Northwest Technical College
Bemidji, Minnesota

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See our state-of-the-art equipment, skills lab, clinical simulations, and what it's like in the Nursing program at NTC.

Nursing

The AS in Nursing (ASN) program is a "mobility program" which allows the Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) to advance their knowledge and skill for licensure and practice as a registered nurse (RN). This program is approved by the MnSCU system and Minnesota Board of Nursing.

The program offers full-time and limited part-time options. Learners may apply for admission to either the campus-based program (which may use a combination of on-campus and internet-based courses) or to the on-line program which has some on-campus requirements. All learners will experience supervised clinical opportunities in caring for individuals in a variety of health care settings such as hospitals, long term care facilities, mental health, and other community settings.

To obtain an AS degree in nursing, the learner must successfully complete all required courses. After successful program completion, graduates apply to take the National Council Licensure Examination for the Registered Nurse (NCLEX-RN) to become a RN. The learner is taught the use of the nursing process at the registered nursing scope of practice for the maintenance of health and prevention of illness, for the observation and nursing care of persons experiencing changes in health status, and in the administration of prescribed medication and treatments. The successful RN possesses excellent communication skills required to educate clients and/or staff and consult with physicians and other members of the interdisciplinary health care team. The RN must possess sound clinical judgment, ethical decision-making, and abilities essential to safe and effective nursing practice as part of a health care team. The experienced RN delegates tasks to other personnel, assumes leadership and management roles, and supervises other team members.

Through an articulation agreement with the nursing program at Bemidji State University, interested graduates may continue their educational advancement through the Baccalaureate Degree completion program.

Competitive Admission

This program exercises a competitive process for admission.

Employment

Employment opportunities have experienced a major expansion in recent years. Graduates are currently employed in acute-care hospitals, state hospitals, long-term care facilities including nursing homes and rehabilitation hospitals, clinics and physicians' offices, group homes and child care centers, health care and public health agencies, armed services, school nursing, industry and private homes.