5 Best Nursing Schools in Idaho – 2024 Rankings
Written By: Editorial Staff @ NursingProcess.org
Interested in enrolling in one of the many nursing schools in Idaho? The Gem State is a great place for RNs. Idaho nurses average $78,610 annually, and demand for their services is projected to grow by 20 percent over the next decade. Whether you’re looking for a full-time traditional campus program or an online course that will allow you to go to school while staying on top of your family and job obligations, you’ll find the best fit for your professional and personal needs among the 5 best nursing schools in Idaho for 2024.
RECOMMENDED ONLINE NURSING SCHOOLS
WHAT ARE THE BEST ACCREDITED NURSING SCHOOLS IN IDAHO?
(After closely assessing all nursing schools approved by the Idaho State Board of Nursing, based on our Ranking Methodology, the following are the best accredited nursing schools in Idaho offering ADN programs.)
As a licensed practical nurse, obtaining an NCLEX-RN license will secure your nursing career and greatly expand employment opportunities. Idaho State University’s Associate Degree is open to LPNs who are keen on climbing the career ladder. The highlight of this program is that since all the didactic courses are delivered through the web, you can work alongside and pay for your education. However, you must make yourself available for clinical experiences and on-campus intensives. Upon completion of the program, you will be ready with the professional expertise of a registered nurse and can explore job opportunities in medical clinics, hospitals, nursing facilities, home health, military, and outpatient surgery centers.
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College of Eastern Idaho offers one of the affordable two-year nursing programs in Idaho. Excellence in nursing education is achieved through individualized attention, state-of-art clinical training, and a well-designed curriculum that is grounded in evidence-based nursing practice. The RN program is available as a full-time and part-time track. While the full-time takes four semesters, on a part-time basis, you can complete it in six semesters. Foundations of nursing, nursing pharmacology, mental health nursing, medical surgical nursing, maternal and pediatric nursing, and nursing leadership are some of the core courses you will complete. You will also undergo a nursing internship, where you will practice professional skills in a clinical setting.
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A successful registered nurse is a critical thinker who apples clinical judgment and evidence-based knowledge to holistically treat patients. College of Western Idaho’s associate degree in nursing is designed to help you develop these vital professional traits through rigorous didactic and clinical training. The 70-credit coursework is a blend of courses in nursing, social & biological sciences, and humanities. Being committed to the all-round development of nursing students, the college provides an effective platform of a Student Nurses Association where you can participate and mutually learn from your peers and experts. Upon completing your training from this nursing school in Idaho, you will be adept to work as an entry-level nurse at long term facilities, physician offices, clinics, home health, and hospitals.
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Registered nurses play a critical role in the healthcare sector and are increasingly in demand across the nation. If you aspire to enter this field with a solid foundation, then completing your nursing education from the College of Southern Idaho can be given a thought. This RN degree in Idaho is available as a traditional and LPN to RN option, allowing licensed LPNs to earn credits for their previous degree and complete the program sooner. Students from a non-nursing background must be holding a CNA certification to be eligible. The traditional coursework requires completing a total of 73 credits, whereas LPNs require 65 credits to earn their degree. Essentially, pre-requisite courses must be completed with a minimum grade “C” to strengthen your application.
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Nurses endure stressful bedside situations but, at the same time, enjoy job security and higher pay scales. If serving the community is your calling, then North Idaho College offers a two-year associate degree in nursing that strives towards producing competent and caring nurses. The program is available as part and full-time options, allowing you to choose a pace that suits your life schedule. The curriculum is grounded in liberal arts, sciences, and nursing courses that build up communication and clinical reasoning skills, apart from theoretical and practical nursing knowledge in fundamentals of nursing, pharmacology in nursing, psychiatric nursing, medical surgical nursing, community nursing and nursing care of the child bearing family. If you are seeking a BSN, the college has transfer agreements with prominent colleges and universities across the state that eases out the transfer process.
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