Utah’s aspiring nurses can pursue one of four distinct nursing roles: certified nursing assistant (CNA), licensed practical nurse (LPN), registered nurse (RN), or advanced practice registered nurse (APRN). Each role carries a unique mix of job responsibilities, educational requirements, and compensation. Utah is home to over 30 accredited nursing schools, so regardless of role, students can select from a breadth of quality nursing programs.
Utah
We've organized a comprehensive list of Utah nursing schools. Below you'll find information on specific nursing programs such as LPN certificates and ADN, BSN, and MSN degrees. You'll also find a profile of nursing education and careers in each major Utah city.
Utah school overviews
Utah nursing programs and careers
Salt Lake City has a dozen accredited nursing schools. These colleges and universities offer a diverse range of nursing programs, from brief certificates to undergraduate and graduate degrees. The city’s aspiring nurses can pursue one of four nursing roles: certified nursing assistant (CNA), licensed practical nurse (LPN), registered nurse (RN), or advanced practice registered nurse (APRN).
The Provo / Orem metropolitan area has a half-dozen accredited nursing schools. These institutions offer prelicensure programs for four distinct nursing roles: certified nursing assistant (CNA), licensed practical nurse (LPN), registered nurse (RN), and advanced practice registered nurse (APRN).
Ogden’s aspiring nurses can choose from several different nursing career paths. Each nursing role carries a distinct set of responsibilities, educational requirements, and compensation.
Certified nursing assistant (CNA)
Master of science in nursing (MSN) degree programs enable Utah’s existing registered nurses (RNs) to enter specialized fields like family practice nursing, nursing education, and nursing administration. Upon completion of their studies, many MSN candidates earn an advanced practice registered nursing (APRN) title like nurse practitioner, nurse midwife, or nurse anesthetist.
More and more, Utah’s nursing employers are favoring candidates with a bachelor of science in nursing (BSN) degree in their hiring and promotion decisions. As a result, many of the state’s registered nurses (RNs) who hold an associate’s degree in nursing (ADN) are heading back to school to earn a bachelor’s degree. These students can enroll in specially designed RN-to-BSN programs that provide a streamlined path for existing nurses to attain baccalaureate education.
Utah’s healthcare providers increasingly expect registered nurses (RNs) to perform a broad range of independent tasks and to fill critical managerial roles. As a result, many top hospitals and healthcare centers actively seek RNs with at least a bachelor of science in nursing (BSN) degree. Utah has two types of BSN programs: prelicensure programs that prepare aspiring nurses for initial licensure, and RN-to-BSN programs that help existing nurses with only an associate’s degree earn their bachelor’s degree.
An associate’s degree in nursing (ADN) program provides a streamlined path to initial licensure as a registered nurse (RN). RNs comprise the majority of Utah’s nursing workforce. Their responsibilities include independently administering healthcare activities and supervising the work of junior nurses, like licensed practical nurses (LPNs) and certified nursing assistants (CNAs).
Registered nurses (RNs) form the backbone of the country’s healthcare industry, with an estimated 2.7 million RNs employed nationwide. They perform a broad range of medical tasks, such as conducting diagnostic tests, administering treatments and medications, operating medical equipment, and establishing patient care plans. RNs also frequently supervise teams of more junior nurses, including licensed practical nurses (LPNs) and certified nursing assistants (CNAs).
Licensed practical nurses (LPNs) provide bedside care for patients. They also independently conduct a number of medical tasks like recording vital signs, dressing wounds, and monitoring equipment. Licensed practical nurses work in a number of healthcare settings, frequently under the supervision of registered nurses (RNs) or physicians.
Certified nursing assistants (CNAs) are the most junior caregivers in the nursing industry. They receive guidance and supervision from more senior licensed practical nurses (LPNs) and registered nurses (RNs). Nursing assistants provide basic quality-of-life healthcare to sick and injured patients, including helping them with eating, bathing, and daily hygiene.