The Future Of Nursing Is Bright At The North Dakota State Hospital

For decades, the North Dakota State Hospital in Jamestown has been the state’s premier training and education campus for nursing, pharmacy, social work and counseling, psychiatry residents and other medical-related careers.

Starting next month, the NDSH will also be a satellite site for Dakota College at Bottineau’s practical nursing program. The Dakota Nursing Program is an 11-month practical nursing certificate program open to anyone interested in the nursing field. The program will also provide NDSH team members an opportunity to advance their education while continuing their employment.

“We are excited to partner with Dakota College at Bottineau to offer additional educational opportunities not only for our team, but also for the larger health care community of North Dakota,” said NDSH Director of Nursing Beth Satrom. “Our goal is to expand the availability of nurses to meet the high demand across all health care settings in the state.”

As part of the partnership, the NDSH will provide classroom space and technology resources and assist with hands-on nursing skills labs.

“After these students spend time on our campus and engage with patients and our team of highly trained professionals, we are hopeful that they will be interested in working here and supporting our mission of helping people achieve long-term wellness and recovery,” said Satrom.

Three NDSH licensed practical nurses graduated from Dakota College at Bottineau’s registered nursing program recently. They are now transitioning into their new roles as registered nurses at the state hospital. The NDSH offers 80% tuition reimbursement and covers the cost of books and materials for current team members interested in earning a nursing degree.

“This is a wonderful accomplishment for these individuals,” Satrom said. “One of our key priorities is building a high-performing team so we can best serve the needs of North Dakotans.”

The NDSH partners with various colleges and universities to provide clinical nursing rotations. These include the University of Jamestown, University of Mary, North Dakota State College of Science in Wahpeton, Dakota College of Bottineau, Bismarck State College, Lake Region State College, Williston State College and Aberdeen Presentation College.

In 2021, the NDSH provided 104 nursing students with nearly 3,000 student training hours.

To learn more about the Dakota College at Bottineau’s nursing program, visit www.dakotacollege.edu/academics/programs/nursing.

Nationally accredited by The Joint Commission since 1956, the NDSH provides specialized inpatient psychiatric and rehabilitation services and is the safety net for people whose behavioral health needs exceed community resources. It serves as the only psychiatric hospital for the Jamestown and Devils Lake regions. The hospital also provides substance use disorder treatment services through its Tompkins Rehabilitation Center and evaluation and treatment services for sexually dangerous individuals. It works with the department’s eight regional human service centers and other providers to help patients transition to community-based outpatient treatment and recovery support services.