Practical Nursing Admission Requirements

Practical Nursing is designed to create upward mobility nursing education opportunities. After successful completion of the Practical Nursing Program, students will receive the Practical Nursing Diploma and be eligible to take the NCLEX-PN examination. Students may exit at this point or continue in the program to receive the Associate Degree in Nursing and are then eligible to take the RN licensing examination.

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Prerequisites

At the time of application, you must have completed or be in the process of completing all of the nursing program prerequisites. Prospective, transfer, current and returning students to Minnesota West should contact the campus Student Services Office for help with course advising regarding the nursing program.

Completion of required prerequisite courses.
Completion of a federally approved NA/HHA (Nursing Assistant/Home Health Aide) course of 75 hours or more in length after 1990.
- If a NA/HHA course has been taken within the past 3 years, the student is not required to be on the MN NA Registry.
- If a NA/HHA course is greater than 3 years old, the student must be on the MN NA Registry.
- A test out is available for those students that have taken a course after 1990 and need to obtain certification on the MN NA Registry.
- (Clarification: If a student is just taking the NA course to meet the NA requirement for the nursing program, he/she does not need to test out at the end. However, the student will not be certified as a NA/HHA and will not be able to work in this role without the test out.)
CPR Certification: American Heart Association (AHA) or American Red Cross (ARC) Basic Life Support (BLS) for the Healthcare Provider.
BIOL 2201 Anatomy is a prerequisite to the Practical Nursing Program. This course has a time limit of 5 years. Additional courses with a 5 year limit are Physiology and Developmental Psychology. Applicants should review currency of courses with a nursing advisor.

Application Instructions

Application due February 15. The following application steps must be completed and submitted.

Submit a FREE Online Application for general admission to Minnesota West. Submit Official high school and college transcripts to the Admissions Department (admissions@mnwest.edu).
Complete the Practical Nursing program application using the Online Application.
Complete the Standardized National ACT test (www.ACT.org, register, test center locator) OR SAT Total test (www.collegeboard.org) or submit previously taken scores.
PN applicants must take the ATI TEAS Test. The TEAS questions measure on 4 key areas that are important for PN students. Reading, Math, Science, and English & Language Utilization including an overall score. The cut score is the proficient level minimum of 58.7%. Students will have 3 attempts during the application period, but there needs to be 1 month span between tests. The test needs to be completed by February 15 and official results sent to us following completion. For registration information, please see the PN nursing application.
Please carefully read through our Practical Nursing (PN) Application Packet, which includes a checklist and additional important information.

Acceptance & Selection Process to the Nursing Program

Admission to the Nursing Program is competitive. Applicants who have met the minimum admission requirements by February 15 will be reviewed for fall admission to the program.

Admission to the nursing program is determined by a screening committee and based on the following criteria:

Nursing test scores (ATI TEAS test for Practical Nursing Program and NLN test for Associate Degree Nursing Program).
The Standardized National ACT test is required as part of the admission process for incoming students.
College GPA.
Coursework related to the degree requirements for the nursing program. Minnesota West will evaluate the college transcripts and post transfer credits to your Minnesota West transcript in accordance with Minnesota State Policy 3.21. You are encouraged to complete non-nursing courses prior to beginning nursing courses.

Applicants who do not meet the minimum admission requirements or fail to complete the nursing program admission process by the February 15 deadline will be denied admission to the nursing program. Minnesota West will notify all applicants in writing of their admission status in the nursing program within six weeks of the application deadline.

Please do not call to check on your admission status before April 1.

Requirements after Acceptance

Completion of all prerequisite coursework and courses within the nursing program with a grade of C or higher. C minus (-) grades are not accepted.
Current personal health insurance is required. Students are responsible for incurred medical costs during the nursing program.
CastleBranch database registration is required for all nursing students. Students are required to upload clinical documents to CastleBranch by July 15 where your health record will be stored while you are in the nursing program. Students are responsible for registering and paying the CastleBranch fee. Documents that must be uploaded to the CastleBranch database include:
- Minnesota West Nursing Health History and Physical form.
- Written documentation from a health care provider, Minnesota Immunization Information Connection (MIIC), or agency of immunizations/vaccinations/tests which include the following:
  - Hepatitis B series – documentation of three (3) vaccinations or evidence of a positive Hepatitis B titer.
  - MMR (Measles, Mumps and Rubella) – documentation of two vaccinations or documentation of a positive MMR titer.
  - Tdap ( Tetanus, Diptheria and acellular Pertusis) – within the last ten (10) years.
  - Varicella (Chicken Pox) – two vaccinations or documentation of a positive varicella titer.
  - 2 step - Tuberculosis Skin Test, Quantiferon blood test, or evidence of recent chest X-ray (within one year).
  - A COVID vaccine (or declination to the vaccine) is required at clinical experience locations. COVID documentation must include the vaccine manufacturer and lot number.
  - Influenza - documentation must be administered during the current flu season (August - March) and must be submitted on the school form, available for download.
  - Note: Records with any personal medical information are considered confidential documents and are secured in the student CastleBranch database.
Current CPR Certification :
- American Heart Association (AHA) or American Red Cross (ARC) Basic Life Support for the Healthcare Provider
- Certification must include a ‘hands-on’ demonstration of CPR skills for all age groups and include AED training.
- Online CPR renewals will not be accepted.
Background Checks: Nursing students are required to complete two (2) background checks at the beginning of the nursing program. Clinical facilities may also require their own background check – in addition to the following background checks:
- MN Department of Human Services (DHS) background check pursuant to MN Statute 245C requires that students who have contact with individuals in licensed healthcare institutions complete an annual background study with the MN Department of Health and Human Services.
- Criminal Background Check: students will complete a criminal federal background check through CastleBranch database, in addition to the MN Department of Human Services background check.
- If discrepancies occur on background checks, the student will be contacted by the nursing program director. Disqualifying offenses can be found here. Criminal background discrepancies may be reviewed by clinical facilities. Clinical facilities have the final decision on if students with a discrepancy may attend clinical experiences at their location.
Students are responsible for cost of nursing clinical experiences, health examinations, health insurance, malpractice insurance, CPR certification, healthcare vaccines, CastleBranch registration fee, background checks, etc.
ATI examinations are required periodically in the program as well as a national standardized, end-of-program ATI exam near the completion of your final semester to assist in preparation for the licensure exam after graduation. The cost of this preparation tool and examinations by ATI are included in your tuition.
ATI review course: Students must complete either an on-campus ATI review course after graduation and prior to receiving authorization to test for the NCLEX exam.

Nursing Orientation

The Nursing program has mandatory in-person orientation that takes place both in the Spring and Fall prior to the semester start.

Program Outcomes

The Practical Nursing Program began in 1970 and celebrated the first graduates in 1971

National licensure examination pass rate (NCLEX) for the Practical Nursing Program students from 2021, 2022, and 2023 was 100%. Minnesota West’s PN program passing rates exceeds state and national averages!

Minnesota West’s PN Program named #1 Nursing Program in Minnesota!

Job placement for 2022 graduates in the Practical Nursing Program was 85.7% of students reporting working and/or continuing education. 40% report only working.

Student Satisfaction: Graduates of the program in 2022 reported 99.5% overall satisfaction with their education and the Practical Nursing Program.

Program Completion (students start and complete the degree program in two semesters) for the Practical Nursing Program in 2022 was 45.7%. In 2023-2024 (as of 1/2024), 87.27% of students are progressing to completion from the Practical Nursing Program.

Small class sizes are important for student success. The program instructor to student ratio for 2023-2024 is 1:17.5 in lectures courses on campus/1:19.5 in online courses. Lab courses are 1:16 and clinical courses are 1:8.

The Practical Nursing Program holds accreditation from the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN).

Student Learning Outcomes

Concept	Student Learning Outcome
Informatics/ Technology	Utilize information technology in the health care setting.
Managing Care of the Individual Patient	Utilize an established plan of care for an individual patient to organize or assign aspects of care under the direction of a RN or other HCP.
Nursing Judgment/ Evidence-based Care	Utilize evidence-based nursing judgment when providing and prioritizing care and promoting the health of patients across the lifespan.
Patient-Relationship Centered Care	Demonstrate therapeutic communication skills to practice holistic nursing that is patient, culturally sensitive and based on the physiological, psychosocial and spiritual needs of patients across the lifespan.
Professional Identity and Behavior	Demonstrate professional behaviors and accountability to legal and ethical nursing practice standards.
Quality Improvement	Participate in quality improvement by recognizing opportunities for improvement and collaborating with the health care team to enhance effective and cost-efficient health care services.
Safety	Promote quality care, recognize complications and provide a safe environment for patients, self, and others.
Teamwork and Collaboration	Serve as a member of the interprofessional team using open communication, mutual respect, and shared decision making to promote safe, quality, patientcentered care.

Mission & Philosophy

Mission

The Minnesota West Practical Nursing Programs provide nursing education using a variety of delivery methods to a diverse population with the goal of preparing graduates who practice safe, entry-level practical nursing care.

Philosophy

The Practical Nursing Program believes that Practical Nursing (PN) is grounded in the biological, psychological, sociological, and spiritual sciences. Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs) care for diverse individuals and families in a variety of inpatient and community-based settings by providing safe, culturally sensitive, individualized patient/relationship centered care and by participating as a member of the health care team. LPNs recognize that teamwork and interprofessional collaboration among health care professionals is critical to delivering safe, quality patient care. The ability to provide safe, patient-centered care is dependent on effectively utilizing information technology and informatics in the healthcare setting. Ongoing quality improvement activities are performed in concert with other members of the health care team. Implementing established evidence–based care is essential to the delivery of quality, safe, patient-centered care. Professional values guide interactions with individuals, families, and the health care team. LPNs demonstrate professional behaviors by exhibiting accountability for ones actions, meeting the health care needs of patients, and assuming legal responsibility for the care provided. LPNs demonstrate professional identity by upholding a commitment to the public and by adhering to an established code of ethics. The major roles of the LPN include provider of nursing care and member of the nursing profession. As providers of care, LPNs contribute to the promotion of wellness, use nursing judgment in the identification of current and emerging patient problems, and function as advocates for individuals and families. LPNs help to manage patient care through the use of established protocols and evidence-based practices incorporating the nursing process and caring as essential tools. In addition, LPNs demonstrate leadership by guiding and directing other LPNs and unlicensed assistive personnel to provide safe, quality patient care within the state’s scope of practice. LPNs provide selected patient education using established protocols and reinforce education provided by other members of the health care team to achieve positive clinical outcomes. The nursing program believes that students graduating from Minnesota West Community & Technical College’s Practical Nursing Program must be ready to practice in a complex and changing clinical environment. The program measures eight student learning outcomes with identified competencies and apprenticeships by which the student must successfully complete to demonstrate proficiency in the role as a graduate of this PN program. From gradual leveling and evaluation in the didactic, lab, and clinical courses, students grow knowledge, skills, and values/attitudes to prepare for the LPN scope of practice. The student is given the opportunity to reflect on the importance of patient/relationship centered care, teamwork and collaboration, leadership skills, quality improvement, safety, informatics/technology, professional identify/behaviors, and nursing judgment/evidence based care within individual practice as a future LPN.

The system of Minnesota State Colleges provides the following example of performance standards, based on the Minnesota Nurse Practice Act, that practical nursing students are required to meet and maintain to provide safe and effective care, to be successful and progress in nursing programs. The examples listed are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to be a complete list of all tasks in a nursing program. Students with documented disabilities, or who believe they may have a protected disability, can request an accommodation, which may assist with meeting the standards for nursing programs. For assistance, contact the Collegewide Disability Coordinator.

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Critical-thinking Skills

Standards

Critical thinking ability for effective clinical reasoning and clinical judgment consistent with level of educational preparation