There are over thirty accredited nursing schools in Iowa. These schools offer several nursing programs at various academic levels such as certificate, associate’s, bachelor’s, master’s and PhD programs in nursing.
O*NET OnLine estimated that Iowa could expect 1350 new job openings for registered nurses from 2010 to 2020. The source further noted that in 2014, there were more than 32,460 professionals working as registered nurses in the state.
According to O*NET OnLine, registered nurses in Iowa earned a median annual wage of $87,000 in 2013.
Are nursing schools in Iowa approved by the state and their programs accredited?
The Iowa Board of Nursing has been charged with the responsibility to approve or disapprove schools that offer nursing programs in the state. For instance, a nursing program with a health information technology concentration may be accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management.
Nursing programs offered by schools in Iowa
Some of the programs offered by nursing schools in IOWA include:
Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing (BSN)
This program is offered by almost all of the accredited nursing schools in state. The degree will emphasize on nursing science and the application of nursing theories to real world situations in a wide variety of nursing settings.
Prerequisites to this degree may include courses such as microbiology and biostatistics.
The curriculum aims to prepare you to sit for the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX-RN).
You will be introduced to courses such as:
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Human anatomy
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Pharmacology
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Clinical nursing
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Principles of nursing
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Developmental psychology
Master’s of Science in Nursing (MSN)
The master’s degree in nursing trains the students for advanced and more technical nursing roles. Students are taught to make use of information technology, latest health technologies and innovative health policies to add to the quality of healthcare services.
This degree also offers several specialized nursing tracks to students, so that they may choose a concentration that correlates with their academic goals. These specialized tracks include:
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Public health nursing
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Health management and administration
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Primary care
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Nursing education
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Family nursing
The curriculum requires the students to complete courses such as advanced principles of nursing, healthcare informatics, healthcare financing, health assessment and organizational theory.
Licensing requirements and other academic credentials for nursing graduates in Iowa
After you complete your nursing degree or program, you will be prepared to acquire a nursing license from the Iowa Board of nursing. This license will act as a permit without which you cannot professionally work in your chosen field, in Iowa.
Although it is not mandatory in most cases, you may still choose to acquire a certification that is relevant to your chosen field, from a renowned body.