Master’s in Nursing Schools in Utah

Have you been looking for a way to take your nursing career a step further? Perhaps you enjoy working with patients and you’d like to work with patients on a more personal basis, or maybe you are interested in teaching undergraduate nursing students all about the field. For many nursing careers, a Master’s degree in nursing is required. Utah MSN programs offer many routes to earning your degree whether you have an Associate’s or a Bachelor’s degree already, even if it is in a non-nursing field. To get started, review the information on our site and contact those schools that interest you for program materials.

Featured Programs:

Nursing Careers in Utah

Recent legislative changes in Utah have made the state a more lucrative place for advanced practice nurses. Desert News has recently expanded Medicaid to cover family nurse practitioners and services offered by nurse practitioners that specialize in psychiatric health, women’s health, and geriatric care.

Nursing leadership is another thriving field in Utah, particularly since many hospitals may be looking for cost-effective ways to lead and manage nurses. The Spectrum notes that recent changes in nursing education have started preparing nurses to work as leaders in the field, to serve as models for other nurses, and to ensure patient safety in many different settings.

The state of Utah is known for its world class recreation and for being a family-friendly place. There are also many opportunities here for nurses who have their MSN degree, such as an acute care nurse practitioner or a pediatric nurse practitioner.

As an acute care nurse practitioner you are able to provide care for people who are suffering with a severe illness or injury. You might work in an emergency room or an urgent care clinic. Working as a pediatric nurse practitioner you might be employed in a pediatrician’s office or even in a pediatric emergency room. You are able to provide routine care to children, such as yearly exams, or urgent care, such as in the case with acute illnesses and injuries.

Nurse educators are a crucial part of any nursing school, and they play a particularly important role in states with severe nursing shortages. Deseret News reports that nursing is one of the top 50 best jobs in Utah. The hiring outlook is positive; however, nursing schools will likely need to hire more nurse educators to teach students at the Associate’s degree and Bachelor’s degree level.

For more information on earning your MSN and beginning a career path as an acute care or pediatric nurse practitioner, contact the schools on this page.

Nursing Schools in Utah

University of Utah
Salt Lake City, UT
Utah State University
Logan, UT

What You Can Expect From Your MSN Program

The nursing shortage in Utah has been temporarily abated. Many nurses have not retired due to the economy, but with healthcare becoming more complex, well-educated nurses will be needed. It is believed that nationally one third of the nurses will retire within five to ten years. Utah wants more post-graduate nurses for the future, and more Nurse Educators. The Utah Action Coalition is focused on encouraging nurses to increase their educational level. This is an ideal time for you to begin work on your graduate degree as many new job opportunities will be available over the next few years.

There are many new nursing graduate programs available in Utah and also with online colleges. Some of these programs include:

Adult Medical-Surgical Clinical Nurse Specialist
MSN in Community Health, MSN in Wellness
Nurse Educator
Nurse Midwifery
Psychiatric/Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
Family Nurse Practitioner, Nursing Administration
Nurse Anesthesia
Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner

The University of Utah College of nursing offers a MS degree in Care Management which can specifically focus on Geriatric Care Management. The medical treatments and therapies are growing more complex and with the baby boomers aging there are more patients with chronic healthcare conditions that require highly educated nurses. Having your master’s degree will make you better prepared to use a systems approach, which addresses quality outcomes.

This program requires some prerequisite courses which include: Introduction to Statistical Interference, Statistical Methods in Psychology and Social Statistics.

If you want to apply to the graduate program the requirements include:

Indicate if you are a Utah resident
GRE scores are required if your GPA is below 3.20
Enter the date you took the NCLEX and if you passed or failed
Curriculum Vitae/Resume
A statement of purpose with professional goals, including research goals and interest
Send a copy of your current RN license

The MS program for Care Management has the following curriculum:

Evidence Base Practice I
Introduction to Information & Information Tech
Advance Pathophysiology Across the Lifespan
Professional Role and Collaboration
Care Management: Clinical Issues
Mentoring & Precept in: Theory & Practice
Advance Physical Assessment & Health Promotion Across the Lifespan
Care Management Practicum for Individuals
Quality Improvement in Health Care
Approved Elective
US Health Care: Systems & Policy
Care Management: Professional, Legal, Financial & Business Issues
Care Management Practicum for Populations
Masters Synthesis
IPE Simulation Experience

There are 38 credit hours required for this program along with clinical hours for the various courses.

The American Nurses Credentialing Center offers a credential award for Gerontological Nursing with a competency based exam that is a reliable assessment of your knowledge and skills. Successfully passing this exam will earn you the credentia is worthwhile because you can put this credential on your resume. This is respected certification by employers. If you are an American Nurses Association member, the cost of the test is $270, and if you are a member of the National Gerontological Nursing Association the fee is $340. Non-members must pay $395.

Salaries depend on education, credentials, experience and employers, so it is difficult to know exactly how much you might earn without taking all those factors into account. With the increasing growth of the baby boomer generation there is job security when you have expertise in geriatric nursing.

If you need help with tuition expenses, visit the Financial Aid office at your university to complete a FAFSA application, which is a federal grant program for low income students. The Health Resources and Services Administration also offers scholarships, low income loans and loan repayment programs. Nurse Corps is a loan repayment program for you work for two years in a Critical Shortage Facility to receive 60 percent of your education loan balance.

The Utah Nurses Association offers scholarships for Utah nurses, and the University of Utah also offers graduate scholarships for the graduate Gerontology Nursing program.

Earning your graduate degree may position you in a career position that is perfect for your goals, and it may increase your income. Make the first step in furthering your education by requesting information from the schools on our site. Feel free to request info from multiple sites to make a good comparison and discover the best program for you!

Utah RN to MSN Bridge Programs

With the health care field constantly undergoing changes and reforms, those who provide high-quality care services are in high demand throughout Utah. Whether you work as a registered nurse at a hospital, clinic, or in another setting, you’ve likely worked hard to develop your skills and become familiar with this field. If you’re ready to take the next step in your career, you may wish to become an advanced practice nurse, nurse administrator, nurse researcher, or nurse educator. By attending an RN-to-MSN program in Utah, you can get the education you need to become a leader in your local nursing community. With nationally-recognized nursing instructors, it’s clear that Utah is committed to nursing education.

Before you settle on an RN-to-MSN program in Utah, you will want to make sure that you meet the admissions requirements for local schools. You must have an Associate’s degree in nursing from an accredited school. In addition, you’ll likely need at least one year of full-time nursing experience. Most schools have strict grade requirements for RN-to-MSN students, so you may need a fairly high GPA from your associate’s degree.

As you work through an RN-to-MSN curriculum, you will be expected to expand your nursing knowledge and skills in many different ways. You may need to demonstrate your leadership skills in a health care setting and show how you can implement care plans for varying patient needs. Nursing evidence is a big part of this degree; you’ll need to be able to interpret and make use of nursing research. As you progress, you will likely be expected to evaluate different health care policies and determine whether or not they are patient-friendly.

To meet these goals and others, you may take a large selection of MSN-level nursing courses. Commonly required courses in Utah include Nursing Informatics, Nursing Leadership Development, Advanced Nursing Theory, Roles and Collaboration in Nursing, and Curriculum Design for Nursing Instructors.

Since the need for advanced nursing professionals is so great in Utah, there are many financial aid opportunities to motivate MSN nursing students. Take a look at all of your schoolwide, statewide, and nationwide options once you’ve been accepted to the program of your choice! The Utah Students Nurses Association is an excellent resource for student nurses at varying levels of education. If you join the Utah Nurses Association, you may be able to apply for the UNF Scholarship. There are also scholarship options for those who are willing to work in Utah after graduation. Utah Nurse Practitioners provides grants to students who want to become nurse practitioners.

You must meet specific licensing requirements before you can begin working as an advanced practice nurse in Utah. The Utah Division of Occupational and Professional Licensing re quires MSN-level clinical nurses to pursue advanced licensure in addition to their RN license. This requirement encompasses nurse practitioners, nurse anesthetists, nurse midwives, and clinical nurse specialists. In other specialties, you just need to maintain a valid registered nursing license.

It’s clear that earning an MSN may improve your job outlook and your salary potential. In the big picture, though, earning this degree can also help you become a big player in the nursing field in Utah. You may contribute to better health care standards, expand your reach with patients, and encourage other nurses to continue their education.

Utah Direct Entry MSN

Are you motivated to advance your education and open yourself up to new career opportunities? A master’s degree in nursing could be the gateway that will help you achieve your goals. You may be able to earn a master’s degree in nursing if you hold a bachelor’s degree in another field through a direct entry MSN program. Find out how a master’s degree in nursing could change your career around for the better.

You can contact the graduate nursing schools in Utah that offer accelerated programs for non-nursing degree holders directly from our sites. Information is free, and can help you compare key aspects of each direct entry MSN program available to Utah students like you.

What can I do with a Master’s degree in nursing in Utah?

Now more than ever, advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) play a vital role in the United States health system, especially with the recent change in healthcare reform. There is no question that nurses with advanced degrees are needed in Utah. With the current shortage of doctors, many patients would rather see a nurse practitioner (NP) right away than wait to see a doctor, especially considering NPs have been found to have patients with better health outcomes.

Nurse practitioners are comparable to physicians in that they are responsible and accountable for health promotion, disease prevention and diagnosis and management of acute and chronic illnesses. The boundaries of advanced practice nursing are regulated on a state-by-state basis. Nurse practitioners in Utah are able to practice independently as well as write prescriptions unless they fail to meet course requirements or ongoing continuing education requirements; in that case, they are given the title of an APRN without prescriptive authority. A nurse practitioner, however, is only one of the many exciting careers you can choose from.

Most programs have four main clinical specializations that nurses can choose from:

Nurse Midwife
Nurse Anesthetist
Clinical Nurse Specialist
Nurse Practitioner

For each of these specialties, there are sub-level categories focusing on certain areas. This can vary depending on the practice area you are interested in. Some practice areas may include: acute care, adult, family, gerontological, neonatal, pediatric, psychiatric and mental health, or obstetrics and gynecology.

Utah is a part of the Nursing Licensure Compact (NLC), which allows for RN licenses to be recognized in other participating states. Three states, including Utah, have passed laws that authorize their participation in a similar Advanced Practice Nursing Compact, which will recognize APRN licenses in other participating states.

Direct Entry Master’s in Nursing Programs in Utah

To consider a direct entry MSN program, you must have a bachelor’s degree in a non-nursing field. Program requirements may differ for each school and specialty, but they generally will require you to have an official copy of your transcripts, a minimum GPA of 3.0, as well as an application fee and references.

You may decide that taking classes online is a better option for you than a traditional classroom setting. Many schools are gradually adding online MSN classes that give more flexibility to students. Online classes may also be more affordable depending on the school. This will not eliminate the classroom altogether, however. You will still be required to do various clinical and other lab exercises.

Since you will have had no experience in nursing, the direct entry MSN program will start by building a foundational base for beginning nursing concepts. Basically, you will meet the requirements of a bachelor’s degree before moving on to the master’s degree requirements. Once you pass the NCLEX exam, allowing you to obtain your nursing license, the program will focus on more advanced courses pertaining to your specialization. The direct entry MSN program is taught at an accelerated pace, so you should prepare for intense schoolwork that required dedication and a good deal of attention.

An example course outline for a direct entry master’s program with specialization as a family nurse practitioner may include:

Role of the Advanced Practice Nurse: Transformational Leadership in Advanced Practice
Advanced Theoretical Perspectives
Advanced Pathophysiology
Advanced Nursing Practice I
Advanced Nursing Practice II
Nursing Research Methods
Pharmacology
Advanced Health and Physical Assessment
Practicum I: Family Health – Adults & Gerontology
Practicum II: Family Health – Women’s Health
Practicum III: Family Health – Pediatrics
Practicum IV: Family Health – Primary Care
Graduate Project in Nursing

You may be concerned about your ability to afford tuition, but don’t get discouraged. Opportunity for financial aid is plenteous in the form of federal and state level scholarships and loan repayment programs. The American Colleges of Nursing has a page dedicated to financial aid resources that would be helpful to check out. You can also find information about loan repayment and other options in our FAQs section.

The higher your level of education, the more opportunities you will have to choose where and how you will pursue your career in nursing. Check out which direct entry MSN programs are available in your area that will be well-suited for you.

Utah CRNA Programs

One of the main benefits of starting a career in the field of nursing is the number of different specialties and titles you can take on if you choose to advance your education. Registered nursing is a great career, and the experience you can gain as an RN may transfer to many different career paths. If you have at least one year of registered nursing experience and you’d like to take your nursing career further, you may wish to consider a career in the field of nurse anesthesia in Utah.

We recommend contacting the nursing schools in Utah that offer CRNA programs to begin the process of choosing the next best steps.

Nurse anesthetists in Utah may work in many different wings of a hospital. They are particularly prominent in rural health care organizations, as many rural areas cannot afford to hire or retain full-time anesthesiologists. As a result, you may have to stay on-call, respond to calls in different parts of your community, and be ready to spend several hours with a patient as needed. As you gain experience and further your education in this area of study, you may become a nursing leader and play a prominent role in the nursing community of Utah.

Are you ready to learn how to administer anesthesia to make health care safer and more affordable for Utah residents? If so, keep reading to learn more about CRNA programs in Utah, then reach out to those schools that interest you.

Admissions and Curriculum for CRNA Programs in Utah

Admissions to CRNA programs in Utah can be fairly competitive, so you want to put your best foot forward while filling out applications. Academic performance is a big part of their consideration, so you should have a GPA of 3.0 or higher from your bachelor’s degree in nursing. The higher your GPA is for your nursing courses, the stronger your application may be. You must also have practical experience as a nurse. The majority of schools in this region only require one year of experience in trauma care or critical care, but a few schools do require up to three years of full-time nursing work.

Once you have received an acceptance letter to your school of choice, you can start preparing for your time as a CRNA student. You may complete roughly 50 credits over the course of two to three years. This includes quite a bit of clinical work. To meet national minimum requirements, you must work with 550 different cases, which means a minimum of 550 clinical hours. However, many schools help you get more clinical work, as this can make you a more skilled practitioner. Your curriculum should prepare you for clinical work in several different ways. You may take courses like Anesthesia Pharmacology, Research Methods in Nursing, Advanced Pathophysiology for Nurse Anesthetists, Clinical Anesthesia Practicum, and Chemistry & Physics Related to Nurse Anesthesia.

To offset the costs of your nurse anesthesia degree, you may wish to apply for grants, scholarships, and loan repayment assistance programs. At many schools, there are grants and scholarships available for CRNA students. Examples include the Bennion/Wallace Scholarship, the Kumen and Naida Gardner Scholarship, and the Mark Leany Memorial Scholarship. Other schools may offer graduate assistant, research assistant, or teacher assistant programs to help you earn money for school. This experience may also help you in your post-graduation job search. The Utah Nurses Association funds several different scholarships for undergraduate and graduate nursing students, so you may wish to apply early each year to be considered.

Working as a Nurse Anesthetist in Utah

The field of nurse anesthesia has quite a few licensing restrictions, so you may want to start preparing for this process while you are still in school. Doing so can help you save time and get started in your career more quickly. You must apply for national certification through the National Board of Certification & Recertification for Nurse Anesthetists. They verify that you meet their licensure requirements, including a completed Master’s or doctoral degree and a passing score on the certification exam. With your national certification, you can apply for state licensure through the Utah Division of Occupational and Professional Licensing. This process allows you to turn your regular registered nursing license into the Advanced Practice Registered Nursing license.

As you work through the certification and licensure process, you may want to join the Utah Association of Nurse Anesthetists. This large statewide group may help you become an established part of the nurse anesthesia community in Utah. They host regular conferences and workshops, provide information on the role of nurse anesthetists in this state, and aim to further the growth of CRNAs by supporting them in a legislative manner.

Becoming a CRNA can help you fulfill your potential as a nursing professional. You may learn how to provide highly-specialized care to patients in need, while contributing to the overall growth of nurse anesthesia in Utah. In addition, your high level of education may strengthen the nursing community of this state.

Now that you know more about how to become a CRNA in Utah, it’s time to learn more about your educational options. Take a look at our school listings below and contact CRNA schools in Utah for more information.

Forensic Nursing in Utah

Are you confident in your clinical reasoning skills? Has your nursing career given you the chance to work in different settings and specialties? If you are ready to broaden your scope of practice and delve into a nursing specialty, forensic nursing is a popular option to consider.

Forensic nurses provide a wide array of valuable services, from assessment of crime fatalities and physical exams for sexual assault victims to analysis of evidence and injuries.

In the state of Utah, you can become part of the local forensic nursing community when you start your education. The largest professional organization for Utah forensic nurses is Wasatch Forensic Nurses, previously known as the Salt Lake Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners.

Master’s Degree Programs in Forensic Nursing in Utah

A Master’s degree strengthens your clinical practice skills, provides experience in a laboratory setting, and offers preparation for working with victims and perpetrators of crime.

In many graduate-level forensic nursing courses, you use the basic nursing skills you have to develop your ability to practice in high-stress crime situations. Some of the topics you may study include physical assessment of victims and cadavers, forensic science, the use of forensic evidence in court cases, and using evidence-based practice standards in forensic nursing.

Forensic Nursing Graduate Courses

Pharmacology and Therapeutics
Advanced Pathophysiology
Advanced Forensic Nursing
Practicum in Advanced Forensic Nursing
Translating Evidence Into Practice

From start to finish, the process of earning a Master’s degree in forensic nursing takes approximately two years. Some programs have more extensive clinical requirements, which may extend your time in school to three years.

By furthering your study at the graduate degree level, you start meeting the licensing requirements of Advanced Forensic Nurses. Applicants for this role must have a Master’s degree in nursing, a registered nursing license, 30 continuing education credits, and at least 2000 hours of work experience in forensic nursing. This process goes through the Commission for Forensic Nursing Certification.

This agency also licenses Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners. While comparing programs, you may come across legal nurse consulting programs. To practice in this specialty, you need to become certified through the American Association of Legal Nurse Consultants.

The Role of Forensic Nurses in Utah

Thanks to your clinical experiences, you should have a good idea of where you can use your forensic nursing education after graduation. Many hospitals and clinics hire nurses with specialized training in forensic nursing and sexual assault exams.

For example, Memorial Hermann has a dedicated Forensic Nurse Response Team that provides all victims with 24-hour access to staff who can work with traumatized patients. Clearly, work settings can be fairly similar for Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners and forensic nurses.

However, legal nurse consultants often have an entirely different employment experience. While they may meet with patients to ask questions about injuries and medical documentation, they typically do not treat patients in their professional role. Rather, they work with legal professionals to strengthen or dismantle cases with their professional opinions on court cases. As you build a reputation for your expertise and professionalism, you may find that your forensic nurse salary potential increases steadily.

Your nursing career may help you discover the perfect specialty for your talents and clinical abilities.

Make your move now and request information from the forensic nurse schools listed below.

Utah Clinical Nurse Leader Degrees

The nursing industry has gone through a massive amount of change in the last several years. There is a good reason—the demand for nurses trained in different specialties, types of care, and health care settings is growing very quickly.

In fact, the demand for nurses may have been one of your original motivations for getting into the field of nursing. Now, this industrywide growth may provide you with the chance to take your career even further.

In Utah, the nursing shortage that affects much of the country is going strong (KSL). Although schools are working hard to graduate more nurses, this means that many facilities will be staffed with new and inexperienced nurses in coming years. This means that more facilities may need nurse leaders who are up to the task of training and overseeing new nurses.

Not only is Utah short on nurses, it does not have enough doctors (Salt Lake Tribune). The growing gap in care may be improved significantly with the use of advanced nursing professionals, including nurse leaders.

If you are ready to bring your nursing experience and leadership to a Utah health care facility, find out how you can begin by contacting Master’s in nurse leadership programs in Utah listed on our site.

Featured Programs:

How Can I Become a Clinical Nurse Leader in Utah?

In many ways, nurse leadership graduate programs are similar to other graduate nursing programs. They involve roughly two years of study and lead to the completion of about 36 credits. However, while some nursing graduate programs require clinical rotations, some nurse leadership programs can be completed entirely online and do not have any clinical requirements. This may allow you a bit more flexibility in your work schedule and other obligations.

The role of the nurse leader is quite diverse, which is reflected in a program’s learning outcomes. The learning outcomes of your chosen program indicate what you must do to succeed in your training and prepare for the rigors of nurse leadership.

Common goals and competencies are listed below:

Work independently with patients in a range of health care settings
Use evidence-based protocols and procedures in your treatment decisions
Analyze and interpret nursing research to understand its role in your practice
Communicate efficiently with care providers of different backgrounds and educational levels

You may take many rigorous courses to succeed in these areas. Commonly required courses include Evidence-Based Practice, Advanced Pharmarcotherapeutics, Care Management Practicum, Care Management for Populations, Advanced Pathophysiology, and Quality Improvement in Health Care.

Your program may or may not require clinical work, but it may benefit your nursing career to get some hands-on leadership experience if possible.

To become certified as a Clinical Nurse Leader, you must first have your registered nursing license through the Utah Division of Occupational and Professional Licensing. Renewal applications are due by January 31 in odd-numbered years. CNL certification is awarded by the AACN after you pass their written certification exam.

What Does a Clinical Nurse Leader Do?

The expertise that you develop during a nurse leadership program may be applicable to a huge number of job titles and positions within health care. Depending upon the day, the patient load, and the needs of your facility, you may spend time in the following areas as a CNL: Working the floor; checking the work of nurses on your team; providing updates to families; developing care plans; reading and disseminating research; creating policies; or analyzing data.

Larger facilities may rely on you to focus specifically on clinical care, while smaller facilities may need you to complete administrative and management tasks to keep the institution running smoothly.

As a registered nurse, you have likely found that networking is a very important part of succeeding in this industry. It is even more essential when it comes to nurse leadership, since this certification is relatively new and many institutions are still learning about it.

Joining a group like the Utah Organization of Nurse Leaders may help you find employment opportunities, develop your management skills, and figure out how to succeed in an independent nursing role.

A career in nurse leadership can allow you to use your diverse nursing skillset to its full potential.

Compare your options by checking out our list of graduate nurse leadership programs in Utah, and requesting information from all of those that interest you.

Utah Nursing Research Graduate Programs

The University of Utah College of Nursing has a community of scholars that are engaged in several funded research programs on a diverse range of healthcare issues, which includes cancer symptom management, quality of life, hospice and palliative care. There are several other schools offering nursing research programs, and you can contact them all directly from our site to learn more about your options.

Many of the Utah’s strongest nursing leaders had been brought together by the Utah Action Coalition for Health to improve the quality of health care, access and affordability in the state. Utah has several state-supported schools, two long-standing private universities and several new proprietary programs with research nursing options. There are graduate and PhD programs available if you would like to become a Clinical Research Associate.

The Utah Action Coalition for Health is increasingly focused on improving education level of nurses by providing residency training, removing barriers in practice and care, developing leadership opportunities, and designing new models of community-based care- all of which depend upon nursing research as a guide.

Utah does not require a special license for Clinical Nurse Researchers; however, there is a Society of Clinical Research Associates that offers a certification program. In addition, Utah’s Nurses Association is very popular and offers multiple scholarships to nursing students. This may be the perfect time for you to advance your nursing career by getting a graduate degree in research.

Utah Graduate Degree Programs In Nursing Research

As you look to enter a graduate degree program, you will want to ensure that you meet the admission requirements. Typically, you should meet all of the following criteria:

GPA of 3.2 or better
Current RN license
MCAT with a minimum 123 score
Community work through volunteer services
Minimum of three months of leadership

Utah Universities have both Master’s and PhD programs for nurses that want to work in research. Some of the common courses you may take in your graduate nursing research curriculum may include:

Evidence Based Practice I
Introduction to Information and Information Tech
Advanced Pharmacotherapeutics Across the Lifespan
Advance Pathophysiology Across the Lifespan
Professional Role and Collaboration
Care Management: Clinical Issues
Mentoring & Precepting: Theory & Practice
Advanced Physical Assessment & Health Promotion Across the Lifespan
Care Management Practicum for Individuals
Quality Improvement in Health Care
Approved Elective
US Health Care: Systems & Policy
Care Management: Professional, Legal, Financial & Business Issues
Care Management Practicum for Populations
Masters Synthesis

Following graduation you may have the option to gain a research certification from SOCRA, which has developed the Certified Clinical Research Professional Certification program. If you are a member of the society, the cost is $395, but non-members must pay $450.

If you need financial assistance for your education, complete a FAFSA application as it is a federal funding program that awards grants and loans based on your income. The American Association of Colleges of Nursing also has a webpage that lists numerous scholarships and financial assistance for students. The University of Utah also has numerous scholarships available.

The Role of Clinical Nurse Researchers in Utah

Nurse researchers in Utah may find employment at universities, and laboratories and in hospitals. For instance, the University of Utah is currently researching gerontology issues. Nursing research can be an exciting career as it provides healthcare with the scientific basis for their practice. You may work with acute or chronic illnesses, prevention or on several societal issues.

Returning to college to get your graduate degree that focuses on research may open new opportunities in your career, and it will also help the nursing profession as a whole.

Contact the schools on this page to request program information, along with details about costs and curriculum.

Utah Certified Nurse Midwife

Nurses are an essential part of Utah’s health system. With an advanced degree in nursing, you can play an even more important role in patient care. If you’re interested in working in labor & delivery or meeting the specialized health care needs of women, consider becoming a nurse midwife in Utah.

You can find a full listing of nurse midwife programs in Utah below, and request information directly from schools.

Nurse midwives work in some health care settings that specialize in women’s care. Birthing suites or birthing centers are growing all over the United States, including in Utah. In this setting, women can attempt natural childbirth while still enjoying the safety of a hospital setting. Nurse midwives may also attend homebirths, work in hospitals, or serve as primary care providers.

By learning about women’s health care needs and becoming educated in conditions associated with pregnancy and childbearing, you can become an important care provider in Utah. Request program information to learn more about certified nurse midwife programs in Utah.

Becoming a Certified Nurse Midwife in Utah

The first step to becoming a certified nurse midwife is ensuring that you’re a good fit for this type of program. Certified nurse midwives must go through a graduate-level nursing program to become well-versed in advanced nursing practice and build strong clinical skills. These programs last between two and three years, typically requiring 40 to 50 credits in nurse midwifery. To move straight into a CNM program, you must have a Bachelor’s degree in nursing.

Part of this process may involve looking into financial aid options. Many schools and organizations have scholarship options for you to consider! Several schools have school-specific loan repayment and scholarships options, including graduate assistantships and teaching assistantships. The Utah Nurses Association funds scholarships every fall and spring for high-performing nursing students. You may also wish to join the Utah Student Nurses’ Association to learn more about their variety of financial aid programs.

To build a strong base of nurse midwifery skills, you must take a variety of courses at the graduate nursing level. Core courses required in many advanced nursing programs include Advanced Health Assessment, Advanced Pathophysiology, Advanced Research in Nursing, and Advanced Pharmacology.

Courses that are specific to the field of nurse midwifery include Contraception, Antepartum Complications, Disparities in Women’s Health Care, Family Nursing Theory, Introduction to Antepartum Management, and Labor & Childbirth. While completing these courses, you may work in several different clinical settings. In fact, you may spend well over 1,000 hours in clinical settings.

Working as a Certified Nurse Midwife in Utah

Once you have met the clinical and education requirements of your school, you can take the next step in your nursing midwife career. This involves getting nationally certified with the American Midwifery Certification Board. This agency is the main certifying board used for each state’s licensure standards.

Once you have earned your certification as a nurse midwife, you can become licensed by the state of Utah. This requires you to keep your nursing license valid throughout your education. The Utah Division of Occupational Licensing is responsible for the licensure of certified nurse midwives.

As women continue to seek care that meets their expectations and makes them feel like active participants in their health care, the need for nurse midwives may continue to grow. Take advantage of this opportunity by reaching out to certified nurse midwife programs in Utah now.

Utah Clinical Nurse Specialist Programs

One of the benefits of working in the field of nursing is the fact that there are very few limits if you are willing to further your education and work hard. As a registered nurse, you likely know that nurses are an essential part of the health care industry. If you are ready to expand your scope of practice and use your experience in an exciting new way, becoming a clinical nurse specialist may be the next step in your career.

Send your requests for information to the Utah nursing schools with CNS programs directly from our site to get more details.

As the health care field changes, the demand for clinical nurse specialists may continue to grow. More and more, physicians are starting to collaborate with advanced practice nurses to reduce care costs and improve patient outcomes. Whether you’re interested in research, leadership, or patient care, learn more about clinical nurse specialist (CNS) programs in Utah now.

Becoming a Clinical Nurse Specialist in Utah

Clinical nurse specialists must have a Master’s degree in nursing before becoming certified. This process requires an additional two to three years of schooling beyond your Bachelor’s degree in nursing. The amount of time you spend in school depends on which specialty you choose; for example, oncology may require more schooling than pediatrics or gerontology. You may wish to compare different program lengths before selecting a school.

The curriculum for your CNS program should build on your undergraduate nursing education and expand your scope of practice. Before you can take courses that are specific to your new career, you may take classes like Theoretical Basis for Advanced Nursing, Context of Health Care for Advanced Practice Nursing, Statistical Literacy and Reasoning in Nursing Research, and Applications of Research to Practice.

Many of the CNS courses you take may help you expand your experience in research, clinical practice, leadership, and teamwork. To reach the learning goals set out by your school, you may take classes like Health Promotion & Disease Prevention, Program Development and Evaluation in Health Care, Advanced Health Assessment and Measurement, and Advanced Clinical Pharmacology.

As you reach the second half of your education, you may spend most of your time working with your chosen population and applying your education to that population.

Financial aid may be very important to you, especially if you are still carrying student debt from your undergraduate degree. Utah has a strong network of scholarship providers that may help you pay for school. The Utah Nurses Association funds scholarships every semester for students. The Office of Primary Care and Rural Health may be a good resource for you if you are willing to work in a rural area after graduation. Intermountain Health Care is one of several local employers that awards scholarships to promising students.

Working as a Clinical Nurse Specialist in Utah

Upon completing your education, you want to demonstrate your abilities and qualifications to potential employers. Through the American Nurses Credentialing Center, you can get certified in your chosen specialty. You can use your national certification to gain advanced practice licensure from the Utah Division of Occupational & Professional Licensing. This requires you to keep your license up-to-date with continuing education hours.

CNN Money reports that the demand for clinical nurse specialists is growing quickly. By 2022, they anticipate a 26% jump in CNS jobs throughout the country.

Take your nursing career to the next level and see how you can improve the lives of your patients. Use our schools list to contact clinical nurse specialist programs in Utah.

Utah Public Health Masters Programs

The Utah Department of Health’s mission is to protect public health by avoiding illnesses, injuries, disability and premature death. They have promoted new standards for public health nurses as they are the backbone of the public health care system in the state. To learn more about the role you can play within public health in Utah, contact the schools below for information.

According to the Association of Public Health Nurses (APHN), public health nursing is defined as the “practice of promoting and protecting the health of populations using knowledge from nursing, social and public health sciences.” Nurses work hard to prevent disease and disability, and they work in a diverse number of settings.

If you are considering getting your public health master’s degree, this may be the perfect time. You may be able to position yourself in an enhanced position that might also offer you a higher income.

The Role of Public Health Nurses in Utah

Westminster University and the University of Utah are two accredited universities that offer public health nursing degrees.

There are also accredited online programs available, which include Walden University, University of Phoenix and Independence University.

The requirements for admissions to most Master’s in Public Health (MPH) programs include prerequisite courses in college algebra, with a 3.0 grade, and statistics or epidemiology is recommended. Other requirements include a BSN from an accredited college or university, a GPA or 3.0, official transcripts, GRE scores, three letters of recommendation and a statement of purpose.

This MPH professional degree requires 45 semester credit hours, which takes approximately two years to complete, attending full-time. The curriculum consists of the following courses:

Biostatistics I
Public Health Administration & Policy
Foundations to Public Health
Epidemiology I
Public Health Program Planning, Evaluation & Implementation
Environmental Public Health
Public Health & Clinical Research Methods
Social Context of Medicine & Public Health
Practicum Hours equals six credits
Electives 15 total credits

The practicum is designed to give students hands-on experience that would be comparable to a career position in public health nursing. One of the goals of the practicum includes integrating foundational public health knowledge with experience. Students will be working with a mentor that has the academic credentials and experience to oversee and evaluate Master’s level student goals.

The Financial Aid Office at your school can assist students who need financial assistance and provide information on grants, scholarships and loans. Students are typically asked to complete a FAFSA application, which is a federal funding program based on income. The federal government also has a Nurse Corps loan repayment program which requires the graduate to work in a critical shortage facility for two years, and they will receive 60 percent of their total qualified nursing education loan balance.

Graduating with your graduate degree in public health may open the door to an exciting new career, and it could certainly earn you the respect of your peers.

The Role of Public Health Nurses in Utah

There are variety of roles for you as a public health nurse with a graduate degree, as you may direct and supervise activities of other medical personnel or conduct and coordinate fiscal operations. Public health nurses often work in county facilities, but they may also work for private industry. Opportunities may include teaching in a diverse community that will help prevent disease and generally improve the health of the population.

There are many opportunities for public health nurses to work in rural communities, in Utah’s local health departments, schools or in private industry. This is an ideal time to get your graduate degree, which will help nursing as a whole due to the shortage of graduate trained nurses.

Utah Graduate Nursing Programs in Healthcare Policy

When you become an established part of the nursing industry in Utah, you may quickly discover that there are many different ways that you can improve the future of healthcare in your state. If you can look at problems critically and analyze them from multiple angles, you may have a future in healthcare policy.

Changing and creating health care laws and policies is one of the most effective ways to impact this industry and improve outcomes for patients.

This is such an important area of the medical industry that the state recently created the Utah Health Policy Project (KUTV). With the creation of this project, legislators hope to maximize the financial value of the healthcare system, look for alternatives to the proposed Medicaid expansion, and analyze issues with the medical coding system.

Ready to jump into the administrative side of nursing? Get involved now by contacting graduate healthcare policy programs in Utah.

Featured Programs:

Master’s Degree Programs in Healthcare Policy in Utah

To fully understand health policy and how you can affect change within the medical industry, you have to explore many different topics at the graduate level.

Over a period of approximately two years, you may earn 40 to 45 credits in courses like:

Maternal and Child Health
Business and Professional Ethics
Bioethics
Medical Sociology
Global Health Issues
Public Health Issues
Health Economics
Health Promotion and Marketing
Health Services Administration
Management of Nonprofit Organizations
Politics and Budgets

Clearly, these courses are intended to explore many facets of healthcare, the people who benefit from health services, and delivery systems. The background you have in nursing may offer you a core understanding of medical procedures, financial issues, and challenges. Practical experience is highly valued in policy positions, which is why many Utah schools require an internship or practicum course. To gain experience in other areas of policy, you may conduct or participate in research as well.

Before beginning your education, become familiar with the learning outcomes of your school. These learning goals are designed to make you an effective part of Utah’s health policy community. By the time you graduate, you may need to know how to address healthcare issues in different contexts, make culturally sensitive decisions and recommendations, and work as part of a team to achieve common goals.

To maintain your standing as a registered nurse, keep your license up-to-date with the Utah Division of Occupational and Professional Licensing. This involves renewing your license by January 31 in every odd-numbered year.

How Do Nurses Impact Healthcare Policy in Utah?

As a registered nurse, you may benefit from strong professional connections within the health industry. These ties can put you in a great position to advocate for changes in policies and procedures. You may want to become involved with the legislative efforts of the Utah Nurses Association. Recent efforts of this group have supported Healthy Utah, the Registered Nurse Safe Staffing Act, improved funding for emergency departments, and a safety belt law. As you look into these laws, it becomes clear that you can impact policies in many specialties and branches of healthcare.

Throughout your career in health policy, you may work for or collaborate with a wide variety of agencies and organizations in Utah. The Utah Public Health Association is one of the largest nonprofit health organizations in this state.

If you are truly invested in using your nursing career to make life better for people in your community, a health policy degree can give you the push you need. Start exploring your options now with our list of graduate healthcare policy programs in Utah.