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North Central Michigan College Offers New Practical Nursing Program

May 27, 2023

Considering a career in healthcare?
North Central Michigan College may be a perfect stepping stone.

Below is a recent article about new opportunities

PETOSKEY — Next January, those interested in nursing will have a new education option available through North Central Michigan College, the college announced Wednesday. After completing the three-semester-long program, students will earn a Practical Nurse certificate, as well as learn the knowledge of how to sit for the National Council Licensure Exam (NCLEX-PN). Licensed practical nurses, or LPNs, implement patient care plans in both hospitals and skilled nursing facilities. The program was developed in collaboration with regional hospitals and skilled nursing facilities, according to a release from the college. Students pursuing the certification will complete traditional lecture and lab work in the North Central’s simulation lab, as well as on-site training at the college’s 10 clinical locations. The program is limited to 40 students per cohort. Locally, the wages for LPNs fall around $25 per hour, with an expectation for them to raise to $30 per hour within five years, according to Brent LaFaive, dean of nursing and health sciences. “Anyone who wants to become a nurse in Michigan now has another path to reach that goal,” LaFaive said in a release. “North Central is providing students with multiple on-ramps to a nursing career, and our graduates are filling a critical need for nurses regionally and statewide.” Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, the need for nurses has gone up. Turnover in the profession has increased, with 59 percent of newly trained nurses under the age of 25 planning to leave the profession in the coming year, with many citing staffing shortages and burnout, according to the release.