Practical Nursing

Admission Guidelines

You must complete all steps of the admissions process to be admitted into the Practical Nursing program. Please read the full explanations below this checklist.

1. Apply to Anoka Technical College and be admitted to the college.
2. Complete the CPR requirement as described
3. Complete the Accuplacer Assessments
4. Complete the Test of Essential Academic Skills (ATI TEAS)
5. Complete the Student Record of Immunization and Health Status Form (PDF). Must be signed and/or stamped by a health provider.
6. Complete the Nursing Assistant or Medical Assistant requirement

All documents are submitted to enrollmentservices@anokatech.edu. The prerequisites are completed and submitted as an entire package to the Enrollment Services Department prior to admission to the ATC Practical Nursing program.  Completed application packages are accepted on a rolling basis until the seats are filled. Students are notified within 5 business days of application submission of the seat availability for the upcoming semester.

Important: All completed forms and supporting documentation must be submitted as PDF or Word Documents. A photo of documentation using your smartphone or tablet can be converted to a PDF as follows:
o    iPhone or iPad (iOS 10 or later) - Open the picture. Tap "Share" at the bottom. Scroll across and select "Print". Pinch to zoom in or zoom out so the whole form is visible. Tap "Share" to save it as a PDF.
o    Android - Open the picture. Tap the menu in the upper right-hand corner. Scroll down and select "Print". Choose "Save as PDF" at the top.

Admission requirements (Steps 1-6):

1.    Apply to Anoka Technical College and be admitted to the college

2.    Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR)
MUST BE CURRENT at time of application and maintained thereafter through entire program; Online certifications do not meet this requirement.
□  American Heart Association BLS Provider  OR
□  American Red Cross Basic Life Support/HeartCode BLS

3.    Successfully complete Accuplacer assessments (Arithmetic and Reading Comprehension)
A.    Score of 275 or higher on the Arithmetic portion of the NextGen Accuplacer taken within the past two (2) years
OR Score of 81 or higher on the Arithmetic portion of the Classic Accuplacer taken within the past two (2) years
OR score of 20 or higher on the Mathematics subject area of the ACT test taken within the past five (5) years
OR score of 530 or higher on the Mathematics subject area of the SAT test taken within the past five (5) years
OR score of 1148 or higher on the MCA Mathematics test taken within the past five (5) years
OR Anoka Technical College MATH 0801 with a grade of “B” or better within the past two (2) years
OR a College-level Dosage Calculations course equivalent to MATH 1010 with a grade of A (90%) within the past five (5) years
OR placement as per recommendations by MN State system office (if applicable)  

B.    Score of 250 or higher on the Reading portion of the NextGen Accuplacer taken within the past five (5) years
OR Score of 78 or higher on the Reading Comprehension portion of the Classic Accuplacer taken within the past five (5) years
OR score of 18 or higher on the English subject area of the ACT test taken within the past five (5) years
OR score of 21 or higher on the Reading subject area of the ACT Test taken within the past five (5) years
OR score of 480 or higher on the ERW subject area of the SAT test taken within the past five (5) years
OR score of 1047 or higher on the MCA Reading test taken within the past five (5) years
OR three college-level reading-intensive courses with a grade of C or better       
OR Anoka Technical College courses with a grade of “C” or better within the past 3 years as described:
One of these three:
ENGL 0101 - Basic English
ENGL 0102 - Fundamentals of English (Minimum grade: 2.0 GPA Equivalent and Number of Years Valid: three (3))
ENGL 0960 - Preparing for College Writing
        AND
    One of these two:
READ 0900 - Reading Skills
READ 0960 - Preparing for College Reading
OR placement as per recommendations by Minnesota State system office (if applicable)  

4.    Successfully complete Test of Essential Academic Skills requirement (TEAS)
Adjusted Individual Total Score of 53% or higher on the ATI TEAS test
There is a cost associated with the test. It is the responsibility of the applicant to pay this fee.

5.    Completed Student Record of Immunization and Health Status form
This requirement cannot be waived. Must be signed and stamped by a healthcare provider. This form is found on the Practical Nursing website under Forms. Covid vaccination is required by Week 4 of the semester.

6.  Nursing Assistant or Medical Assistant
a. Nursing Assistant

OR
b.  Medical Assistant

Important Information for Accepted Students:

After acceptance, the following items are addressed in a mandatory nursing orientation session:

a. tuberculosis screening results (skin or blood testing) or documentation of freedom from tuberculosis infection
b. documentation of an annual, current influenza vaccination
c. documentation of primary Covid-19 vaccination series and being two weeks or more past the last dose by Week four (4) of the first semester
e. verification/documentation of all entries on the student Record of Immunization and Health Status form
f. completion of a Minnesota Department of Human Services background study with approval for direct patient care
g. current health insurance coverage is strongly encouraged for students

State law requires that any person who provides services that involve direct contact with patients and/or residents at a health care facility have a background study conducted by the state. A student who is disqualified as a result of a background check will not be allowed to enter the program major. A student must receive a "Background Study Clearance" within 90 days preceding the start of clinical or fieldwork courses to be placed at a partnering facility. Any student failing to receive clearance will be disqualified from enrollment in the course. Arrests, charges or convictions of criminal offenses may cause a student to fail a background study. If a student is disqualified, the student has the right to request reconsideration of the disqualification. It is the responsibility of the student to request consideration by the Minnesota Department of Health Commissioner if he or she chooses to do so. An applicant is considered to be disqualified while in the reconsideration process.

The Practical Nursing diploma program at Anoka Technical College located in Anoka, Minn. is accredited by the:

Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN)
3390 Peachtree Road NE, Suite 1400
Atlanta, GA 30326
(404) 975-5000

The most recent accreditation decision made by the ACEN Board of Commissioners for the Anoka Technical College Practical Nursing Diploma program is Initial Accreditation.

View the public information disclosed by the ACEN regarding this program at http://www.acenursing.com/accreditedprograms/programsearch.htm

The next scheduled evaluation visit is Fall 2024.

Programs preparing persons for licensure as practical nurses must be approved by the Minnesota Board of Nursing. The statutory requirements for initial and continuing approval of a nursing program that prepares students for basic entry into practical nursing is found in Minnesota Statutes Section 148.251. In addition, Minnesota Rules Chapter 6301 specify the board’s administrative procedure and requirements for renewal of approval of a nursing program.

The Anoka Technical College Practical Nursing program is currently approved. A list of approved practical nursing programs in Minnesota is found on the Minnesota Board of Nursing website.

Minnesota Board of Nursing
1210 Northland Drive Suite 120
Mendota Heights, MN 551250

Main Telephone Number: 612-317-3000 
Toll-free Number (MN, IA, ND, SD, WI): 888-234-2690 
TTY Number (Relay service for hearing/speech impaired): 800-627-3529 
Fax Number: 651-688-1841

Website: mn.gov/health-licensing-boards/nursing/ 
Email: nursing.board@state.mn.us

The board office is open Monday through Friday, 7:30 am to 12 pm and 1 pm to 4 pm and is closed on state holidays.

The U.S. Department of Education has implemented regulations (Regulation 34 CFR 668.43 [a][5][v]) which requires Anoka Technical College’s diploma program in Practical Nursing to make public whether a program will fulfill educational requirements for a specific professional licensure or certification required for employment in an occupation where the institution’s curriculum meets state educational requirements for professional licensure or certification.

The Practical Nursing diploma program at Anoka Technical College meets the state education requirements for a practical nursing license in the state of Minnesota. Anoka Technical College has not determined if the practical nursing program at Anoka Technical College meets the state education requirements in any other state, any U.S. Territory, or the District of Columbia.
Students should contact the Board of Nursing in the state in which they wish to be licensed for specific licensing requirements. Additionally, students may review the National Council of States Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) website to review each state’s initial licensure educational requirements: https://www.ncsbn.org/14730.htm
The National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) has resources that may be helpful:
•    Every Nursing Practice Act.
•    FAQs regarding the impact of 34 CFR 668.43 on nursing programs.
•    Every State Regulatory Agency for Nursing
This information does not apply to transferring MN LPN Licensure to another state.

Last Review:  August 1, 2020.

 End-of-Program Student Learning Outcomes

Consistent with the standards that define nursing practice, the outcomes of the Anoka Technical College program of learning is a graduate who is able to:

1. Adhere to professional standards of practice within safe, legal, ethical and regulatory frameworks within the practical nurse scope of practice (Professional concepts: Safety, Professional Identity and Behavior)
   
2. Communicate effectively to deliver coordinated, interprofessional care through teamwork and collaboration (Professional concepts: Teamwork and Collaboration)
   
3. Utilize holistic information to provide evidence-based patient care that contributes to continuously improving care processes (Professional concepts: Evidence-based Care, Quality Improvement)
   
4. Demonstrate a caring and empathic approach while providing for individual patients’ needs across the lifespan and health/illness continuum within a diverse community (Professional concept: Patient Relationship-centered Care)
   
5. Participate in supporting patient care through the utilization of information technology (Professional concept: Informatics)

 Student Achievement of Program Outcomes

All Anoka Technical College students seeking an Associate in Applied Science (AAS), diploma or certificate must meet the cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 2.0 or higher.

Refer to the Anoka Technical College Student Handbook.

Additionally, students must:

1. Complete all of the required courses as outlined on the program plan with a "C" or better grade in each course and an "A" in MATH 1010.
2. Maintain current CPR certification.
3. Complete NCLEX-Practical Nursing success predictor test.
4. Maintain an acceptable background check from the Minnesota Department of Human Services.
5. Submit an application for graduation to Records/Registration Office.

Through a Minnesota Board of Nursing approved program of study, the Anoka Technical College Practical Nursing (PN) program prepares students for a diploma in Practical Nursing.

Graduates are educationally eligible to take the National Council Licensure Exam for Practical Nurses (NCLEX - PN) and, after passing and obtaining state licensure, may use the title Licensed Practical Nurse.

After passing the PN exam, students are eligible to apply for licensure in all states.

There is a cost associated with this examination and a fee from the Minnesota Board of Nursing.

If you have any legal or medical questions regarding your potential for meeting the Board of Nursing requirements for licensure or your potential to practice professional nursing, contact the Minnesota Board of Nursing directly at 612-617-2270, or nursingboard.state.mn.us.

See Practical Nursing Handbook for transferring credits into the program.

To see how this may transfer into other Anoka Technical College programs or into another college, please visit:

• Minnesota Transfer or
• Anoka Technical College transfer student

Licensed practical nurses (LPNs) specialize in delivering skilled delegated nursing care to individual patients/client across the lifespan in all stages of wellness or illness at the direction of qualified healthcare providers. LPNs care for diverse adult and pediatric patients within an established plan of care and participate as a member of the healthcare team.

LPNs enjoy employment opportunities in a variety of healthcare settings, including clinics, long term care and transitional care centers, assisted living, home care, schools, hospitals, and group homes.

The LPN is a dynamic, vital member of the healthcare team and is legally responsible to practice practical nursing within the Minnesota Nurse Practice Act and the Minnesota Board of Nursing Rules.

Wage information is available from the Minnesota Department of Education and the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development.

Christina Wilson
Practical Nursing Director

Teresa Truckenbrod
Clinical/Lab Coordinator

Miranda Anderson

Kay Elmquist

Diane Larson

Tamara Thell

Michelle Ottomoeller

Kathy Stauter

Patty Johnson
Lab Assistant

General Employment Sites for Nurses

• Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED)
• ISEEK
• Wage Information (DEED)
• Occupational Outlook Handbook
• College Grad Career Information
• Career Planner

Graduates may choose to pursue an associate degree in Nursing (ADN) through a community college or a baccalaureate degree in Nursing (BSN) through a university. Articulation/mobility plans are in place at colleges and universities in the state of Minnesota.

Other Resources

• Minnesota Board of Nursing
• National Association of Licensed Practical Nurses
• National Council of State Boards of Nursing
• National Association for Practical Nurse Education and Service, Inc.
• National League for Nursing
• The American Nurses Association Code for Nurses with Interpretive Statements

Faculty advisors are available to assist students with this process. 

Minnesota Board of Nursing Approved Practical Nursing Programs

Professional Development

For help with writing resumes, preparing for interviews, locating jobs and other professional preparation, students and graduates should contact Anoka Tech Career Services.