PRACTICAL NURSING
DELIVERY
Primarily held during the day with some evening classes and clinicals. Classes may be in person, online, or a combination of both. Students may attend full time or part time.
START
Fall Term, Spring Term
CAMPUS
Brooklyn Park or Eden Prairie Campus
OVERVIEW
In HTC’s Practical Nursing program, you’ll gain the skills to be part of a health care team in a variety of health care settings including hospitals, clinics, home health agencies, long-term care facilities, transitional care facilities, industry and the armed forces.
To prepare you for success, your education includes courses ranging from basic nursing skills to psychosocial nursing, from pharmacology to medical ethics. It’s a blend of theory and hands-on experience that builds your nursing knowledge, skills, and attitudes. The program is designed to meet the requirements of the Minnesota Board of Nursing for qualifying to take the practical nursing state board licensing examination (NCLEX-PN). Upon successful completion of the examination, you’ll be a licensed practical nurse (LPN). Our NCLEX-PN passing rates have consistently equaled or surpassed state and national averages.
Students who have completed the Pre-Nursing requirements must complete a Nursing Application. For more information, please see Entry Requirements below.
 From Student to Instructor
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LABS AND CLASSROOMS
Some of your courses will involve learning nursing skills in a lab setting. This includes simulation experience for practicing nursing situations in a realistic patient care setting with mannequins that breathe, have a heartbeat, and can even speak!
Some of your clinical courses will take place in a long term care, clinic, school, or home care setting.
Students must meet the following expectations for every clinical course:
SUPPLIES/TOOLS
Students who have been admitted to the Practical Nursing program should refer to the HTC Bookstore on either Brooklyn Park or Eden Prairie campuses for the list of required textbooks and optional reference texts for each course. Additionally, every student will need the following supplies:
ENTRY REQUIREMENTS
Applying to the program:
Students must be admitted to the college, complete placement testing, and if applicable, have any prior coursework evaluated for transfer. Students may apply to the Practical Nursing Program after satisfying all of the program pre-requisites.
Nursing program applications can only be obtained by attending a mandatory application information session. The fall 2013 application sessions are over. The first mandatory nursing application sessions for spring 2014 will take place on Monday, May 20th from 1:00pm to 3:00pm in BPC J120, and Friday, May 24th from 10:00 am to 12 noon in EPC J110. You may attend at either campus. You must attend the ENTIRE session. There will be several more application information sessions during the summer for spring 2014 applications, and those dates will be posted here as they become available. Applications for spring will be due in SEPTEMBER; therefore, remaining coursework and requirements should be completed this summer if you plan to apply for spring 2014.
The immunization form for spring 2014 can be obtained by clicking HERE
For further questions, please contact Phyllis Hayes, Pre-Nursing Advisor at (952)-995-1360 or e-mail Phyllis.hayes@hennepintech.edu
WORK ENVIRONMENT
From the Minnesota Department of Health's Health Workforce Data and Reports 2008 (Published April 2009):
Overall Statistics:
Age Range:
Education:
Primary Practice Setting:
Primary Activity:
JOB OUTLOOK
From the iseek website, http://www.iseek.org
Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses are in the Top 10 job titles with the most vacancies in Minnesota during Spring 2010.
In 2009 (most current statistics available), 98.2% of nursing degree graduates and 100% of nursing diploma graduates found employment after graduation and licensure.
GAINFUL EMPLOYMENT
POTENTIAL JOB TITLES
The Hennepin Technical College practical nursing program is approved by the Minnesota Board of Nursing, and graduates are eligible to take the NCLEX-PN licensure exam.
ARTICULATIONS
Graduates of the practical nursing program may attend a mobility program leading to an ADN in professional nursing and the opportunity to take the RN licensure exam. These programs are typically one year in length. The mobility program is not offered at HTC, but is offered by several nearby Community Colleges.
Some of your courses will involve learning nursing skills in a lab setting. This includes simulation experience for practicing nursing situations in a realistic patient care setting with mannequins that breathe, have a heartbeat, and can even speak!
Some of your clinical courses will take place in a long term care, clinic, school, or home care setting.
Students must meet the following expectations for every clinical course:
- Students must be able to lift and move 35 pounds (per current federal OSHA recommendations). Students may also have to push, pull, bend, stand and walk for extended periods in clinical.
- Students must have a cleared criminal background study from the MN Department of Human Services (DHS) in order to be eligible for clinicals. Application will be made through the program the semester prior to clinicals. Contact the MN DHS, 651-431-2000, with questions regarding background studies.
Students who have been admitted to the Practical Nursing program should refer to the HTC Bookstore on either Brooklyn Park or Eden Prairie campuses for the list of required textbooks and optional reference texts for each course. Additionally, every student will need the following supplies:
- Stethoscope
- Blood pressure cuff- adult size regular
- Ace Bandage: 3 inches wide x 5 yards long
- Practical Nursing program uniform
- White uniform shoes or tennis shoes
- Practical Nursing program name tag
- A watch with a second hand
- Simple calculator
- Transfer belt
- Penlight with pupil gauge & replaceable batteries
- Optional: bandage scissors
Applying to the program:
Students must be admitted to the college, complete placement testing, and if applicable, have any prior coursework evaluated for transfer. Students may apply to the Practical Nursing Program after satisfying all of the program pre-requisites.
Nursing program applications can only be obtained by attending a mandatory application information session. The fall 2013 application sessions are over. The first mandatory nursing application sessions for spring 2014 will take place on Monday, May 20th from 1:00pm to 3:00pm in BPC J120, and Friday, May 24th from 10:00 am to 12 noon in EPC J110. You may attend at either campus. You must attend the ENTIRE session. There will be several more application information sessions during the summer for spring 2014 applications, and those dates will be posted here as they become available. Applications for spring will be due in SEPTEMBER; therefore, remaining coursework and requirements should be completed this summer if you plan to apply for spring 2014.
The immunization form for spring 2014 can be obtained by clicking HERE
For further questions, please contact Phyllis Hayes, Pre-Nursing Advisor at (952)-995-1360 or e-mail Phyllis.hayes@hennepintech.edu
From the Minnesota Department of Health's Health Workforce Data and Reports 2008 (Published April 2009):
Overall Statistics:
- Approximately 16,300 LPNs (311 per 100,000 population) were practicing in Minnesota.
Age Range:
- Approximately 60 percent of LPNs who worked in Minnesota were 45 or older.
Education:
- Most LPNs (92 percent) received their nursing education from a Minnesota nursing program.
- Most LPNs (98 percent) received a postsecondary educational degree or certificate in preparation for licensure.
- Only 15 percent reported receiving an associate degree, and less than one percent a bachelor’s degree prior to becoming an LPN.
Primary Practice Setting:
- LPNs worked an average of 10 years for their employer or facility.
- LPNs worked an average of 34 hours per week.
- The most common area of practice statewide was long term care (32 percent). The percentage of LPNs who practiced in long term care was greater in rural areas (42 percent) than in metropolitan and micropolitan areas (approximately 30 percent in each).
- The percentage of LPNs who reported clinic and provider offices as their primary practice sites increased from 26 percent in 2006 to 29 percent in 2008.
- The percentage of LPNs who practiced in clinics and provider offices was higher in metropolitan and micropolitan areas (approximately 30 percent in each) than in rural areas (24 percent).
Primary Activity:
- A majority (90 percent) of LPNs spent at least some of their time performing direct patient care.
- The next most frequently reported activities were patient supervision and telephone triage, in which about 30 percent of LPNs reported spending a portion of their time.
- LPNs spent the least amount of time in case management, insurance/utilization, and public and school health activities.
From the iseek website, http://www.iseek.org
Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses are in the Top 10 job titles with the most vacancies in Minnesota during Spring 2010.
In 2009 (most current statistics available), 98.2% of nursing degree graduates and 100% of nursing diploma graduates found employment after graduation and licensure.
GAINFUL EMPLOYMENT
Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses (LPN/LVN)
SALARY
US Median Hourly Salary = $19.53 / Twin Cities Metro Area Hourly Salary = $20.80
ACCREDITATION/AFFILIATIONS
The Hennepin Technical College practical nursing program is approved by the Minnesota Board of Nursing, and graduates are eligible to take the NCLEX-PN licensure exam.
Graduates of the practical nursing program may attend a mobility program leading to an ADN in professional nursing and the opportunity to take the RN licensure exam. These programs are typically one year in length. The mobility program is not offered at HTC, but is offered by several nearby Community Colleges.
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Dean of Health Sciences Marguerite Dummer, M.A., RN |
Director of Nursing Anna Schmidt, M.A., RN, PHN, CHPN |
 Kim Becker, M.A., RN |
|
 Jeanne Bowman BSN, RN |
 Becky Mikesh |
 Momodou Ceesay |
 Jill Waletich |
 Jill Frazier |
 Carol LeDuc-Hauser, BPC Administrative Assistant |
 Marlene Fuller |
Laura Williamschen, EPC administrative assistant |
 Julie Furman |
