Nursing
Our hands-on nursing program gives students the real life experience needed to fulfill the healthcare needs of individuals.
Oglala Lakota College’s Department of Nursing is changing the lives of those in our tribal communities and beyond with our world-class, hands-on nursing program. OLC’s nursing department is devoted to providing academic excellence to effectively prepare its students to graduate with a vast knowledge of the intricacies and civic importance of the field of nursing, and confidently possess the relevant knowledge and skills necessary to meet the unique healthcare needs of individuals and families.
Providing hands-on nursing courses at OLC’s Pine Ridge district college centers, and many prerequisites at OLC’s varied district college centers, we’re making nursing education accessible and affordable for the betterment of the Lakota people.
Applications for the Nursing Program are due March 1st
Accreditation of the Nursing Program
Accreditation is your assurance that the College meets the highest quality standards established by the U.S. Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation. Oglala Lakota College is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission that governs the entirety of the college academic programs, degree offerings, and services.
Programs that require licensure may require an additional accrediting and approving body in the state individuals choose to gain licensure. The Nursing program is approved by the South Dakota Board of Nursing (SDBON) to ensure candidates who graduate are eligible for licensure. Each accreditation holds standards associated with their purpose and oversight.
"Update to accreditation status (June 2023). The National League for Nursing Commission for Nursing Education Accreditation (NLN CNEA) Board of Commissioners met on June 14-15, 2023 and placed the Oglala Lakota College Associate Degree in Nursing Program on probationary status for a period of one year (June 2023 – June 2024). Full information regarding the probationary status is provided on the NLN CNEA website, under the June 2023 Board of Commissioners actions: https://cnea.nln.org/board-of-commissioner-actions."
Notice to current and prospective students: in the event the OLC Nursing program does not hold accreditation status with CNEA, the OLC Nursing program will continue to operate, and graduates of the OLC Nursing program will have the opportunity to sit for the licensure exam.
OLC maintains full accreditation through the Higher Learning Commission and South Dakota State Board of Nursing. The current CNEA probationary status will not negatively impact the value of the OLC AA in Nursing. The OLC Nursing Department strives for greatness, and will work diligently with students to increase the NCLEX pass rate, with hopes to regain full accreditation with CNEA in the near future.
A.D. Nursing
Upon completion of all necessary prerequisites, you may be eligible to join OLC’s extraordinary nursing program to pursue an Associate’s Degree in Nursing. Offered at OLC’s district college center in Pine Ridge, once accepted, you can expect to enjoy a rewarding college education centered on the formative skill set, methodology, and practices necessary to excel in a comprehensive nursing program upon graduation.
With an A.D. in Nursing, you’ll be able to pursue a wide variety of careers that make an incredible impact on our tribal communities and anywhere you go. These careers include:
- Trauma/ER Nurse
- Infection Control Nurse
- School Nurse
- Dialysis Nurse
- Public Health Nurse
- Home Health/Hospice Nurse
- Traveling Nurse
- Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse
- Medical-Surgical Nurse
- Pediatric Nurse
- Obstetric Nurse Clinic Nurse
- Geriatric Nurse
- Oncology Nurse
- Intensive Care Nurse
Get the hands-on experience you need to make a difference in our tribal communities after you graduate.
Associate of Arts Degree in Nursing
| Pre-Nursing | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Course | Credit Hours | Course | Credit Hours |
| Chem 111 – Chemistry for Health Sciences Lab | 1 | Psy 103 – General Psychology | 4 |
| Chem 114 – Chemistry for Health Sciences *must be taken consecutively with Math 134 or have Already successfully pass Math 134 |
4 | Lak 103 – Lakota Language I ~OR~ LSoc 103- Lakota Culture * must be completed prior to graduation |
*3 |
| Eng 103 – Composition I | 3 | Bio 224- Human Anatomy | 4 |
| Verified to become Nursing Candiidate by March 1st | |||
| 12 | 7 or 10 | ||
Apply to Nursing before March 1st.
| Semester 1 |
Credit Hours | Semester 2 |
Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| NURS 216 – Foundations of Holistic Nursing | 6 | NURS 223 – Mental Health Nursing | 3 |
| NURS 212 – Foundations of Holistic Nursing Clin | 2 | NURS 224 – Holistic Maternal Child Nursing | 4 |
| BIO 234 – Human Physiology | 4 |
NURS 222 – Holistic Maternal Child Nursing Clin | 2 |
| Bio 204 – Basic Microbiology | 4 | ||
| 12 | 13 | ||
| Semester 3 |
Credit Hours | Semester 4 |
Credit Hours |
| NURS 312 – Pharmacology for Nursing I | 2 |
NURS 322 – Pharmacology for Nursing II | 2 |
| NURS 313 – Professional & Transcultural Nsg | 3 |
NURS 351 – Transition into Practice | 1 |
| NURS 344 – Holistic Adult Health Nursing I | 4 |
NURS 356 – Holistic Adult Health Nursing II | 6 |
| NURS 343 – Holistic Adult Health Nursing I Clin | 3 | NURS 353 – Holistic Adult Health Nursing II Clin | 3 |
| 12 | 12 | ||
Extra Courses to consider for moving towards a Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing:
(please note – these courses are not part of our status sheet and are therefore subject to not being covered by financial aid)
- Eng 113
- Composition II
- SoSc 103
- Introduction to Social Science
- SpCom 103
- Speech Communications
- Math 154
- College Algebra
- CD 103
- Intro to Alcoholism (useful for Nursing in General - might not transfer for BSN degree)
- CD 113 - Intro to Drug Abuse (useful for Nursing in General - might not transfer for BSN degree)
