paramedic to RN programs

[Guest guest]

I'm looking for paramedic to RN programs in north Texas. I've searched the

archives but the latest discussion on this was several years ago. I found

information for Austin Community College and Trinity Valley Community College.

I'm wondering if anyone else if offering the paramedic to RN transition programs

outside the Houston area.

Is anyone trying the Excelsior College 'distance' learning program via ECI? Is

there anyone in that program willing to voice thoughts and opinions on in? Is it

actually a good program? I'm finding it difficult to stomach the thought of

throwing down 10K for this program.

Regards,

CP

[Guest guest]

contact me off list. i am an excelsior student and will tell you all about it

jim davis

cpoe6 wrote: I'm looking

for paramedic to RN programs in north Texas. I've searched the archives but the

latest discussion on this was several years ago. I found information for Austin

Community College and Trinity Valley Community College. I'm wondering if anyone

else if offering the paramedic to RN transition programs outside the Houston

area.

Is anyone trying the Excelsior College 'distance' learning program via ECI? Is

there anyone in that program willing to voice thoughts and opinions on in? Is it

actually a good program? I'm finding it difficult to stomach the thought of

throwing down 10K for this program.

Regards,

CP

[Guest guest]

If you don't mind, post it here. I'd like to hear about it. I've taken

Excelsior tests for credit and had good results, but have been considering

one of their degree programs (not nursing). I'd like to hear other's

experiences.

Mike

>

> contact me off list. i am an excelsior student and will tell you all

> about it

>

> jim davis

>

> cpoe6 <cpoe6@... <cpoe6%40houston.rr.com>> wrote: I'm looking

> for paramedic to RN programs in north Texas. I've searched the archives but

> the latest discussion on this was several years ago. I found information for

> Austin Community College and Trinity Valley Community College. I'm wondering

> if anyone else if offering the paramedic to RN transition programs outside

> the Houston area.

>

>

> Is anyone trying the Excelsior College 'distance' learning program via

> ECI? Is there anyone in that program willing to voice thoughts and opinions

> on in? Is it actually a good program? I'm finding it difficult to stomach

> the thought of throwing down 10K for this program.

>

> Regards,

> CP

>

>

[Guest guest]

Cindy, Jim, Mike and anyone else who's interested,

I am a graduate of the Excelsior College RN Program and know at least 30

Paramedics who are too. A lot of us were in the program back when they called

it Regents College. Unfortunately, I do not know anyone who has graduated

with the other many degrees they offer.

I personally think it's a great way to become an RN. Internet based

education is becoming more popular and more importantly more respected. I even

know

a few folks who have received their BSN and MSN through Excelsior College.

The only disadvantage to the program is if you don't have access to resources

for " nursing-type " skills. Resources needed would be the ability to work

with a nurse in a hospital or even nursing home setting to practice bed making,

different forms of baths, oral care, orthopedics stuff, work with or see

different MAR's (Medication Administration Record's), administering all forms

of

medication, etc. As easy as bed-making sounds, if you've never done it like

the nursing text requires, you could get yourself in trouble.

Working toward any educational goal requires discipline, time and

motivation, but with distant education you need a lot of self motivation because

you

set your own schedule. There is no due date.

The CPNE or clinical test is by far the most difficult and challenging

component. It is NOT a teaching setting, but a testing one only. You have to

be

totally prepared to perform all skills, medication administration and

documentation before you get there. When you first receive the at least five

inch

thick notebook to study, it is extremely overwhelming. But, don't be

discouraged, because it is very doable.

Jim, I'm sorry to hear about your first attempt at the CPNE, but you will

pass it the next time! The pass rate the first time is not very high, but I

don't have Excelsior's statistics on that. If you would like to email me

off-list I would be more than happy to share some strategies with you. Of all

of

the folks that I've coached to take the CPNE, every one of them passed it the

first time without any difficulty at all.

If anyone has any questions, feel free to email me off-list.

Good luck,

, LP, RN, FP-C

In a message dated 8/17/2006 4:40:03 PM Central Standard Time,

james_dav_bmcg@... writes:

sure, i am an excelsior student. i took 49 hrs of their micro, A & P,

sociology, humanities, life span psych and 28 hrs of nursing concepts. i took

and

failed their CPNE (a 2.5 day skills test worth 8 college hrs) in feb 2005 but

am

taking it again

jim

Mike <_paramedicop@paramedic_ (mailto:paramedicop@...) > wrote:

If you don't mind, post it here. I'd like to hear about it. I've taken

Excelsior tests for credit and had good results, but have been considering

one of their degree programs (not nursing). I'd like to hear other's

experiences.

Mike

On 8/16/06, james davis <_james_dav_bmcg@james_dav_

(mailto:james_dav_bmcg@...) > wrote:

>

> contact me off list. i am an excelsior student and will tell you all

> about it

>

> jim davis

>

> cpoe6 <_cpoe6@...@_ (mailto:cpoe6@...)

<cpoe6%40houston.cpoe6%>> wrote: I'm looking

> for paramedic to RN programs in north Texas. I've searched the archives

but

> the latest discussion on this was several years ago. I found information

for

> Austin Community College and Trinity Valley Community College. I'm

wondering

> if anyone else if offering the paramedic to RN transition programs outside

> the Houston area.

>

>

> Is anyone trying the Excelsior College 'distance' learning program via

> ECI? Is there anyone in that program willing to voice thoughts and

opinions

> on in? Is it actually a good program? I'm finding it difficult to stomach

> the thought of throwing down 10K for this program.

>

> Regards,

> CP

>

> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

>

>

>

>

>

>

> ------------ ---- ----

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>

>

> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

>

>

>

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

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[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[Guest guest]

sure, i am an excelsior student. i took 49 hrs of their micro, A & P, sociology,

humanities, life span psych and 28 hrs of nursing concepts. i took and failed

their CPNE (a 2.5 day skills test worth 8 college hrs) in feb 2005 but am taking

it again

jim

Mike wrote: If you

don't mind, post it here. I'd like to hear about it. I've taken

Excelsior tests for credit and had good results, but have been considering

one of their degree programs (not nursing). I'd like to hear other's

experiences.

Mike

>

> contact me off list. i am an excelsior student and will tell you all

> about it

>

> jim davis

>

> cpoe6 <cpoe6@... <cpoe6%40houston.rr.com>> wrote: I'm looking

> for paramedic to RN programs in north Texas. I've searched the archives but

> the latest discussion on this was several years ago. I found information for

> Austin Community College and Trinity Valley Community College. I'm wondering

> if anyone else if offering the paramedic to RN transition programs outside

> the Houston area.

>

>

> Is anyone trying the Excelsior College 'distance' learning program via

> ECI? Is there anyone in that program willing to voice thoughts and opinions

> on in? Is it actually a good program? I'm finding it difficult to stomach

> the thought of throwing down 10K for this program.

>

> Regards,

> CP

>

>

[Guest guest]

Does anyone know of any online RN programs through Community Colleges. I know

one just popped up in Virginia recently. That may be easier than traveling to NY

for the exam.

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[Guest guest]

Excelsior College has several " Regional Performance Centers " that

administer the exam throughout the county. For example, the

" Midwestern Performance Center " has examination sites in Amarillo and

Plano. The wait time is the limiting factor here. From the date of

being " CPNE eligible " to the date of actual testing can be anywhere

from 4-6 months.

-Alfonso R. Ochoa

>

> Does anyone know of any online RN programs through Community

Colleges. I know one just popped up in Virginia recently. That may be

easier than traveling to NY for the exam.

>

>

> ________________________________________________________________________

> Try Juno Platinum for Free! Then, only $9.95/month!

> Unlimited Internet Access with 1GB of Email Storage.

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>

>

>

[Guest guest]

I too have been looking into Excelsior College for the RN program.

I have also noticed some folks have mentioned " The College Network "

and " iStudySmart.com " ; how do these pertain to Excelsior?

Is it an alternative for CLEPing out of courses?

Is it any cheaper and then transfer the credits into Excelsior?

Sorry I dont know much about those programs, I haven't done much

research outside of Excelsior yet.

Thanks in advance to everyones comments, they have been great and

very helpful.

-Chris

[Guest guest]

>

> I too have been looking into Excelsior College for the RN program.

> I have also noticed some folks have mentioned " The College Network "

> and " iStudySmart.com " ; how do these pertain to Excelsior?

>

These are for-profit publishing companies that print study materials.

They are in no way affiliated with Excelsior College. As a matter of

fact, Excelsior College prints " a word of caution about test

prepatation and tutorial services " in each of their content guides

that warns about using companies such as these to study. When I was

taking the nursing theory exams, I purchased the recommended textbooks

and followed the content guidelines for that paricular exam. I have

found that by keeping the textbooks, I have handy references whenever

I run into a question. Also, I didn't like the fact that it would

have cost more signing a " contract " with the College Network than

tutition through EC.

> Is it an alternative for CLEPing out of courses?

>

No, these companies are not accredited institutions, therefore you

cannot " clep " out of any courses without going through an accredited

institution.

> Is it any cheaper and then transfer the credits into Excelsior?

>

When I enrolled in Excelsior College, all my " general education "

credits from another instution transferred in with the exception of

the Information Literacy course. All things considered, I found EC to

be of great value, since I didn't have to physically by present for

any class and I could study when it was convenient for me. I haven't

done research on EC costs vs. traditional brick-and-motar programs,

but I feel I am being adequately prepared. Then again, I might be

singing a different tune come NCLEX-RN time. :-D

> Sorry I dont know much about those programs, I haven't done much

> research outside of Excelsior yet.

>

> Thanks in advance to everyones comments, they have been great and

> very helpful.

> -Chris

I hope I have been of some assistance. If you have any more

questions, you can post them to this list or e-mail me privately at

asclapius@.... I'd be more than happy to help you.

-Alfonso R. Ochoa

[Guest guest]

That could be a deterent for many who choose to entertain this program.

L.

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[Guest guest]

College Network is a prep program that narrows down having to go through

multiple textbooks to study for the exams, whether the nursing exams through

Excelsior or CLEP exams if you need them. I did the traditional method of

studying for these a few years ago through what was Regents and is now

Excelsior. (I didn't complete my CPNE, so now I had to start over). I had to

generally study and pull information from multiple textbooks and glean it all

down to what was needed based on the study outlines provided by Regents (now

Excelsior). I did it ok and passed but it was a lot of work. The only reason I

like College Network now is that I study from one book and have passed 4 tests

so far. It does cost more than taking it straight through Excelsior without

using an outside prep progam but since I have done it both ways now, I am glad I

decided to spend the extra money this time. It has really helped.

Jane Hill

-------------- Original message from " johnderegrn " :

--------------

I too have been looking into Excelsior College for the RN program.

I have also noticed some folks have mentioned " The College Network "

and " iStudySmart.com " ; how do these pertain to Excelsior?

Is it an alternative for CLEPing out of courses?

Is it any cheaper and then transfer the credits into Excelsior?

Sorry I dont know much about those programs, I haven't done much

research outside of Excelsior yet.

Thanks in advance to everyones comments, they have been great and

very helpful.

-Chris

[Guest guest]

Are there any bridge programs in Dallas, Collin or Denton counties?

Ron M

[Guest guest]

Most of the bridges in that area were not washed out by either Rita or Katrina.

If there was any bridge damage at all, it was probably caused by the overload of

evacuee's coming from Louisiana.

If it pays over $18.00/hr sign me up.

Andy

Re: Re: paramedic to RN programs

Are there any bridge programs in Dallas, Collin or Denton counties?

Ron M