5 Best Nurse Practitioner Programs in Utah – 2024

Written By: Editorial Staff @ NursingProcess.org

The Utah Administrative Code recognizes nurse practitioners as primary care providers and allows them to practice without physician supervision. In order to prescribe Schedule II controlled substances independently, however, they must have been licensed for at least one year and have at least 2,000 hours of experience. The demand for the services of graduates from accredited nurse practitioner schools in Utah is expected to go up by more than 61 percent in the next decade. NPs in The Beehive State are compensated for their services with salaries that average more than $115,610 a year. The information below on this page will tell you everything you need to know about the best nurse practitioner programs in Utah for 2024.

WHAT ARE THE BEST NURSE PRACTITIONER PROGRAMS IN UTAH (ONLINE & CAMPUS) FOR 2024?

(Based on our ranking methodology, the following are the 5 Best NP programs in Utah for the year 2024.)

1) University of Utah - Salt Lake City

Programs Offered: BS to DNP and Post-APRN Licensure Certificate

Counted among the best nurse practitioner programs in Utah, University of Utah must be on your list if excellence in evidence-based nursing practice is what you aspire for. With two pathways, a BSN to DNP and a post-APRN certificate program, you can become a nurse practitioner in Utah, typically at any point after completing your baccalaureate education in nursing. Furthermore, this nursing school being the only academic health sciences center in the state, you can expect umpteen learning opportunities, where you collaborate with other healthcare professionals to improve health outcomes.

BS to DNP Concentrations: Adult/Gerontology Acute Care, Adult/Gerontology Primary Care, Neonatal, Family Primary Care, Pediatrics Primary Care, Psychiatric Mental Health, and Women's Health

Are you keen on making an impactful difference to the care of infants, adults, or the elderly? If so, you must consider completing this DNP program which can be pursued after you graduate with a BSN degree. You can also enter this program as an MSN prepared APRN who desires to get certified in another specialty. Most students complete this program within three years on a full-time basis. Depending on the track you take from the seven specialization options, to graduate you must earn around 78 to 80 credits.

Post-APRN Licensure Certificate Concentrations: Adult/Gerontology Acute Care NP, Family NP, and Women's Health NP

This post APRN certificate program is meant for licensed advanced practice nurses keen on establishing their practice in another population foci. The program comes with specialization options in adult-gerontology acute care, family health, and women’s health. Graduation requirements are customized and based on a gap analysis.

2) Brigham Young University - Provo

Programs Offered: MSN

If you are searching for nurse practitioner schools in Utah that offer Christ-centric NP education, then you must have Brigham Young University on your list. Guided by the gospel of Jesus Christ, here you will graduate as a healer, ready to serve individuals, families, and communities, especially promoting health for the underserved and vulnerable populations. To prepare you effectively for this role, the college provides clinical experiences in various rural and urban settings, in addition to its research center which is equipped with computer stations and data analysis & management software. To nurse practitioner aspirants the college currently offers FNP training in conjunction with its MSN program.

MSN Concentrations: Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP)

To qualify for this MSN program, you must have completed an undergraduate degree in nursing with a minimum GPA of 3.0 and carry an active RN license. The program spans across three years and requires completing around 65 credits in courses comprising evidence-based research, organizational & systems leadership, advanced pathophysiology, pharmacology, and health assessment across the lifespan. Also, you learn the diagnostic and management of disease for individuals ranging from infancy to geriatrics.

3) Weber State University- Ogden

Programs Offered: Post BSN to DNP

If affordable nurse practitioner programs in Utah is what you are looking for, Weber State University can be considered as a good option as here you receive quality NP education with competitive tuition costs and flexible schedules. Weber’s NP graduates are prepared as expert leaders who design and implement health policies to impact health systems and improve health outcomes. Like most other Utah NP schools, this school offers its evidence-based coursework in a hybrid format, blending online and face-to-face learning. Whether you are taking the next step into your nursing career or seeking to transform healthcare in a global environment, with the BSN to DNP path you can easily achieve the goal of nursing leadership.

Post BSN to DNP Concentrations: Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP)

This BSN to DNP program seamlessly allows you to graduate with a doctoral degree in nursing and become a nurse practitioner in the state of UT. A BSN with a minimum GPA of 3.30, an active RN license, and at least two years of work experience as a nurse makes you an ideal candidate for this program. The program is designed to equip you with the clinical knowledge and skills in primary care to impact direct and indirect patient care. To graduate you must complete 75 credits in MSN, FNP, and DNP courses. While the MSN and DNP coursework is offered 100% online, for the FNP courses you are required to take classes in a hybrid format. Upon graduation, you can explore high paying jobs in healthcare to improve health outcomes by providing safe nursing care.

4) Westminster College - Salt Lake City

Programs Offered: MSN

NP education at Westminster College is grounded in liberal arts, thereby preparing you with vital professional skills in interpersonal communication, critical thinking, and building an empathetic and compassionate attitude. Personalized attention, small-sized classes, and real-world insights make learning at the college a highly fruitful experience, having graduates leave the school with expert skills and a well-rounded education. As a graduate of one of the best MSN-nurse practitioner programs in Utah, you will be able to elbow out the competition to find promising employment opportunities in family practice, acute care clinics, women’s health centers, and hospitals, both locally and nationally.

MSN Concentrations: Family Nurse Practitioner

If you are interested in improving the overall quality of health of patients then this family nurse practitioner program can be right for you. The curriculum is designed to build up on baccalaureate education, emphasizing clinical judgment to offer culturally relevant patient care to a diverse patient population. On a full-time basis, most students complete the 42 credits of the program in two years. Along with the required credits, you must also complete 546 hours of clinical practice. The curriculum includes courses in advanced health assessment, pathophysiology, pharmacology, theoretical foundations of advanced practice nursing, and nursing leadership. FNP courses mainly teach you healthcare promotion of individuals across the lifespan.

5) Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions - Provo

Programs Offered: Post-BSN to DNP and Post-Master’s Certificate

Are you a busy RN seeking the convenience of one of the best online nurse practitioner programs in Utah to take the next step in your nursing career? If so, you can give a thought to Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions’ NP programs that are offered primarily online with only one week of onsite training throughout the entire program. Also, the college allows you to complete clinical experiences within your community, so you continue working while pursuing an advanced nursing degree. Be it obstetrics, pediatrics, or geriatrics, the skills you obtain during your training here, prepare you to work in any type of primary care settings.

Post-BSN to DNP Concentrations: Family Nurse Practitioner

Admission into this program is selective and to be eligible you must have completed your BSN with a minimum GPA of 3.0 and hold an unencumbered RN license in the U.S. Also, preferably you must complete at least one year of clinical experience as a nurse. By completing 90 credits of the curriculum you will be eligible to take the FNP certification exam for which the college reports an above-average first-time pass rate. The evidence-based coursework culminates with a scholarly project where you apply your doctoral-level knowledge to transform health care delivery.

Post-Master’s Certificate Concentrations: Family Nurse Practitioner, Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner, Emergency Nurse Practitioner, Family Nurse Practitioner/Emergency Nurse Practitioner, and Family Nurse Practitioner/Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Certificate (FNPC/PMHNPC)

As an MSN graduate if you are exploring post-masters nurse practitioner programs in Utah then you can consider this certificate program, which comes with multiple concentration options. MSN graduates keen on acquiring specialized skills in the care of family health or psychiatric mental health can opt for the certificate within these two population foci. To complete the emergency nurse practitioner track you must be a certified FNP and if you are not already certified as an FNP then you can enroll in the dual track of FNP/Emergency Nurse Practitioner. While the dual FNP/ENP track requires completing 46 credits, if you are taking the single ENP track you must earn only 15 credits. On the other hand, the FNP and PMHNP specializations require completing anywhere from 24 to 44 credits.


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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What are the Total Number of Accredited NP Programs in Utah?

The American Association of Nurse Practitioners reports that currently there are Ten accredited nurse practitioner programs in Utah.




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