Lake Region State College announces that practical nurse education will be delivered to the Jamestown area starting this Fall.
The college recently received approval to deliver its practical nurse program in that area. With fall semester a few weeks away, the program will start as part of the Nursing program’s Mobility cohort. The Mobility program has core theory classes online and clinical lab courses in the Jamestown area.
College administrators hope a full face-to-face program will be present in Jamestown by Fall semester 2024.
Lake Region State College in Devils Lake is part of the Dakota Nursing program. LRSC offers Practical Nursing and Associate Degree (2-year RN) Nursing Education in Devils Lake, Grand Forks, Mayville, and through their mobility option. Students wishing to earn a bachelor’s degree or higher in nursing then can transfer into one of the numerous programs throughout the state.
The Practical Nurse program at Lake Region State College provides the knowledge and skills needed to enter a challenging and fulfilling career in nursing. Upon acceptance into the program, students receive classroom study and supervised experience in caring for patients in a variety of healthcare settings, including hospitals, acute care centers, long-term care facilities, home care agencies, and clinics.
Demand for nurses continues throughout North Dakota and in the United States. Numerous healthcare employers now work with LRSC to enroll students through a nurse apprenticeship program.
Opportunities with apprenticeships are growing in ND and at Lake Region State College. Apprenticeship models present another avenue for individuals to find long-term career opportunities right here in North Dakota, especially Nursing.
“Offering apprenticeship programs has been a part of LRSC’s plan to meet labor market needs and utilize work-based learning to shorten the time needed to get highly skilled workers trained and into jobs” said LRSC President Doug Darling.
Today, the apprenticeship list at LRSC includes cyber security support technician, network support technician, helpdesk technician, electronics technician/simulation degree, electromechanical technician/technical studies, nursing and certified nurse assistant.
Nursing apprenticeships have grown exponentially this past year at LRSC as more employers are receptive to the model. Finding nurses is a nationwide issue, but it’s especially difficult in rural America and healthcare facilities in North Dakota are no exception.
Apprenticeships, especially in healthcare, are attractive to employers, increasing staff retention, decreasing recruitment costs and improving patient care quality.
According to an article by Marquette University, the aging Baby Boomer generation account for much of the growing demand for healthcare services — about half of U.S. seniors have three or more chronic conditions.
Not only must providers account for the needs of an aging population requiring ever-greater levels of care, but they must do so in the face of a coming wave of nurse retirements, the Marquette University article stated.
In areas like rural North Dakota, having nursing education available in numerous communities and with mobility learning options like LRSC provides, residents can enroll in programs without uprooting their family and moving.
Lake Region State College also offers a Paramedic to Nurse program and Community Paramedicine program.
Graduates of the Practical Nursing Program who meet continuation criteria may continue their studies in the Associate Degree Nurse (ADN) program at Lake Region State College and then transfer to baccalaureate programs at other higher education institutions.
Those interested in enrolling in the Nursing program should fill out an application at dakotanursing.org. Applicants do need to take a TEAS exam first and that is also available on the Dakota Nursing site. Here students may register for the TEAS exam. They can take the exam remotely or come to the LRSC Nursing testing room to test.
For more information go to LRSC.edu/nursing or call (701) 662-1644.