Bottineau, ND – July 31, 2024 - One of the final steps in becoming a licensed nurse is sitting for the National Council of State Boards of Nursing’s (NCSBN) NCLEX licensing examination, which tests a nurse’s knowledge and aptitude in safe and effective care environments, health promotion and maintenance, psychosocial integrity, and physiological integrity.

Dakota College at Bottineau College Nursing (DCB) students are at the top echelon in the state in national licensing exam pass rates. DCB practical nurse certificate graduates (PN) posted a perfect 100 percent pass rate. All student nurse graduates who took the National Council Licensure Examination passed on the first attempt after completing coursework.

In fact, nursing students from all colleges in the Dakota Nursing Program (Lake Region State College, Bismarck State College, Dakota State College at Bottineau, and Williston State College) posted surpassed the first-time pass rates of the PN and RN program in Nort Dakota as well as nationally.

• BSC 46/47 - 97.87%                                     
• DCB 26/26 - 100%
• LRSC 39/40 – 97.5%                                     
• WSC 26/26 - 100%

The Dakota Nursing Program - a successful partnership of North Dakota University System colleges - was created in 2004 to respond to the state’s nursing needs. The demand for qualified, safe, and effective nurses is critical throughout North Dakota.

Students in the practical nursing program offered at LRSC, BSC, WSC, and DCB and students in other practical nursing, associate degree, and bachelor degree nursing programs across the nation take the identical licensing exam to qualify to work as a registered nurse.

“DCB Nursing Faculty do an excellent job preparing nurses to start their nursing career. I am so proud of our students’ hard work and dedication making our program a success and contributing to the pass rate,” stated Paige Baade, Assistant Dean for Nursing and Health Professions.  

Such adaptability prepares student nurses for various real-world scenarios. The Dakota Nursing Program reaches students with a combination of face-to-face lab/clinical classes, simulation, and video networking at sites across the state to educate future nurses.

The pass rate is something the entire state can celebrate. North Dakota nursing students lead the nation in pass rates for the quarter.  The state nurses lead the nation with an average pass rate of 99.24% compared to a national average of 89.65% for the PN program.

Dakota College at Bottineau's nursing program offers an 11-month practical nursing Certificate and associate degree on the Bottineau campus and at remote locations in Minot and Valley City.