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Let us help you land on your dream job here in North Dakota! Read on this article to know more about the licensing process in North Dakota, and more!
Through this article, you will be able to know the following:
Fees for the licensing
Licensing renewal process (step-by-step)
Requirements for Continuing Education in Nursing
Licensing and certification
Job and Salary Expectations of Nurses in North Dakota
Popular hospitals in North Dakota
Nursing associations in North Dakota
Contact details
Fees for the Licensing
The table below shows the required payments for the licensing, whether you are a first-time nurse, applying by endorsement, or renewing your license. For more information, visit the North Dakota licensing page
As a nursing compact state, North Dakota lets nurses obtain multi-state licenses.
*Fees may change without any notice.
Licensing Renewal Process
Check when your license expires by visiting the North Dakota Board of Nursing website. North Dakota has a Verification page for you to verify your license.
Complete all your continuing education requirements BEFORE your license expires.
Apply for your renewal process by going to the North Dakota Board of Nursing. You may check on the Renewal Information page for more specific information. Be reminded that if your Primary State of Residency is not North Dakota, you can not apply for a licensure in North Dakota because it is a compact state. You must declare that North Dakota is your Primary State of Residency to be able to do so.
Requirements for Continuing Education in Nursing
The following are the Continuing Education Requirements for nurses in North Dakota.
For RN/LPN, you are required to obtain 12 contact hours every 2 years.
For APRN, you must have 12 contact hours every 2 years. If you are an APRN authorized to prescribe, complete 15 contact hours in pharmacology. Having these requirements will help you in the renewal process.
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Licensing and Certification
Step 1: Education
To earn an Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN), you must attend an accredited institution that offers ADN for 18-24 months. You can also take a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) Degree in an accredited institution. These programs typically take 4 to 5 years to complete. If you have an ADN but you wanna pursue your bachelor’s, there are certain programs that let you earn your BSN in 12 to 18 months. There is also an RN to BSN program that will take one year for you to earn the degree. Said programs let you save on time and money as you work towards advancing your career.
Step 2: Licensing
Six weeks before your graduation, you can start the process of your application for the NCLEX-RN exam. This exam is composed of 75-265 items and you will be given a limit of 5 hours to finish all of it. Failing the exam does not necessarily mean that you do not have the chance anymore. After your first try, you just have to wait for 45 days and you can apply again.
The scope of NCLEX includes questions about: (1) health promotion and maintenance; (2) safe and effective care environment; (3) physiology and integrity; and (4) psychology and integrity.
Step 3: Experience
This time, you must learn how to take the opportunities in gaining first-hand experiences in dealing with patients, with colleagues and superiors, and with the different situations that you might face. These invaluable experiences will make you more attractive to bigger employers in the future.
Step 4: Certification
Your last step is to obtain certifications for your chosen career. There are different requirements for earning a certification, depending on your preferences so it is important to check with the governing provider for information. You can attend several trainings, seminars or workshops in varied institutions for this purpose.
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Job and Salary Expectations of Nurses in North Dakota
Shortage of healthcare professionals, specifically nurses, has been a perennial issue in the country. This makes nurses highly in demand during this period of time. This profession will increase by about 9% from 2020 to 2030. The average annual salary is $71,200.
Let us help you check out average wages of nurses to help determine if North Dakota is the right place for you.
Popular Hospitals in North Dakota
Still not decided on whether to work as a nurse in North Dakota or not? This list of the best hospitals in the state will surely help you make that decision to go in the right direction. U.S. News and World Report made a list of the best and popular hospitals in North Dakota. Here are some of them:
Sanford Medical Center Fargo – (Fargo, ND):
Regionally ranked #1 in North Dakota
Rated high performing in 1 adult specialty and 10 procedures and conditions
General medical and surgical facility
Part of the Magnet Recognition Program®
Specialties include Maternity Care (Uncomplicated Pregnancy), Colon Cancer surgery, Kidney failure, and Stroke
Sanford Medical Center Bismarck – (Bismarck, ND):
Regionally ranked #2 in North Dakota
Rated high performing in 9 adult procedures and conditions
General medical and surgical facility
Part of the Magnet Recognition Program®
Specialties include Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), Hip replacement, Stroke, and Kidney failure
CHI St. Alexius Health Bismarck – (Bismarck, ND):
Regionally ranked #3 in North Dakota
Rated high performing in 1 adult specialty and 6 procedures and conditions
General medical and surgical facility
Specialties include Heart attack, Heart failure, Kidney failure, and Hip & knee replacement
Altru Health System-Grand Forks – (Grand Forks, ND):
Rated high performing in 5 adult procedures and conditions
General medical and surgical facility
Specialties include Colon Cancer Surgery, Heart attack, Heart failure, Kidney failure, and Pneumonia
CHI St. Alexius Health-Dickinson Medical Center – (Dickinson, ND):
Rated high performing in 1 adult procedure and condition
General medical and surgical facility
Specialties include Hip Fracture, among other fields.
*The American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) awards Magnet Status to Hospitals that apply and meet certain criteria. This award is also considered as the “gold standard” for excellence in nursing practice and care.
Nursing Associations in North Dakota
Becoming a member of a nursing association opens a lot of opportunities to your career growth. It gives you the advantages of varied job offers and networking, and a bunch of information and experiences shared between you and your fellow nurses. Through these organizations, learning and professional growth never stop. Listed below are just a few of the nursing organizations that you can find and join once you are in North Dakota.
North Dakota Association of Nurse Anesthetists “The purpose of this institution of nurses is to emphasize safe and best-quality anesthesia through research and educational advancement. It represents the Anesthesia Nurses and promotes high-standard healthcare.”
North Dakota Nurses Association “One of the goals of this nursing association is to improve the nursing profession by highlighting their professional growth and advocating high standards of practices in nursing.”
North Dakota Center for Nursing “This group gives leadership training to nurses. These trainings are related to having valuable skills and wisdom to nurses.”
For more information about the nursing associations, you may visit the comprehensive list of national organizations as well.
Contact Details
North Dakota Board of Nursing
Phone: (701) 328-9777
Fax: (701) 328-9785
Website: https://www.ndbon.org/
ND Board of Nursing
919 S 7th Street
Suite 504
Bismarck, ND 58504