- unless you are using the EC expanded content guide, which tells you what pages to look on for that content. I liked to live on the wild side though, so I didn't used the expanded guides and I thumbed through books. It was wacky and wild. :clown:

bon149 · Nov 18, 2004

This is a great thread....every post has been helpful. I plan on enrolling in EC in Jan 05, I've already applied and have been accepted. I started with A&P, I am going so much slower than everyone here and I'm wondering if I'm being too careful. How hard was that A&P test anyway? :)

Spazzy Nurse, RN · Nov 19, 2004

I thought it was pretty tough. Obviously it is doable though, since people are passing it (lots with A's) all the time. You'll do just fine. :) It's a good one to do first, because then the other ones won't seem as horrible. :)

opalmRN · Nov 20, 2004

This is a great thread....every post has been helpful. I plan on enrolling in EC in Jan 05, I've already applied and have been accepted. I started with A&P, I am going so much slower than everyone here and I'm wondering if I'm being too careful. How hard was that A&P test anyway? :)

That is the beauty of EC! Everyone can go at their own pace. The pace you set is best for you. Keep up the good work and let us know how things are progressing. We try to support each other anyway we can.

Opal

opalmRN · Nov 20, 2004

Thanks to everyone who replied. It is very comforting to know there are so many others enrolled with EC.

Please stop back and post updates, questions, and revelations (I need lots of revelations

:) )

Opal

Spazzy Nurse, RN · Nov 20, 2004

You're right--- it is unbelievably helpful to "go through this" with other people. My study buddies were a Godsend.