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South Dakota, SD | LPN Nursing Program Information

How to Become a LPN in South Dakota

Applying to a South Dakota LPN program requires high school graduation and often completion of a half-dozen prerequisite courses in general studies, such as biology and psychology. The training program then takes a year to finish, with courses mainly focusing upon direct nursing care skills. The final licensure test is called the National Counsel Licensing Examination-Practical Nursing (NCLEX-PN), for which Pearson Vue charges a $200 examination fee and the South Dakota Board of Nursing requires application and verification of training completion at a cost of $100, along with a criminal background check and fingerprinting. Pass rates typically exceed 90 percent on the test, although they can vary from program to program.

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South Dakota Licensed Practical Nurse Jobs, Wages and Hours

Licensed Practical Nurses can expect to make around $37,500 annually, which is the average salary for LPNs in the state. South Dakota LPNs usually are employed by hospitals, but there are some opportunities to work in nursing homes and doctor’s offices as well. Regardless of the setting, Licensed Practical Nurses mostly spend their time as the first line of contact with patients by keeping an eye on their health status, giving them medicine, maintaining medical equipment, and even helping to feed and bathe their patients. Hours can be variable—swing shifts, night shifts, weekends and holiday work hours are all part of the job as patient care is a 24 hours per day pursuit.