NDSCS College Catalog

Practical Nursing

This program is available to high school graduates or transfer students who are interested in pursuing a career in nursing. The curriculum is four semesters and awards an Associate in Applied Science degree in Practical Nursing. The graduate has an excellent opportunity for immediate entry into the health profession and/or transfer to an associate or bachelor’s program for nursing. All general education courses are transferable within the NDUS system. The program enrolls students the beginning of fall semester and the beginning of spring semester. Application deadlines are April 1 and October 15.

Career opportunities

Practical nurses have excellent job opportunities, which include: employment in hospitals, long-term care facilities, clinics, home health, schools and industry.

Instructional process

The first two semesters of the program consist of classroom, laboratory and clinical instruction at the college and local long-term care facilities. The final two semesters of the program include clinical affiliations in adult, maternal-child, psychiatric, long-term care, home health and clinic nursing along with classroom course work in Wahpeton-Breckenridge or Fargo.

Completed application for the federal and the Minnesota Criminal background check will be required. A previous felony conviction may affect clinical rotations and a state board of nursing could deny an application for licensure as a licensed practical nurse. The applicant must visit with the department chair regarding this issue if it applies. A criminal history background check will also be required to test for the NCLEX-PN.

The NDSCS Practical Nursing program is accredited by the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission, 61 Broadway, 33rd Floor, New York, NY 10006, 1-800-669-1656, ext. 153, and full approval from the North Dakota Board of Nursing. It was the nation’s first accredited Associate Degree Practical Nursing program. This accreditation exemplifies high-quality instruction. The majority of the faculty have master’s degrees in their areas of expertise. Tutoring is available at the ASC center for many courses.

Note: This program requires a personal computer. Contact program for more information.

Equal opportunity policy

The NDSCS Department of Nursing adheres to the NDSCS college equal opportunity policy as stated in the NDSCS Catalog.

Contact information

For specific program information please contact Barbara Diederick, department chair, Department of Nursing, NDSCS, 800 Sixth Street North, Wahpeton, ND 58076-0002. Call at 1-800-342-4325, ext. 3-2967 or e-mail.

Admission requirements

Applicants will be admitted to the program following a selection process:

1. Complete the NDSCS Application for Admission.
2. Submit a high school transcript or equivalent form with a minimum “C” average.
3. Submit an ACT score of a minimum of 15, or complete the PSB Aptitude for Practical Nursing Examination and attain the benchmark score. This test should be scheduled with the Department of Nursing.
4. Submit to Enrollment Services, all college transcripts that are listed on your application.
5. A transfer student must have an overall 2.0 grade average to be admitted to the program with a “C” in each course that applies to the nursing curriculum.
6. If an applicant fails to meet any of the admission requirements, they may attend one semester or summer session of college. While enrolled, the student must take at least 12 credits of the nursing curriculum in a full semester or six credits of nursing curriculum in the summer semester and receive a “C” or better in each course that applies to the nursing curriculum.  If these requirements are met, the applicant may apply to the Practical Nursing Program.
7. Submit the following to the Department of Nursing:

• documented evidence of measles, mumps, rubella vaccination or rubella titer.
• documentation of hepatitis immunization or a waiver must be submitted.

Criteria for Admission

The criteria for selection is as follows: High School GPA/GED, ACT/ PSB score, college GPA (12 credits or more), grades in BIOL 220-221/220-221L, MICR 202/202L.

Award

Upon successful completion of the required courses, students will be awarded an Associate in Applied Science degree in Practical Nursing; be prepared to apply theoretical concepts in the provision of safe, basic, technical nursing care to client/patients, utilizing the nursing process within the bounds of the legal definitions of a practical nurse as defined in the Nurse Practices Act; and be eligible for the National Council Licensure Exam for Practical Nurses.