Renewal
Continuing Education Requirements
The Nurse Practices Act now contains continuing education requirements and the North Dakota Board of Nursing determined that continuing education for purposes of relicensure must meet or exceed twelve (12) contact hours within the preceding two (2) years. For RN and LPN license renewal, the nurse must meet the continued competence requirements. Included in this requirement is the completion of 12 contact hours of continuing education. All CE required for license renewal may be obtained online. If you recently received your first license in North Dakota and took an examination to receive it, and this is your first renewal of that nursing license, you are not required to have completed CE courses. If you received your first license in North Dakota by endorsement from another state in the year you are renewing, you must complete 6 contact hours for renewal of your nursing license. The availability of online continuing education provides many opportunities for nurses to obtain contact hours needed to meet this requirement. It is your responsibility to ensure you meet these requirements and to maintain documentation of having completed the contact hours. If audited, you will be required to produce the appropriate documentation to verify contact hours.
Practice
What is the practice of nursing?
The practice of nursing is a set of interactions that take place between the nurse and the client. The process starts with a detailed assessment of the client’s health care needs. The nurse interviews the client and sometimes the family to obtain the health history as well as the current health status. The nurse physically examines the patient and also reviews the client's medical record including important data such as the results of diagnostic tests. Nursing assessment is followed by developing a plan of care which address the client's ongoing health conditions. The goal of a nursing plan of care is to improve an individual's health status and to prevent future illness. The interventions outlined in a nursing plan of care may include support with activities of daily living as well as highly complex technological services such as ventilator support. It is the nurse's job to observe the effects of the services being provided to each client and to make necessary adjustments. The nurse should always be the patient's advocate and act in the client's best interest.
Licensure
How do I get a compact multistate license if I live in a noncompact state?
Only nurses who declare a compact state as their primary state of residence are eligible for a multistate license. As a resident of a noncompact state, you may apply for a license in a compact state, although your eligibility will be limited to a single state license that is valid in that state only. If you declare a compact state as your primary state of residence, your license automatically becomes a compact multistate license, as long as it is in good standing. If you're unsure of your licensure status, use the QuickConfirm tool at www.nursys.com. This report will indicate "multistate" or "single state" in the status column.
Exam
Can I take the NCLEX in a different state?
The NCLEX-PN exam is administered on a computer at approved test sites throughout the United States. First, the nurse graduate chooses a test center where to take the examination. Since all states administer the same exam, it is not required that a candidate sit for the examination in the same state in which he or she applies for licensure. Each exam is individualized according to the responses given to previous test questions but all exams follow a standard plan. A minimum of eighty-five (85) questions must be answered by a candidate in order to determine a pass or fail status. Some candidates may be answering items for up to five hours in order to finish the test. Every question is multiple choice and each item needs to be answered in order to move to the next one. Candidates with disabilities need to notify the test center in order to receive special accommodations. The NCLEX-PN exam has no more than 205 questions but you can pass with only 85 if you answer correctly. Those who fail the test can take it again but must wait at least forty-five days to retest.
Education
What education do I need to become an LPN?
LPNs must be licensed to practice in a particular state and must complete a state-approved training program in practical nursing to be eligible for licensure. Most practical nursing training programs last about one year, and are offered by vocational and technical schools or community and junior colleges. Other programs are available through high schools, hospitals, and colleges and universities. A high school diploma or its equivalent usually is required for entry, although some programs accept candidates without a diploma, and some programs are part of a high school curriculum.
Career
What is a Licensed Vocational Nurse?
Licensed practical nurses (LPNs) care for people who are sick, injured, convalescent, or disabled under the direction of physicians and registered nurses. The nature of the direction and supervision required varies by state and job setting. In the U.S. states of California and Texas LPNs are called licensed vocational nurses (LVNs).
Organizations
Cleveland Clinic Free Nursing CMEs
The Center for Continuing Education has been committed to sharing a wealth of knowledge with physicians, nurses, and other medical professionals across the country and all over the world for more than 75 years. The Center for Continuing Education is responsible for one of the largest and most diverse CME programs anywhere.
Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality's (AHRQ) mission is to produce evidence to make health care safer, higher quality, more accessible, equitable, and affordable, and to work within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and with other partners to make sure that the evidence is understood and used.