June 21, 2016 – Fargo and Bismarck, North Dakota – North Dakota State University’s School of Nursing has been named one of the nation’s top nursing schools by NursingSchoolsAlmanac.com.
In the comparison of programs across the U.S., NDSU’s School of Nursing in Fargo, together with NDSU Nursing at Sanford Health in Bismarck, are listed as:
#4 overall in the Plains region, which includes Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, and South Dakota
#30 among public nursing schools
#59 nursing school in the U.S. among more than 3,200 (top 2 percent of all schools considered)
The listing places NDSU’s School of Nursing in the top 100 nursing schools in the country, among the top 50 public nursing schools in the U.S., and in the top 4 schools in the Plains states.
In its inaugural ranking of U.S. nursing schools, editor-in-chief Christopher McMillen said NursingSchoolsAlmanac.com collected data on more than 3,200 institutions nationwide. From that data pool, just 10 percent of schools considered made the group’s final list. Methodology used for the ranking offers a comprehensive view.
Criteria for the NursingSchoolsAlmanac.com listing included:
- Breadth and depth of nursing programs offered
- Student success, particularly on the NCLEX (National Council Licensure Examination for the licensing of nurses in the U.S.) and
- Perceived value and academic prestige of institution
“One aspect of NDSU that impressed us greatly is its history of strong student performance on licensure and certification exams,” said McMillen. “For example, BSN students have passed the NCLEX exam at a 90%+ rate for at least eight consecutive years, well exceeding state and national averages.”
“The commitment of our nursing faculty, clinical instructors, outstanding students, and the clinical sites and preceptors who help educate students all play significant roles in developing an exceptional nursing program,” said Dr. Carla Gross, associate dean of NDSU’s School of Nursing and Fargo site chair. “As a School of Nursing at a land grant institution, we are committed to responding to meet the state’s crucial need for health care professionals.”
"This recognition of NDSU's nursing program—which also serves residents in central and western North Dakota through the NDSU School of Nursing at Sanford Health—highlights the work of faculty, staff, students and the health institutions we work with to educate highly-qualified nurses to meet the state's needs," said Karen Latham, chair of NDSU Nursing at Sanford Health in Bismarck.
Programs in NDSU’s School of Nursing in the College of Health Professions include:
- Pre-licensure bachelor’s of science in nursing
- Licensed practical nurse to bachelor’s of science in nursing
- Doctor of nursing practice/family nursing practitioner
- Online blended registered nurse to bachelor’s of science in nursing program, and
- An educational model where students in nursing, pharmacy, dietetics, and social work collaborate as an interprofessional team to ultimately improve the quality of health care
“NDSU’s nursing faculty and staff are dedicated to providing an exceptional education for our students,” said Charles D. Peterson, dean of the College of Health Professions. “North Dakota will have 4,430 registered nurse openings through 2020, according to a national report from the Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce. Many groups—including NDSU’s School of Nursing—are working to develop ways to help meet the state’s health care workforce needs, which are especially acute in the area of nursing,” said Peterson.
An earlier report from the North Dakota Center for Nursing showed vacancy rates for RNs at 7.3% for rural hospitals and 8.10% for urban hospitals in 2014.
As a student-focused, land grant, research university, we serve our citizens.