South Dakota contains a wide variety of geographical features, from the Black Hills, which are sacred to the Sioux, to the Badlands, Mount Rushmore, and Custer State Park. If you are looking for information on becoming an LPN in South Dakota, continue reading. You will find information about LPN courses in South Dakota (including a list of South Dakota schools in the section located at the bottom of this page that may offer LPN schooling), an LPN job description, and information on LPN licensing requirements for South Dakota.
LPN Schools & Programs: Basic/General Information
Licensed Practical Nurse schooling programs are geared toward one thing: helping students acquire the knowledge and build the skills that they need to serve as Practical Nurses and provide a high standard of care to patients. LPN programs accomplish this by instructing students on both the fundamental ideas of nursing and also physical nursing skills. In a normal LPN schooling program, students may need to start with a range of fundamental courses just the same way that a person pursuing any other type of education would; this may include classes like basic science and writing classes. Beyond the fundamentals, students also typically take a variety of nursing-specific courses to learn all of the knowledge and skills that a Practical Nurse would need to know. Clinicals (working out in a real medical setting under supervision) may also be a part of schooling.
General Job Duties of LPNs in South Dakota
It’s no secret that LPNs, like other kinds of nurses, do a wide range of things. One day they may be called upon to assist a patient who can’t walk on their own, and another day they may be helping with advanced things like starting IVs (which may require a special certification) and other various tasks. LPNs may draw blood from patients, help bathe them when they cannot bathe themselves, and make sure that wounds are cared for and bandages are clean. Basically anything that you could picture a nurse doing could possibly be something that an LPN may also do while helping patients. With that said, there may be some tasks that the state of South Dakota may prohibit LPNs from doing, or require special schooling. It’s also worth mentioning that LPNs do different things in different settings; an LPN working in a clinic setting may not have the same day-to-day tasks as an LPN who works in a hospital, simply due to different settings and the needs of patients in each setting.
South Dakota Requirements for LPN Licensing
South Dakota is a participating member what’s known as the Nurse Licensing Compact, a collaborative organization among states that allows some reciprocity among nursing licenses. This that a Practical Nurse who is a resident of South Dakota and holds a nursing license is allowed to practice in other participating Compact states. It also means that Compact states’ residents must hold a license in their own state but are allowed to practice in South Dakota without a South Dakota license being necessary. South Dakota has some specific requirements that a person needs to complete in order to earn a Practical Nursing License. Some requirements are listed below, but visit the South Dakota Board of Nursing website for full information and updated details about fee amounts, as well as licensing information for certain scenarios (such being a graduate of a nursing program that is located outside of the U.S. such as Canada).
LPN licensing applicants in South Dakota must have graduated from a board-approved nursing program (either approved by the South Dakota nursing board, if in-state, or by another state’s nursing board, if completed out-of-state, so it is essential to verify that a program is approved before enrolling). They must complete an application for licensure and pay any applicable fees. They must also include a certificate of nursing education if they have attended an in-state nursing school, or include an official transcript with the degree conferred on it if they graduated from an out-of-state nursing school. They must also pass a criminal background check. Applicants must also pass the NCLEX (National Council Licensure Exam for Practical Nursing). South Dakota also has temporary permits that can be obtained through an application and paying a temporary permit application fee. The temporary permit allows LPN graduates to begin work before receiving their permanent license; the permit is valid for 90 days or until results of the NCLEX are received.
Nursing Colleges and Schools – South Dakota
Below are South Dakota colleges and schools that may offer practical nursing programs.
Lake Area Technical Institute
230 11th St NE, Watertown, SD 57201
(605) 882-5284
Dakota State University
820 Washington Ave N, Madison, SD 57042
(605) 256-5111
Kilian Community College
300 East 6th Street, Sioux Falls, SD 57103
(605) 221-3100
Mitchell Technical Institute
1800 E Spruce St, Mitchell, SD 57301
(605) 995-3025
Sinte Gleska University
101 Antelope Cir, Mission, SD 57555
(605) 856-8100
South Dakota State University
100 Administration Lane, Brookings, SD 57006
(605) 688-4121
Sisseton Wahpeton Community College
2572 BIA Highway 700, Sisseton, SD 57262
(605) 698-3966
Southeast Technical Instititue
2320 N Ave, Sioux Falls, SD 57107
(605) 367-7624
Western Dakota Technical Institute
800 Mickelson Dr, Rapid City, SD 57703
(605) 394-4034
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