Excelsior College review: failure of the cpne exam 39

If you failed, you were wrong. Take responsibiliy for yourself and stop blaming others for your mistakes. In the real world of nursing if you make a mistake do you blame the patient or other staff members? It's easy to say what you did wrong was someone elses actions. Stop whinning, move on.

I had a similar experience with Excelsior when taking my clinical exam and it was a year before I could deal with it. I, too, have spent a ton of money on study materials, tests, travel etc and have nothing to show for it. I did all of my pt care situations well and failed due to putting an unused, needless syringe in the garbage, not sharps. At my workplace we are not to put the syringe in the sharps, just the needle. And the video I used to prepare for the test showed the syringe being put in the garbage. There is no way I would take the test again because no one is perfect and under that stress it is easy to make a mistake. The doctor I work with said that they even got more allowance on the physician testing. I have now started LPN to RN in the classroom and would like to have all of the wasted money to use for that. Is there a class action suit?

Give up the lawsuit idea. You made a stupid mistake.

The critical elements and Study Guide specifically say that the needleless syringe goes in the sharps.

Read more and try again.

I failed the CPNE and am not blaming anyone but myself. However, it seems the majority of people have the same complaints for failing. The atmosphere is designed to keep the stress level at such a high, that things you know or knew are soon lost in the mad scramble that is the CPNE. The expectations during the test are unrealistic for the most part and most do not really evaluate skills or knowledge...only what can be memorized and performed in robotic fashion.
I think the biggest problem I have with the test process is that all tasks are subjectively evaluated by the testers and they cannot be reasoned with. It doesn't seem fair to retake the test and start from scratch, retaking even what has already been passed. Shouldn't you just have to worry about what you failed? This adds the stress of failing what you have already passed. A double jeopardy. A lot of it comes down to luck of the draw, too. Not all CE's take delight in seeing you fail. They will overlook an error that is meaningless. Some won't. Then your areas of care and the type of patient are factors, too. I know someone that passed the entire CPNE retaking 3 PCS's the last day. Lucky break was that the last patient refused 90% of her care. It just had to be documented.
It is true that you are told of the CPNE early on. It is only before you take it that you begin to really see what it is. And unfortunately, it is at the end of the line.

I AM SO HAPPY TO SEE EXCELSIOR'S NURSING PROGRAM GET TOSSED OUT OF CALIFORNIA.! WHAT A SCAM!

If you live in California, do not sign up for any home study program for the LPN-RN. Go to your local community college or a reputable nursing school that offers the step up program. The College Network I believe offers this LPN-RN program, however, they won't tell you that it is through Excelsior College, but Excelsior College was tossed out of California for their epic scam, so the California State Board will not recognize Excelsior. So do your research and don't believe any salesman that they're not connected!
If it is too good to be true, it is. Be careful and peace!

I'm about to enroll Excelsior through the Army can anyone rent or sell me their requiered modules, Thanks

You fail to mention that you had to fail two other sections in addition to the MISTAKE that you are hinging your complaint on in order to fail the CPNE. I suppose those were also not your fault? Quit whining and accept your responsibility. They never claim it to be anything other than it is. As for the person complaining about the sharps, Your workplace is WRONG. And even if they were not it has no bearing on what they ask for the exam. You think all hospitals practice the same way? And as for the person glad to see excelsior out of California; as an excelsior grad and CRNA, You can kiss my A#@! I still practice in California. NA NAH NAH

Please don't blame the school for your own failure to properly prepare for the CPNE. Presently, the first-time pass rate for the CPNE is 64%. That doesn't mean you have a 64% chance to pass. It means that 64% of first-timers have properly prepared. If you did not pass, it means you were one of the 36% who did not properly prepare.

I'm sorry, but not everyone that wants to be an RN is meant to be an RN. Just because you paid a ton of money, it does not entitle you to pass the CPNE. It takes a lot of hard work and persistence. If you think you've already put in a lot of hard work and persistence, then you need to put in more. It can be done. It is done every weekend by students who are preparing the right way. I did it on my first try with ZERO repeats, despite the fact that I wanted to throw up the whole weekend and my heart was trying to rip through my chest every second.

You can say the examiners were unfair. They were rude. They were overbearing nazis. 100% of the time, when someone makes these statements, it's a person that has failed the CPNE. Coincidence? I think not.

Stop externalizing. Stop feeling sorry for yourself. Stop feeling like you were bullied or cheated or ripped off. The CPNE did not fail you. You failed the CPNE. Suck it up. Prepare right for it the next time. Go back and kick the CPNE's [censor].

How old are you Donald J? Maybe five at the most. That is what you show in your maturity level. You didn't learn very much from your ethics lession in the Excelsior Nursing Program. Hope I don't require your nursing care in the future. You are just as rude as some of those clinical examiners

Ah yes. I'm showing immaturity by telling someone to accept responsibility for their own mistakes.

I think you may be a *little* confused there, my friend. I'm guessing you also failed the CPNE? Hey, if it makes you feel better to call me five, go for it. I must be a freakin' PRODIGY for being an RN at five years old!

I also recently failed the CPNE in Lubbock Texas and I agree with alot of what is written here. I paid about $4, 000 for this exam including workshop, car rental, airfaire and ofcourse the $2025 exam fee and all I got was a piece of paper shoved in may face with excelsior colleges main # on it and was told to call them on Monday. The 1st day of testing I passed all simulated labs, I STUDIED MY [censor] OFF FOR THIS TEST! The second day I failed my 1st adult PCS because they didn't accept my plan of care, I could see where they were coming from, I almost changed one of the diagnosis that morning so that was understandable to me. BUT the reasoning for failing the second PCS is [censor]! I did everything perfect, left nothing out, my narritive notes were perfect BUT apparently the evaluation form which was chronic pain that was being managed by PCA pump, I was supposed to change the AEB to "no complaints of pain". SO STUPID! Thought I was evaluating my original nursing dianostic statment. NO MORE CHANCES, CANNOT PASS GO, FAILED 2 ADULTS SO i WAS DONE, NO REFUNDS, NO EMOTIONAL SUPPORT, HERES A PIECE OF PAPER, NO GOOD LUCK DRIVING 12 HOURS BACK HOME WITH ABOUT $75 TO MY NAME, NO DO YOU NEED US TO CALL SOMEONE, NO NOTHING! ITS A SCAM BUT WHAT OTHER CHOICES DO WE HAVE EXCEPT TO START OVER AT ANOTHER SCHOOL. GUESS IM GONNA PUT MYSELF THRU THIS AGONY AGAIN AND TEST FOR THE SECOND TIME. THEY SHOULD HAVE CPNE THERAPISTS ON SITE!

THEY ARE MESSING WITH PEOPLES LIVES! THE CPNE AND THE PEOPLE INVOLVED ARE NOT EVEN HUMANE!

Lori Pagnotta died shortly after writing this blog about of Excelsior College. This young woman was one of the most caring nurses I have ever had the pleasure of knowing. She served honorably in the Air Force for 4 years so she was not a complainer. If she said this college was a sham, then it is. She was professional, beautiful and had an unbelievable work ethic, She took her education very serious, often studying all night. She worked and studied often while in chronic pain with zero complaints. She went above and beyond the call of duty and I know because I was her boss.

K.Smith -- While I'm certainly sorry for your loss and can understand that your post is apparently part of your grieving process, a person's death does not make their opinion hold any more water than it did in life. I know that sounds callous, but it's just reality. Excelsior College is not a "sham". It is accredited by the NLN and is an NLN Center for Excellence in Nursing. The fact that some people do not adequately prepare for the CPNE does not mean that the program is a sham. If EC passed everyone at the CPNE and gave everyone a pat on the back and an "It's okay, you'll be a great nurse" after making multiple mistakes, then EC *would* be a sham. In reality, the CPNE pass rates are comparable or better than program completion rates of most traditional nursing programs. Consider how many nurses go through traditional programs, fail a class twice, and have to repeat the whole program all over again. EC gives you many more chances to prove yourself, and the cost is comparable to a community college.

Again, I'm very sorry for your loss, but this is not the appropriate forum for grieving over the passing of your friend.

Donald J ~
Obviously you have very high regards to excelsior, but it is also very apparent that others do not. How about instead of trying to correct and change other peoples opinions on the matter, you go to a message board that is NOT based on complaints...this is a complaint board. I do not go to excelsior, I go to another nursing program, and yes, in a way they are all terrible, all business and all about money and that is just the way it is. Just because someone does not pass a course or does not work up to what another person may think is acceptable standards, does not mean they are a [censor] nurse or did not prepare hard enough or any of that ignorant bs you are constantly bickering on here about. I know plenty of AMAZING nurses who have had to repeat a class just because the material is hard...bottom line. Nursing school is hard and demanding and most schools will do whatever they can to get the most money out of you they can. So please, Donal J ~ if you love excelsior so friggin much then why don;t you go work there, and start a website about how great they are. Stop being a creeper on the complain board and let everyone have their opinions. Your posts are redundant, annoying and hold no merit. I think I speak for us all when I say please, get a life.

@gimmieabreak (misspelled)

First of all, let me say that it's very obvious that you're one of the previous posters under a new nickname. You've created your profile today for the sole purpose of responding to my comment, and you have no complaints or comments in any other post. Why hide behind a new name? Are you trying to make it appear that someone else is agreeing with your previous garbage post? How stupid can you be? Pretty sure that you're "K.Smith", although your writing style has changed a bit. Everything else points to K.Smith, though. ;)

Regardless of your stupidity and your pathetic attempt to hide yourself, your post was very amusing with your schoolyard taunts and your poor grammar. "If you love excelsior so friggin much then why don't you go work there" -- sounds a lot like "If you love X so much, why don't you marry X?". LOL. Why don't I go work for Excelsior? Because I'm an RN and enjoy working in the clinical setting. Why do I have to work at Excelsior just because I'm defending it? If you were defending your college against ignorant comments like these, does that mean you should work for your college? Absolutely [censor]ic statement on your part. Your complete lack of logical thinking makes me even wonder if you've completed a single college course.

This message board *is* based on complaints, as you said, but there is a reason that people are allowed to post rebuttals to others' complaints. It's not just a site for crybabies like you. It's also for people like me to make rebuttals and explain to people like you exactly why you are wrong. Not that I would expect someone with such a feeble mind to understand. But, it's worth a shot.

If you don't go to Excelsior, why are you even here? What stake do you have in the reputation of Excelsior College? NONE. By that fact alone, I have much more right than you do to post on this forum.

I never said that anyone was a [censor] nurse just because they didn't pass an exam. But, if someone does not pass the CPNE, it IS because they did not prepare properly. Period. If you don't go to Excelsior and did not take the CPNE, then you have absolutely no clue what the CPNE entails and you are just ignorant for even posting your uninformed drivel here.

Talk about being annoying and having no merit. Your post is complete crap and I have dismissed all of your nonsensical statements. Now, why don't YOU run along and get a life, and stop posting garbage about things that you know absolutely nothing about? :)

Donald J,
When you get it wrong, you really get it wrong pal.
Despite your continued praise for this truly remarkable institution of higher learning, you cannot deny there is a problem evidenced by your defensive responses.
Perhaps it is time to contact the State Board of Nursing and the AG's office regarding the failed policies of Excelsior.

Looks like I pretty much nailed it.

Again, if you don't attend Excelsior, why are you even here? You have no knowledge of the school.

How do my "defensive" responses give evidence to your farcical claims that there is a problem with the school? You're grasping at straws here.

Feel free to contact your state's Board of Nursing regarding Excelsior's program. I'm quite certain that your state's BON is much knowledgeable about Excelsior than you are.

Donald you stated that you are an RN. Do you respond to your patients the same way you have responded to the people on this complaint board or is attitude saved for the nurses who dedicate their live to helping and healing others? Remember, these nurses are the same one who will most likely be at your (or your loved ones) deathbed one day. Should they tell you to stop whinning and take responsibility for yourself? Will you be asking for their GPA while screaming in pain?

Nope, not a recruiter. Again, this shows how little you know about Excelsior. K. Smith, you've never gone through the Excelsior program. Your only knowledge of it is second-hand from a friend who failed the CPNE. I'm not sure how you even ended up here.

Good luck to you in picking up the flag and carrying on your friend's efforts. I won't continue wasting my time pointing out the obvious flaws in your arguments. My points have been made and are easily backed up by the large numbers of students who pass the CPNE every single weekend on their first try. The CPNE fail rate is comparable or better than average fail rates for traditional nursing programs -- whereas in traditional programs, if you fail a class twice, you have to repeat the whole program or find another program altogether.

There is plenty of study material for the CPNE and there are plenty of workshops. The people who fail are the people who think that they know everything going into it and they don't do things the Excelsior way. That's all there is to it.

Again, good luck to you. I'm done arguing against idiocy.

To anyone who is considering Excelsior, listen up! Spend your money somewhere where you will get a solid foundation to build your nursing career on.
The rants and personal attacks made here on this complaint board from Donald J. (an obvious recruiter) should tell you all you need to know about this school.
BEFORE you hand over your hard earned cash, they will promise to be your new best friend, walk you through difficult material hand in hand, assuring that you have what it takes to be a nurse.
AFTER you have handed over your hard earned cash, the response you are likely to hear will be "you need to prepare better, stop whinning, you are not good enough".
Good luck to all of you that have decided to pursue a career in Nursing, expect more, do more and never settle for those who want to take your money and offer very little in return!

Donald,
I will gladly pick up a flag and carry it on my friend Lori Pagnotta who picked up a flag and carried it for YOU while serving our country. Excelsior College and it's representives care about ONE thing, and that is getting all the money they can from prospective students. BUYERS BEWARE!

It seems that alot of people fail the CPNE the first time, for different reasons. I am going to give EC a shot being it is my only option because of my job. I do wonder why they have such a low pass rate for first timers, and I do wonder why EC would even advertise it, because it does reflect back on them and the way it is graded. But for those LPN's who have to work while trying to obtain their associates this is great option and I know it can be done. I see both sides of the story on this one...

Hey guys, i am ready to pay for the cpne, did all the other stuff, have been a nurse for 10 yrs, never with high focus on care planning, listen this board scared the crap out of me, what are the realities here? when i was sold on excelsior i was told that with a cpne workshop there was a 94 % pass rate was that a lie?>

pls help here

thank you

hey guys im ready to pay for cpne, i was sold this learning system by a very sharp guy, although after all was said and done i felt like i bought i used car, after feeling out foxed, i completed all the theory, now i was told to do the cpne practive weekend through excelsior is the way to go with it there is a 94% pass rate, without it its less than 60% is any of this true?

pls let me know how to go about this
in a way that will promise success !

Bthere, check with your state board of nursing where you can find the true facts on any schools pass rate. The schools should SHOW (not tell you) the results also then compare them with the board of nursing. Find out if there have been any complaints made against the school. Please do you homework before you spend your money and time. Demand better! The sqeaky wheel gets the grease.

Donald J.,
you're either an idiot or a payed Excelsior employee. Because, no one in their right mind would continually come here and respond to other peoples complaints in support Excelsior College unless they were paid to do so.
So, Donald J, which are you? Idiot or payed Excelsior College employee?

How about a third option? It's entertaining to me to jab at crybabies that want to sue a college because they don't know how to prepare for an exam. It's also entertaining to me to jab at complete [censor]s that can't even spell 2nd grade words or grasp basic grammar. It's "paid", not payed.

Your incorrect assertion that I'm an EC employee makes about as much sense as if I were to accuse you of being a ISU rep trying to bash a competing online program. You're just grasping at straws to attempt to distract other readers from my very valid point that the people that are failing the CPNE are people that simply did not prepare properly.

I took a third-party workshop with about a dozen other folks (don't remember the exact number). We all passed -- 100%. You can't tell me it was luck or coincidence. It was proper preparation. Motards who have been LPN's for 30 years with a "can't teach me anything I don't already know" mentality and idiots who think they can fly by the seat of their pants are the ones failing. The ones that have memorized all the critical elements and mnemonics and execute everything correctly are not failing.

You incorrectly state in another childishly-worded complaint (that you called me out on) that "any 1 mistake made may fail the entire CPNE". That's complete nonsense. Any one mistake may fail a lab station or a PCS, but not the entire CPNE. To fail, you have to fail either TWO labs or TWO adult pt's or TWO pedi pt's. You can fail one lab, one adult, and one pedi all in the same weekend and still pass the CPNE.

Based on your poor language skills and lack of understanding of basic concepts of the CPNE, it's no surprise that you failed.

Donald, as a trained professional, please do the world a favor and seek help for your hostility. I understand your love for your school but it clear to see that not everyone shares your views about Excelsior "College". I am sure you are aware that there are many schools that's only interest is other people's money and judging by this complaint board your beloved school appears to be one of them. In any case channel your energy towards a more rewarding cause.

I could say the same for you. You have no dog in this fight, as you have no direct connection to EC at all.

I am an Excelsior college student, and have nothing but good things to say about the program. I am about 2 months away from the CPNE, and went to a workshop in California a few weeks ago.
I feel very prepared for the CPNE, and for my career as an RN. My husband is also going through the program, and will be taking the CPNE in about 3 months.

Money wise, this school was a bargain! The exams are very inexpensive, and there are a lot of materials made by 3rd parties to help with exam preparation. There was no waiting list, and I can study on my own time. I am able to work full time, and still study. In total, it will have taken me me from April 2010 to approximately September 2011 to complete the program. If I had gone to a traditional school, I still would have had 5 semesters (approximately 2 years) of bridge work, because I am a Licensed Psychiatric Technician, as opposed to a Licensed Vocational/Practical Nurse. (Yes, I am from California.) I would still be on the waiting list if I had gone that route!

In no way is this a scam. If you are thinking of attending this school, you are headed in the right direction. It does take dedication, but so does any other nursing program. Do your research before enrolling, but don't let the people on this complaint board scare you.

Out of 5 patients care scenarios, you can fail 2. Out of the four lab scenarios, you can fail all of them once, and have another chance to re-take them. If you make "1 dumb mistake" you will not fail. If you make a series of mistakes, you will fail. They only have 3 days to decide whether or not you are a good nurse, I sure hope they are tough graders!

I am an LPN and have been for 4 years. I'm interested in continuing on to get my RN and have been doing a LOT of research. I'm considering taking the excelsior route, as I have a small child at home and work full-time. Again, I'm not enrolled in EC so maybe I have no right to post here. However, below is a thread (one of a few) of 23 pages and hundreds of RNs that went through EC, passed the CPNE (most on the first try), and have even moved on to BSNs, Masters and NPs. I think a 64% pass rate on the first try is worth trying for, as I really have no other options. ANYONE can fail. I don't think it matters how long you've been a nurse, where you've worked, or how respected you are at your place of employment. The CPNE sounds VERY difficult and honestly, really scares me. I believe that with a lot of practice and faith I can pass. I won't take it until I feel I'm absolutely ready, whether that's 3 mos or 2 years. But if I fail (let's hope not), I wouldn't think to blame it on the school. It's tough for a reason.
:)

http://allnurses.com/excelsior-college-online/excelsior-grads-where-217472-page3.html

I recently failed the CPNE my first try in Lubbock, TX. I felt that the CE's were nice people and that they wanted me to pass. The CA, on the other hand, was a different story. She seemed quite delighted that I failed my second PCS (that was two in a row), and then acted like she wanted to be my best friend! No thanks! I went ahead and kept my testing date after I attended an Excelsior workshop and was told I was ready to test. Apparently not. I am hoping to retest but I will not sign up to do so until I find someone to help me.

Excelsior is a bunch of crooks, do yourself a favor and do a college that is traditional. Excelsior is not even accepted in a lot of states now, I wonder why? well, maybe it is because they don't examine properly, they pass who they "like" and not who is competent.

YOU Excelsiior recruiters or employees of Excelsior have no idea if we are prepared or not. I challenge any of you to a test, I have more knowledge than all of you combined, I am sure ! How many times have you actually saved a life? Well, I have so many and called so many stroke alerts, cardiac alerts, stemi alerts, and also last but not least TRAUMA alerts. How many times have you been the only one in the back of an ambulance working a full code with an EMT doing 95mph down the highway trying to save a child hit by a car with his mother screaming in your face? NO I AM SURE YOU HAVE NOT! You want to fail me for going 4 minutes over on my PCS because I was telling my pt goodbye? Really? That is appalling! Well, you still get another chance right, well then since I was beyond perfect on everything the only thing they could do was actually go behind me on my Kardex after I was done with everything and check a box and say I forgot it, so you FAIL! are you kidding? well this is why next time, after I win my appeal, I will be making a copy of the kardex and will not be screwed again. You think you are smarter than me, you will see. I have more tricks to catch you in your lies, but cannot write them here due to EXCELSIOR stalking this website. I have your FAILURE EC! MAD is not the word that I have for you.

I would like contact information on joining the class action lawsuit against excelsior college

Excelsior is NOT a good choice. EXCELSIOR IS A RIP OFF, ONE OF THE BIGGEST MODERN DAY SCAMS EVER. I thought Jim & Tammy Baker were doing it. Let me tell you, they had nothing on Excelsior. Oh yea, they've been outdone and them some. Excelsior tests you on clinical skills, but yet they don't teach them. How fair is that. I mean something's wrong with that from first off. As an RN, you must have a solid clinical foundation. Why short change yourself. Even if you do pass the CPNE, which most Excelsior students don't after being cheated out of thousands of dollars, your RN clinical experience would be highly lacking. On the other hand, I know some RNs from traditional associate degree programs who don't know their ### from a hole in the ground and basically just take up space at work. I'm not sure what their story is. Do yourself a favor, go traditional BSN for your education. Trust me. You'll thank yourself a thousand times over again. Thank you.

I think that I was fortunate enough to be working as an LPN in an acute care hospital in through a nursing temp agency for a while at the time I was enrolled in Excelsior College. After I passed the CPNE and the NCLEX-RN, I was hired as an RN directly at that hospital. I knew how to do most of the meds and work with central lines. The peripheral IV and phlebotomy skills were nothing new to me. I had already been to phlebotomy school. Most of the assessment skills, I had in the bag. But there were some other things to learn in my RN orientation that I very much needed. I feel good to have gotten my start there in med/surg. Maybe it would have been better to get all that clinical experience through a structured clinical rotation at a traditional brick college and not just the on the job training and experience. But maybe the on the job training is just as good, maybe even better in some instances. I do know that some of the traditional school girls didn't seem to have much of a clue what they were doing themselves. I must agree with you about that Roshell. But I just don't know. I've been told that I was a good nurse by many. I've received recommendations and compliments from supervisors, patients, families. I still doubt myself at times. I guess to some degree that's normal. I'm discouraged because some nurses from the most prestigious schools in the area just don't give a damn about their job or the patient and its so wide spread. There is very little team work. I think sometimes maybe I just care too much, and I end up getting stepped on. I will make sure the last safety checks are done, all pain and personal care issues are addressed even if its change of shift. I usually don't get the same courtesy from the shift before me. Its also frustrating trying to keep patients stable when they have unaddressed issues that have been going on for several shifts or days that the other shift or doctors would not address. Its hell of a lot easier to keep someone stable when issues are addressed immediately then it is to try to save them once they're crashing. I have little to no support at all from staff and management meaning I get stuck with absentee aides that hide and eat all day, managers, nurses, doctors who are just don't care and it leaves me in a very bad place, because I'm already spread extremely thin as a nurse. Sometimes my 20 sets of arms just can't do it all and the repercussions are so severe for one little detail that's missed. I'm carrying the weight of all the staff, the patient, the family and myself and sometimes it just gets to be too much. So I have very mixed feelings about being a nurse. Now I'm enrolled in a nursing bachelor's degree at a local 4 year college. A lot of my credits from Excelsior College ASN transferred and other community colleges I took some of my other credits at transferred as well after much evaluation and now I will be able to complete my bachelor's degree requirements in 1 year as opposed to 2. I'm very surprised. I do plan on staying primarily in management after I complete my bachelor's. Excelsior was a good start for me at the time and I am grateful for the wonderful clinical examiners, course and lab instructors. Sometimes I still can't believe I passed the CPNE. Regardless of who went to the more prestigious school or who has more letters behind their name we are all working toward the same goal, or at least I would like to hope we are - the health and well being of the patient.