Nursing Schools in Minnesota
Also known as the “Land of 10,000 Lakes,” Minnesota is a nice mix of small and rural American communities and larger Midwestern cities. Healthcare isn’t necessarily as large an industry here as some of the others, such as manufacturing and tourism, but there is a definite need for qualified professionals. In fact, there are currently 57,000 nurses currently working in Minnesota, yet this number is expected to serve more than five million residents. This results in a greater need for students graduating from Minnesota nursing schools to take advantage of employment opportunities in the state. This is, in part, because the nursing population is fairly old, which means that retirement for countless nurses is imminent, thus the result of an anticipated shortage.
There are roughly 55 facilities in the state, which gives nurses graduating from a Minnesota nursing school a good chance at finding employment in their choice of environment. Median average salary in this state varies between $57,000 and $60,000 annually, depending on the city in which the nurse chooses to work. The nursing schools in Minnesota are fairly competitive, perhaps because there isn’t the abundance that other states may have. However, this also means that the nurses graduating from these programs are among the best.
Among Minnesota nursing schools is Alexandria Technical College in Alexandria, which offers both LVN and LPN programs well as an associate’s degree in nursing. Anoka Technical College in Anoka offers both LPN and LVN programs, while Anoka-Ramsey Community College in Coon Rapids provides students with an associate’s degree in nursing. Augsburg College in Minneapolis provides students with an RN to BSN bridge program, while Bemidjii University in Bemidjii offers a bachelor’s degree in nursing, as well as an RN to BSN program. Bethel University in St. Paul provides Minnesota nursing school students with the opportunity to pursue a master’s degree in nursing as well as an RN to BSN designation, while Central Lakes College in Brainerd offers an associate’s degree in nursing.
Pine Technical College in Pine City offers both LPN and LVN degrees, while Rainy River Community College in International Falls provides an LPN degree as well. Rasmussen College in Eagan offers an associate’s degree, while Ridgewater College in Willmar provides Minnesota nursing school students with an associate’s degree as well. Walden University in Minneapolis provides students with a post-master’s certificate in nursing as well as a post baccalaureate certificate.
In the state of Minnesota there are plenty of opportunities available to train to become a nurse. The three largest of the universities in the state of Minnesota include the University of Minnesota campuses found in Twin Cities, Mankato and the third in St. Cloud. Aspiring nurses are nurses who are already licensed can study for their bachelor’s degree, their master’s degree or their doctoral degrees. Nurses who wish to receive graduate training can get their education at the University of Minnesota- Twin Cities where graduate certificate programs are available. Her ewe present a list of nursing schools in Minnesota.
University of Minnesota- Twin Cities
The School of Nursing at the Twin Cities campus at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). The school offers a Bachelor of Science in Nursing program, a Master of Nursing, a Post-Master’s Certificate and a Doctor of Nursing Practice.
Students who are enrolled in the bachelor’s program must first take their prerequisite courses which include biology and microbiology, chemistry, psychology, human development and nutrition. This comprises the first year of study. The next three years of the degree program are such that nursing students will take certain subjects in sequence. Students study anatomy and physiology and then nursing fundamentals. From there they go onto public health followed by psychiatric and transcultural nursing.
The Master of Nursing program is for those who already hold a Bachelor’s degree in Nursing or for those who have a bachelor’s degree in another discipline other than nursing. The Post Master’s Certificate allows those nurses with their master’s degrees to train in an area of specialty. Some examples of specialties include nurse-midwifery, women’s health care, geriatric nursing and administration. The Doctor of Nursing Practice degree program focused in on practice skills and leadership in the field of nursing. This is different from a traditional Ph.D. program which focuses on research.
University of Minnesota- Mankato
The School of Nursing through the College of Allied Health and Nursing found at the University of Minnesota in Mankato has opportunities for undergraduate training as well as graduate training. There is a basic nursing program, an accelerate program for those who already possess a bachelor’s degree in another field and a registered nurse (RN) baccalaureate completion program for licensed nurses who wish to earn their Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree. For those who are more advanced and wish to study at the graduate level they can study for their master’s degree. The specialties they can choose from include nurse educator, clinical nurse specialist and family nurse practitioner. Nurses may decide after they graduate with their master’s degree to work towards their Doctor of Nursing Practice degree. The RN bachelor’s program and the master’s programs offer the option of taking some courses online.
St. Cloud State University
The College of Science and Engineering at St. Cloud State University offers a nursing program through the Department of Nursing Science. The university has a traditional four year bachelor’s degree that is appropriate for the majority of its students. It also offers an accelerated bachelor’s nursing program in a non-nursing field. This degree takes 16 months to complete and is very intensive in nature.