Top LPN Programs in Minnesota

Minnesota LPN Schools, License Requirements, Job Outlook, and Salary

The health care industry is an important part of the society that is responsible for maintaining the health of the citizens. Licensed Practical Nurses play an essential role in the medical sector as they help the patients and their families to fight the ailments. Those students who are thinking of getting into an LPN profession can select a college depending on factors like accreditation and the NCLEX-PN pass rate. After analyzing all these factors and meeting the criteria as set by the board for enrollment in an LPN school in Minnesota, candidates can get the admission.

LPN programs last approximately for a year or less, and the curriculum focuses on incorporating the students with all the nursing skills, knowledge, and the right kind of attitude.

All those students, who have completed their high school, are above 18 years of age with no criminal history and come out clear in the drug test, are eligible to apply for the practical nursing course. Strong interpersonal skills prove to be a boon for those who are associated with this profession since the job requires frequent communication with the patients. LPNs must be able to convey their message properly and provide comfort to the patients at the same time. There is a total of 26 accredited nursing schools in Minnesota that train the students in the practical nursing program. LPN schools in Minnesota that are enlisted below consist of expert faculty with great laboratory experience who equip the students with the required knowledge and skills to excel in their career.

LPN Programs in Minnesota

OUR METHODOLOGY +

A nursing school ranks on the top according to the following criteria-

• Higher Passing Rate of Alumni in NCLEX
• Financial Aid that a school provides
• Higher number of students

The nursing schools were then included in the ranking on the basis of following factors-

• Well-developed Architecture
• Better Infrastructure
• Superior Technology
• Ranking in US News and World Report
• Teachings offered by world-class faculty
• Inclusion of world-class facilities
• World-class Opportunities

We hope that the list will help you to opt the best college as per your preferences in the state. The programs available in these colleges will give you an opportunity to begin your journey as a successful nurse.

Licensure Requirements

All the graduate practical nurses need to acquire a license if they want to work as an LPN. They can get a license by passing the examination or by endorsement. Other than that, the license is required to be renewed after a certain time period. You can also request the board to issue a duplicate license if you need.

License by Examination

The candidates who have completed the LPN training program must pass a licensure test in order to continue practical nursing as a career. The NCLEX-PN test checks the knowledge of the aspirants that they have assimilated during the course.

The candidate must submit the following documents to the board in order to take the test.

• Show a proof that you have never been involved in any offensive disciplinary action and have a clear criminal history.
• The submission of proof by your school that you have completed the LPN course is essential.
• Next step is to register with the Pearson Vue (the organization that conducts the test) by filling the online application, or by making a call at 1-866-496-2539.

The organization would reply you by sending ATT through mail. Once you receive the ATT, you can get the exam scheduled at any of the centers. The ATT is valid for a duration of 90 days. So, the test must be arranged within that time period; otherwise, the registration with the Pearson Vue would not remain valid.

The board will issue the license within 10 business days if you clear the examination. The exam results can be checked on the board's website. In case, the candidate does not pass the test, s/he would be mailed an EXAMINATION RETAKE REQUEST with a report indicating the mistakes that were committed in the test.

You can check the progress of your application at the following link:
https://mn.gov/boards/nursing/licensure/

The application can be completed online by visiting the following link.
https://lmbn.hlb.state.mn.us/DesktopModules/ServiceForm.aspx?svid=6&mid=78

Additional Requirements for Licensure by Examination for Canadian Applicants

• The candidates must submit verification of licensure from the Canadian state where they were issued their license originally and from the jurisdiction of the United States where they are recently licensed as a practical nurse.
• Submission of an official transcript is also necessary if you have never been licensed in the Canadian district. The official transcript can be obtained from the nursing school.

The application can be downloaded from the following link.
http://mn.gov/boards/assets/Exam_LPN_Pckt_Can_4-25-16_tcm21-37446.pdf

Additional Requirements for Licensure by Examination for Applicants Educated in a Foreign Country

License reinstatement is done when the candidate fails to get the license renewed before expiration, or the license is suspended. Reinstatement of LPN license can be done by sending the appropriate application with requisite fees and documents to the board. At least two affidavits should be accompanied with the application. The board also requires you to fulfill the following conditions.

1. Submit a "credentials evaluation report."
   • The applicant must request the Commission of Graduates of Foreign Nursing School (CGFNS) to send a Credentials Evaluation Service (CES) report to the board. Download the form from the official website of the CGFNS.
   • The applicant must request the International Education Research Foundation (IERF) to provide the Nursing Licensure Evaluation Report to the board. The forms can be downloaded from the website of IERF.
2. If the candidate completes his/her nursing program from a country where English is not the principal language, s/he must pass a state approved English proficiency test.
   • The minimum scores for passing the English speaking test is 84, with a minimum score of 26 on the TOEFL iBT, or 560 marks on the written TOEFL, or a score of 220 on the Computerized TOEFL. Next, the applicant must request the Education Testing Service to send the TOEFL report to the board using the Minnesota TOEFL code of 9416.
   • International English Language Testing System (IELTS) with the overall score of 6.5 and at least 6.0 in all modules.
   • Michigan English Language Assessment Battery (the total score should be 81 with minimum English speaking score of 3). The candidate should then request the Cambridge Michigan Language Assessments (CaMLA) to send the MELAB score report to the Board by mentioning the Minnesota Board of Nursing at the end of the MELAB official identification form, before appearing for the test. The application can be downloaded by visiting the following link.
     http://mn.gov/boards/assets/Exam_LPN_Pckt_Can_4-25-16_tcm21-37446.pdf

If the board is unable to receive the Credential Evaluation Services report from the CGFNS and a report of passing score on the TOEFL from ETS within one year of the application, the application would be considered invalid, and you will have to apply for the licensure again.

Licensure by Endorsement

If the nurses have attained a license in any other state of the US, they can get the license in Minnesota through endorsement. To get the license, they must fulfill the following conditions:

• Submit the licensure by endorsement application and the fees associated with it.
• The candidate must deposit at least one verification:
  • Submit the verification from the state where you were licensed.
  • Submit the verification from the state that authenticated the license you are presently using.

If the state from where the license was issued and the state where you are working is same, then submission of only one verification is required. Moreover, if the state that issued your first license is different from the state you are working in, then two verifications would be required.

In order to verify the license, candidates can visit www.nursys.com if the state performs the license verification through Nursys.com. The list of the states where license is verified by Nursys and paper verification form is enclosed with the Licensure by Endorsement packet.

1. Next, the candidate is required to submit a confirmation regarding nursing employment through an endorsement form.
2. The board would intimate through a letter that whether they require you to submit the proof of continuing education or a refresher course. If you have not practiced nursing for more than five years, then the applicant should complete the refresher course meeting the board's standards. The continuing education may differ depending on the date of most recent licensure and nursing practice.

Paper application can be downloaded from:
http://mn.gov/boards/assets/IE_LPN_Pckt_12_31_15_tcm21-37263.pdf

The form for licensure by endorsement can also be filled online by visiting the following link.
https://lmbn.hlb.state.mn.us/DesktopModules/ServiceForm.aspx?svid=20&mid=78

Nursing License Verification in Minnesota

Minnesota Nurse Aide Registry maintains the records of all the nurses who hold a valid license. At any point of time, nursing license verification can be performed through the nurse aide registry. If the licensed practical nurses move out of the state and want to attain an LPN license over there, the state's board would verify the genuinity of the license by contacting the Minnesota Nurse Aide Registry.

For online verification,

1. Visit https://lmbn.hlb.state.mn.us/DesktopDefault.aspx?tabindex=0&tabid=41
2. Login by providing the requisite information.
3. Then, click on "Verification Services".
4. Next, click the link to "Search License Records".
5. The license can be searched by entering the license number or name of the licensee.

Minnesota Nursing License Renewal

The LPN license remains valid for a time period of two years, after which, it has to be renewed in order to continue working as an LPN. The board has made the renewal process quite easy that can be carried out offline or online.

The board requires the LPNs to complete a minimum of 12 contact hours of CE during 2 years of registration.

For online license renewal, follow the below-given steps:

• Visit https://lmbn.hlb.state.mn.us/DesktopDefault.aspx?tabindex=0&tabid=41
• Login by entering your details if you are an existing user. New users can register by clicking on "New Users Register Here."
• Next, click on "Renew License-LPN" and follow the directions.
• After making the payment, you will receive a confirmation number. The number confirms the completion of your application.
• The candidates can not renew online if they have a disciplinary action against them, want to change the name, or wish to postpone the CE hours.

For paper application, you will have to make a request to the board by making a call at 612-317-3000.

Reregistration of the LPN License

If you fail to renew your license on time, it gets inactive. In this case, it can be reactivated via reregistration.

Requirements to be fulfilled for reregistration:

• Submit an application along with confirmation of nursing employment form and requisite fee.
• Provide a proof of continuing education.
• Take a refresher course in nursing or equivalent if you have not practiced nursing for the past 5 or more years.

The board will intimate you whether you are supposed to take a nurse refresher course or submit the proof of continuing education, once it receives the confirmation of nursing employment form and completed education.

For online reregistration, click here.

For downloading application, visit the following link:
https://mn.gov/boards/assets/Rereg_Pcket_4-26-16_tcm21-37420.pdf

Duplicate License

If your license has been lost, destroyed, or stolen, then you can request the board to issue a duplicate license. For this, you will have to submit a fee of $20 along with the completely filled application form.

Download the form from here.

Name and Address Change

If you want to change your name and address on the form, you will have to submit a completed form to the Minnesota Board of Nursing. For the name change, the applicants are supposed to show legal proof like a court order or marriage certificate.

The form can be downloaded from the below-given link:
https://mn.gov/boards/assets/Name_Address_Phone_Number_Change_request.pdf_tcm21-37129.pdf

Salary of the Licensed Practical Nurses in Minnesota

According to indeed.com, the average salary of LPNs in the state of Minnesota was $45,000 (as of Oct 26, 2016). As per the information provided by The Bureau of Labor Statistics, the mean hourly wage of licensed practical nurses was $20.51 and the mean annual salary was $42,440 (as of May 2015). A detailed report is provided below stating the amount received by LPNs in the different cities of Minnesota.

Information Source: salary.com

These professionals earned the highest salary (i.e., $46,906) in the cities of Eden Prairie, Burnsville, Saint Paul, Minnetonka, Lakeville, and Minneapolis. They earned the lowest salary (i.e., $41,704) in Rochester.

Various Job Titles for LPN/LVN With Average Annual Salaries

Job Title	Salary
Long Term Care LPN	$23,000
Renal Dialysis Nurse	$46,000
LPN Ambulatory	$30,000
Nurse RN LPN	$43,000
CNA Medical Surgical	$24,000
Nar Nursing Assistant Hope	$22,000
Clinical Nurse LPN	$33,000
LPN Primary Care	$41,000
Patient Care Technician Student	$15,000
Medical Assistant Family Practice	$25,000
Correctional Prison Facility LPN	$20,000
LPN Cma Rma	$27,000
LPN Long Term Care	$29,000
LPN LVN	$36,000
Psychiatric Nurse	$50,000

Information Source: indeed.com (as of Oct 26, 2016)

The above table reveals that Psychiatric Nurses earned the maximum salary, i.e., $50,000, while the Patient Care Technician Student got the least (i.e., $15,000) in Minnesota.

Job Outlook for LPNs in Minnesota

LPNs have a shining future ahead as the job opportunities are expected to increase in the upcoming years. The primary reasons being aging population and reforms in the health care industry. The work area of an LPN has broadened to health care clinics, hospitals, old age homes, schools, nursing homes and rehabilitation centers, giving way to more opportunities. As per the reports of the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 6.395 LPNs are employed per 1000 jobs. More and more people are getting attracted to the field as the course duration is relatively short, and it offers promising job prospects.