Top LPN Programs in North Dakota

North Dakota LPN Schools, License Requirements, Salary, and Job Outlook

Practical Nurses are medical professionals trained to work under the supervision of doctors and registered nurses. While the exact job role varies a lot depending upon the work environment, taking vital signs, administering medicines, making the bed, etc., are some common tasks that these professionals perform. Good salary and an opportunity to help others are some of the reasons that attract many towards this noble profession.

As vast as the health care sector is, equally relevant are the roles of practical nurses in every dimension of it. From traditional job roles in hospitals and home care to more expertise-driven roles in psychiatry and dialysis, they are required everywhere. It is due to this huge demand and diversity that most of the colleges claim high placement records. Further, as per the survey of the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the number of LPN jobs in the country will increase 16% by 2024.

If you want to make a career in practical nursing, first you need to complete an LPN course. The course, however, is considered tough owing to its curriculum that features a wide array of theoretical subjects and intense practical training. Below is a detailed description of colleges offering LPN programs in North Dakota. You can choose the best one considering your geographical and other preferences.

LPN Schools in North Dakota

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.

Here is the list of approved LPN programs in the state of North Dakota.

License Requirements for LPNs in North Dakota

The North Dakota Board of Nursing requires every aspirant to obtain a license before they start practicing as an LPN professional. Keeping in mind the responsibilities associated with the job, the board issues a license only after thoroughly verifying the academic, mental and social competence of the candidates. While the academics and mental ability are tested through an exam, a background check is required to test the social track record of the aspirants. A detailed stepwise description to obtain a license is given below:
1. Complete your LPN Program
If you aspire to be an LPN professional, the first thing you need to do is, complete a practical nursing course. You can choose to undertake a diploma, certification, or associate degree from one of the accredited nursing schools in North Dakota.

2. Apply for the Exam
After completion of an LPN course, you need to apply for the NCLEX-PN exam. Along with the application form and fee, the board also requires these two documents to be submitted:

• Official transcript of the course completion
• Criminal background check result to be sent directly by the vendor.

After receiving the supporting documents and fee by the board, you are deemed eligible to attempt the exam.

3. Clear the NCLEX-PN Exam
This is the final and perhaps the toughest step towards becoming an LPN. On clearing the NCLEX-PN exam, the board will issue an official report and the license for you to start practicing as a practical nurse.

Licensure by Endorsement

If you are already licensed to work as an LPN in other state of the U.S., then the procedure for licensure in North Dakota is very different from above and largely depends upon the state from where you are licensed. Every applicant must fulfill the following prerequisites to get license in the state of North Dakota:

• Applicants must complete an accredited LPN program that meets the standards set by the North Dakota Nursing Board. This program must also comprise a supervised clinical experience.
• The applicant must have completed the program in the last four years or have a working experience of at least 400 hours in the last 4 years. If not, the applicant must have taken a board-approved refresher course in the last 4 years.
• The applicant must provide a proof of the initial licensure by examination that meets the standard of licensure in North Dakota at the time it was received.

Procedure for the NLC States

Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC) is an agreement among 25 different U.S. states that allow the nursing professionals with a valid license in one state to practice in any member state without undergoing tedious licensure procedure. So, if you have a nursing license from any of these 24 states- Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Delaware, Idaho, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Carolina, Tennessee, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Virginia and Wisconsin, all you are required to do is:

• Apply for licensure by endorsement
• Pay the applicable fees
• Produce a proof of declaration of your primary state of residence.

Procedure for Non-NLC States

If you have a license from any non-compact state, the procedure gets a little complicated as the board requires the following formalities to be done by the applicant:

• The applicant must request their college to send official transcripts of the course completion to the North Dakota Nursing Board.
• Verification of the existing license- This can be done online if the home state is a part of Nursys. If not, the verification must be completed on a paper application, which again must be sent directly to the board.
• Apply for licensure by endorsement and make payment at the nursing board portal.
• Undergo a criminal background check, the report of which must be sent to the board directly.

License Reinstatement

If your LPN license has expired, then you need to reinstate it before you start practicing again. The board requires you to submit a reactivation application form, a background check report, and pay the required fee (i.e., $140), only after which your license will be reinstated.

License Renewal

The license issued by the board is valid only for two years, after which, it is required to be renewed. If you do not wish to go through the troubles of license reactivation and paying extra charges, then simply submit a license renewal application along with the required fees (i.e., $220).

License Verification

Every nurse licensed to practice in the state has his/her name added to the North Dakota Nurse Aide Registry. License verification is the online service through which, every employer can verify the credentials of the practical nurses before hiring them. Also, the nurses can use this service to constantly track the status of their license.

Temporary Permit

Processing of your application for license by endorsement takes some time. Till then, the board can issue a temporary permit for 90 days allowing you to start practicing immediately, only after these two conditions are met:

• You have submitted the LPN licensure by endorsement application and paid the required fee online.
• Your previous license or your official transcript has been verified.

Salary of Licensed Practical Nurse in North Dakota

The average annual income of LPNs was estimated to be $45,000 as per the statistics of Indeed.com (as of November 15, 2016). While the data from Bureau of Labor Statistics indicates that these professionals made $41,250 per year and $19.83 per hour (as of May 2015).

Information Source: indeed.com (as of November 15, 2016)

As the above table shows, there is a wide gap between salaries of practical nurses on the basis of their area of specialization. Psychiatric Nurses made an average yearly salary of $51,000, while Patient Care Technician Students took home only $15,000 per annum.

Average Annual Salaries of LPN in Different Cities of North Dakota

Information Source: Salary.com

As the above figures indicate, salaries of LPN professionals are fairly distributed across every city in North Dakota. Practical nurses in Fargo and West Fargo claimed highest mean annual salary of $43,523, while practical nurses in Dickinson and Minot were paid the least (i.e., $31,972).

Job Outlook for LPNs in North Dakota

As per the reports of the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were 2,920 licensed practical/vocational nurses in the state of North Dakota, in May 2015. The number of jobs for practical nurses in the country is projected to grow 16% by 2024. This rate is much faster than other occupations. Seeing these projections and current market scenario, the job profile of practical nurses looks secure and growing for a long time to come.