I would like to support this petition for excelsior and their students in VA.  I have been in nursing for 20 years.  Starting as an STNA and than as an LPN.  This program is difficult and is not easily achieved.  I agree that clinical hours are important but also feel that years of experience in the field can and should be counted towards clinicals.  Excelsior makes it more convenient as far as hours and learning at a persons own place.  Not having traditional clinicals does not mean that its program is not adequate for a person graduating to be successful in the field.  Over the years I have worked with RNs (and LPNs) from traditional schools with the traditional clinical experiences and would not agree that all of them are as competent as they should be.  A new nurse from a traditional school still needs to get those years of experience to be a strong nurse. Excelsior students start out with experience and build on it.

Thank you.