Nursing Career Ladder Options
We are so pleased you are interested in the profession of nursing. Nursing is an occupation that offers a wide variety of job opportunities and career choices. In addition, there is a major nursing shortage and it is predicted to worsen in the foreseeable future, so many more nurses will be needed to fill the void. You could not pick a better time to become a nurse!
Before we can give you specifics on our programs, we need to clarify the types of nurses and programs that are available.
-
Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) is a one to two year program at a technical college
-
Associate Degree Registered Nurse (ADN) is a two year program at a community college (or a one year program if you are already an LPN)
- Baccalaureate Degree Registered Nurse (RN) is a four-year program
from a college or university. You may obtain your baccalaureate in
nursing two different ways:
-A generic program is a program where you start as a freshman and go for four years at one college or university. Bemidji State University will begin offering a 4-year track in 2007.
-A stepladder program is a program where you can start as an LPN and go on to the ADN and Baccalaureate degree programs.
Bemidji State University (BSU) Department of Nursing is a part of a consortium with Northwest Technical College (NTC) and Northland Community College (NCTC) that offers a stepladder educational mobility approach for students interested in nursing. So, it will depend on your educational background where you begin your nursing program.
The advantage of this stepladder approach is that after the licensed practical nursing program, you will be an LPN and can gain valuable experience and earn good money working as an LPN while you complete the rest of your education. If you continue on by enrolling in an Associate Degree Nursing Program, after one more year, you will be a Registered Nurse and can again gain valuable experience and earn even better money while you continue your education for the baccalaureate degree at BSU.
If you are just starting out in nursing, you will need to
consider your options carefully. You might want to consider meeting
with a guidance or career counselor or one of our nursing faculty to help
you with your decision.
*If you are already
an LPN, you will need to apply to Northland Community and Technical College or
Northwest Technical College for an Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN). This program
takes approximately 1 year to complete (see specifics below).
*If you are already
a Registered Nurse (RN), Bemidji State University offers an RN to Baccalaureate
Nursing Program, which takes approximately two years to complete (see specifics
below). The baccalaureate degree in nursing opens up many career opportunities
in leadership/administration, public health/community, and school nursing positions.
NORTHWEST TECHNICAL COLLEGE
(NTC)-BEMIDJ
You must apply to NTC to be admitted into
their programs
Contact Person:
Rhonda Bender, RN, MS, CNP
NTC PN Program Director
Bemidji & Virtual Campuses
905 Grant Avenue SE
Bemidji, MN 56601
218-333-6659
Rhonda.Bender@ntcmn.edu
Courses that may be taken at BSU prior to enrolling in the
LPN program at NTC*:
BIOL 2110 Human
Anatomy & Physiology (5 credits)
BIOL 3710 Microbiology
(4 credits)
ENGL 1001 English
Composition (4 credits)
PSY 2230 Lifespan
Development for Nurses (4 credits)
THSP 1100 Basic
Speech Communication (3 credits)
PHIL 2220 Ethics
(3 credits) ... or another humanity
* It is highly recommended that you contact
NTC to discuss your plans and receive advising.
NTC 1-800-942-8324
** You will need to take an additional science credit because NTC requires
6 credits.
You must apply to NCTC to be admitted to their program.
NCTC is located in Thief River Falls.
Contact Person:
Sue Field, RN, MS
Director of AD Nursing
Northland Community and Technical College
1101 Hwy One East
Thief River Falls, MN 56701
1-800-959-6282
(218) 681-0841 (office)
(218) 681-0774 (fax)
Sue.Field@northlandcollege.edu
Courses that may be taken at BSU prior to enrolling
in the ADN program at NCTC*:
BIOL 2110 Human
Anatomy & Physiology (5 credits)
BIOL 3710 Microbiology
(4 credits)
ENGL 1001 English
Composition (4 credits)
PSY 2230 Lifespan
Development for Nurses (4 credits)
THSP 1100 Basic
Speech Communication (3credits)
ANTH 1110 Cultural
Anthropology (3 credits) or
SOC 1104 Introduction
to Sociology or
PSY 2217 Abnormal
Psychology (3 credits)
Humanities 3
credit course from Humanities
*It is highly recommended that you contact NCTC to discuss your plans and receive advising
BEMIDJI STATE UNIVERSITY
You must apply to the BSU Admissions Office
and to the Department of Nursing to be admitted to this program.
Contact Person:
Jeanine Gangeness, Chair
Department of Nursing
Deputy Hall 105, #15
Bemidji State University
1500 Birchmont Dr. NE
Bemidji, MN 56601
218-755-3892
jgangeness@bemidjistate.edu
Courses that may be taken at BSU prior to
being formally admitted to the BSU Nursing Program*:
BSU Liberal Education course requirements
NRSG 3100 Concepts
of Nursing and Health Care
NRSG 3110 Altered
Physiological Processes
NRSG 3120 Transcultural
Nursing
NRSG 3130 Psychosocial
Dimensions of Nursing Practice
NRSG 3200 Health
Education
NRSG 3457 Sexual
Abuse
NRSG 3920 Elective
Courses
BSU Liberal Education
course requirements
The Bemidji State University Department of Nursing is a nationally accredited nursing program, which provides educational mobility and articulation for Diploma and Associate Degree Registered Nurses to obtain their Bachelor of Science degree in nursing. The program is designed in block times one day per week to accommodate busy nurses who have jobs and families and who may commute from long distances. In addition, to increase accessibility, courses are on the BSU campus every two to three weeks and online the alternate weeks. Some courses are offered via the Internet. Full-time and part-time options are available, and clinical experiences are arranged in a variety of sites as close to the student’s home as possible. Students are eligible for Public Health Certification upon graduation.
