I strongly support the proposed amendment to restore Virginia's policy of licensing Excelsior College of Nursing graduates by examination and endorsement. I am a prior Navy Corpsman and my spouse is currently on Active Duty. We are stationed in Naples Italy. There is no other school that I know of that I can obtain my RN degree. The only way I would be able to complete it is if I spent time away from my family to take a traditional program. This isn't possible due to the time I would have to be away and my wife's deployment schedule.

I have always breezed through school. I feel in a traditional setting whether it be face to face, or a structured online course with regular meeting days per week.  The instructor always, always gives hints as to what will be on the test. With Excelsior they give you a syllabus and it is up to you to learn the material. If you don't know the material there is no way you will ever pass an exam.  Excelsior exams are by far the hardest exams I have ever taken in a school setting. If I was able to take a traditonal RN route believe me I would. I definitely would not of  had to study as hard or as long. To complete this program it takes a motivation, hard work, and dedication.  The clinical exam at the end of the program is a rigorous 2 ½ day exam. There are many ways to study for this exam. The college offers CPNE classes where they walk you through everything that is covered during a clinical rotation. Then you take those skills and practice until you have perfected them. I’ve done clinicals before and there are so many students that the instructors do not have the time or want to take the effort in teaching people what they need to know. So what happens is people skate through.

I’ve worked at hospitals where BSN degree nurses couldn’t start Iv’s efficiently, and didn’t have the first clue as to how to perform CPR during an ACLS code.  After everything was said and done I was approached by 2 BSN nurses and asked how I new how to do what I did to help the patient. I was outright dumbfounded that they were making at least twice as much as I was and did not have the skills to back it up.

If I had the opportunity to go to a traditional school for my nursing degree believe me I would. Because I would skate through with no effort at all. Also if I had the opportunity to due six months of clinicals vs. 2 ½ days I would take the six months. Not because I feel I would learn more but because I believe it would be easier and more laid back.

As far as this petition goes anyone who makes it through Excelsior’s College Nursing program definitely knows there stuff. There is no way to fake your way through this program. I hope VA. reconsiders their stand on allowing Excelsior’s nursing graduates to be licensed by examination.

Thank you,

Steven