Despite having several medical schools, the state of Utah is facing a physician shortage, one that disproportionately affects its rural communities. Generally, rural communities in Utah have less than one doctor for 1,000 people; some have none. Nurse practitioners (NPs) are qualified to step into these gaps and help the people in the Beehive State who need it most.
NPs in Utah have full practice authority, giving them a unique opportunity to make a meaningful difference in providing care for people in the state. If you’re interested in pursuing a career as an NP, consider one of the following programs at these Utah colleges and universities.
Program Overview:
Nightingale College is a for-profit nursing school with 18 locations across the country. The college was formed in 2010, offering an associate-level nursing program; since then, it has expanded to offer BSN and MSN programs.
The FNP track at Nightingale College is a 55-credit program that includes core classes, electives, direct care classes, specialty courses, and practicum. Students can create the program in only six semesters or 96 weeks. Most classwork is done via online instruction, but students must participate in one in-person seminar and clinical preceptorship experience. On-campus visits are generally held over three days near Nightingale College’s Operations Support Center in Salt Lake City. During this visit, students will complete competency checks and participate in learning activities.
Program Overview:
Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions was established in 1998 and focuses exclusively on graduate-level healthcare programs, including master’s degrees, doctorate degrees, and post-graduate certificates.
RMU offers a unique array of NP courses, more than any other school in the state. BSN-prepared nurses can complete the 50-credit MSN program in five semesters. This program also requires 540 clinical hours and offers asynchronous online instruction with occasional visits to campus for intensives. There’s also a DNP program for BSN-prepared nurses that is primarily online and can be completed in as little as eight semesters. It’s 71 credits in all with 540 clinical hours in all.
MSN-prepared nurses also have options if they are seeking to advance their careers. RMU offers post-graduate certificates for those interested in pursuing an FNP, FNP/Emergency Nurse Practitioner, or FNP/Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner. The dual specialties of FNP/ENPC and FNP/PMHNP are unique to Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions in this state. These programs offer students unique opportunities to expand their skills and make themselves more marketable in their future careers. They are also the only post-master’s programs available in Utah for nurse practitioners.
Program Overview:
The Department of Nursing at the College of Health Sciences at Southern Utah University offers a range of on-campus learning opportunities. The school offers a nursing lab designed to mimic hospital rooms with equipment to replicate various real-life scenarios. Students get hands-on experience with medical equipment, access to skills practice areas, and simulation stations with high-fidelity manikins representing various medical scenarios.
The BSN to FNP program at SUU is 52 credits with 680 in-person clinical hours that can be completed over 14 months with coursework that is completed almost entirely online. Students are required to come to campus for one week during the program to practice skills to prepare for clinical rotations, including physical assessments with standardized patients, simulated scenarios, and primary care office procedures.
Program Overview:
The College of Nursing at the University of Utah Health offers a range of educational opportunities, including multiple centers and programs designed to provide innovative education to its students. NP students learn hands-on skills in the school’s Advanced Preparation Studio in the Simulation Center using high-fidelity manikins that represent a variety of patients, and the school’s Center of Geriatric Nursing Excellence puts a special emphasis on caring for the unique needs of this patient population.
The University of Utah Health has four DNP tracks to choose from. Nurses who have already completed a BSN can enroll in the 83-credit FNP program, the 81-credit AGNP Primary Care program, the 82-credit AGNP Acute Care program, or the 79-credit PNP Primary Care program. All DNP programs require a minimum of 1,000 clinical hours. The University of Utah Health is one of only two schools in the state that offers terminal degrees for NPs and the only one that offers DNPs for those wishing to specialize in adult gerontology or pediatrics.
Program Overview:
Western Governors University was founded in 1997 when a group of governors saw the possibilities for education offered by the Internet. Its distance learning programs allow students from across the country to secure an affordable advanced practice degree in nursing from the comfort of their homes.
WGU offers one NP program for nurses who wish to pursue a career as an FNP. This program consists of 48 credits with 650 clinical hours. All courses are taught online, and clinical hours are completed in the students’ local communities. Students are required to attend one on-campus Skills Workshop before beginning their clinical internships. This workshop is designed to give students practice multiple hands-on skills.
Program Overview:
Founded by the First Presbyterian Church in 1875, Westminster University began as a preparatory school. It began offering college-level courses in 1897 as Sheldon Jackson College. Gradually, the school grew, with its first bachelors-prepared nurses graduating in 1968. Today, the School of Nursing and Health Sciences offers students an opportunity to learn in a state-of-the-art skills center.
Westminster University offers one FNP program that takes five semesters to complete full-time. It consists of 42 credits with 720 hours of in-person clinical. The program offers course schedules that accommodate students’ work schedules and offers students opportunities to work in rural and underserved communities in Utah to gain experience while learning about the unique health challenges of these areas.
NP Programs in Other States
Arizona
Nevada
Idaho
Wyoming
Colorado
California