Nursing Career Path

Job Description
Nurses work to promote health, prevent disease, and help patients cope with illness. They are advocates and health educators for patients, families, and communities. When providing direct patient care, they observe, assess, and record symptoms, reactions, and progress; assist physicians; administer medication; assist with convalescence and rehabilitation.

Nurses also develop and manage nursing care plans, instruct patients and their families in proper care, and help individuals and groups take steps to improve or maintain their health. Nurses are employed in hospitals, doctor's offices, and nursing homes. Nurses also work in home health, public health, and occupational health.

Earnings & Employment Outlook

• Full-time salary at entry level for a LPN is approximately $23,000/yr.
• Full-time salary at entry level for a RN is approximately $38,000/yr. (This does not include additional pay for shift differentials, on-call pay, and other premium pay that may be available).
• Employment opportunities for Nurses are expected to grow faster than the average for all occupations through the year 2010.

• Two major educational paths to registered nursing are an Associates Degree in Nursing (ADN) and a Bachelors Degree in Nursing (BSN).
• ADN programs, including clinical experience, may be completed in 2-3 years, BSN in 3-4 years.
• Graduate programs are also available.

• Licensed Practical Nursing programs are offered at: applied technology colleges, College of Eastern Utah, Dixie State College, Salt Lake Community College, Snow College, Utah Valley State College, and Weber State University.
• ADN programs are offered at: College of Eastern Utah, Dixie State College, Salt Lake Community College, Utah Valley State College, and Weber State University (all WSU nursing programs are also available at: Utah State University, and Southern Utah University).
• RN ADN to BSN programs are offered at: Dixie State College, University of Phoenix, University of Utah, Weber State University, and Westminster College.
• BSN programs are offered at: Brigham Young University, University of Utah, Utah Valley State College, Weber State University, and Westminster College.