Nursing Schools in Iowa

Iowa is the Midwestern United States and has a population of 3.1 million according to the 2015 United States Census Bureau estimates. The state is neighbored by the Mississippi River on the east and the Missouri River on the west. The bordering states include Wisconsin and Illinois to the east and South Dakota to the west, and Minnesota to the north. The state’s political center and largest city is Des Moines that hosts Drake University and the World Food Prize. The state of Iowa is endowed with fascinating attractions like Prairie Meadows Racetrack Casino and the Living History Farms in Urbandale. Are there nursing schools in Iowa? You bet!

Some of the top-rated nursing schools in Iowa include the University of Iowa, Mount Mercy University, Coe College, Saint Ambrose University and Luther College. The University of Iowa offers students pursuing a career in nursing many options to set the pace of their dreams with an affordable tuition fee.

The University of Iowa has some of the best nursing career options in the state. These options include Anatomy, BSN-RN, Community Health, EMT, IV Therapy, Manager, Neonatal/Newborn, Nursery, Nutrition, Pharmacology, Physiology, Psychiatric/Mental Health, RN-BSN, and Surgical.

About 51 percent of Iowa’s nurses are over 47 years old, and opportunities are endless nursing jobs in long-term care facilities including schools home care, private doctor’s offices, private practice for nurse practitioners and midwives, and medical centers.

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Briar Cliff University School of Nursing

Briar Cliff is a private, Catholic, liberal arts university. All of Briar Cliff’s nursing programs are accredited by CCNE. The standard BSN program prioritizes clinical experience with over 800 hours of clinical practice in a variety of healthcare settings. The school also offers access to renovated simulation, chemistry, and biology labs, plus a working cadaver lab.

Existing RNs can opt to convert their associate degree to a bachelor’s qualification via the fully online RN to BSN program. MSN students can also study online in addition to completing a 540-hour clinical practicum and can specialize as either a Family Nurse Practitioner, an Adult/Gerontology Nurse Practitioner or a Nurse Educator. Existing Nurse Practitioners can go on to complete a Doctor of Nursing Practice degree in just two years.

In addition to their coursework and clinical practice, nursing students are active in the Student Nursing Association, the Red Cross Club, and the Pre-professional Health Science club.

3303 Rebecca Street

Sioux City, Iowa 51104

800-662-3303

Website: https://www.briarcliff.edu/

Clarke University School of Nursing

Clarke University is a private, Catholic, co-educational, liberal arts institution. Founded in 1843 by Mary Frances Clarke, foundress of the Sisters of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary (BVM), it is the only BVM university in the USA. It is home to just over 1,000 students and is proud of its low student to instructor ratio of just 8:1. Applicants to Clarke’s nursing program are considered on a holistic and individual basis.

The nursing curriculum for the traditional first-degree BSN emphasizes caring as its integrating concept. Students can expect three years of hands-on clinical experience, including operating rooms, emergency rooms, diabetic and dialysis centers, cardiac catheter labs, cardiac rehabilitation, and oncology. In their senior year students complete a 120-hour internship with an experienced nurse preceptor. Accreditation for nursing education at Clarke is in place from CCNE.

1550 Clarke Drive,

Dubuque, IA 52001

888-825-2753

Website: http://www.clarke.edu

Coe College School of Nursing

Coe College is a selective, private, co-educational liberal arts institution for approximately 1,400 students located in Cedar Rapids, Iowa’s second largest city. With an average class size of 16, and a student to faculty ratio of 11:1, Coe is proud of the personal attention that students receive. The BSN program at Coe College has received accreditation from CCNE.

Coe College deploys a distinctive preceptor education model in its four-year pre-licensure BSN program in which students are paired one to one with registered nurse experts for three semesters of clinical learning. Entry to the program via either the high school direct-entry pathway or college level sophomore year entry pathway is selective and competitive.

1220 First Avenue NE,

Cedar Rapids, IA 52402

319-399-8500

Website: http://www.coe.edu/

Grand View University School of Nursing

Shaped by its Danish and Lutheran heritage, Grand View University sets out to prepare its students to do God’s work in the world regardless of their religious affiliation. Students at Grand View must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 to be admitted to the pre-licensure nursing major. They must also achieve a score of at least 80% on Reach A2 examinations in Math and Reading Comprehension. Pre-requisite courses in English, Chemistry, and Biology are also required at grade C or above.

Students will benefit from small class sizes, a flexible schedule and access to a simulation lab during their studies. In addition to the traditional nursing major, Grand View also offers a 14 month full-time or part-time RN to BSN option that is delivered entirely online. CCNE has accredited the nursing programs at Grand View.

1200 Grandview Ave,

Des Moines, IA 50316

515-263-2800

Website: https://www.grandview.edu/

Board of Nursing Approved Nursing Schools in Iowa

Allen College School of Nursing
Location: Waterloo, Iowa
Programs: BSN, MSN
Founded in: 1989
Accreditation: Accreditation Commission For Education in Nursing (ACEN)
Website: http://www.allencollege.edu

Briar Cliff University School of Nursing
Location: Sioux City, Iowa
Programs: BSN
Founded in: 1930
Accreditation: Accreditation Commission For Education in Nursing (ACEN)
Website: http://www.briarcliff.edu

Clarke College School of Nursing
Location: Dubuque, Iowa
Programs: BSN, MSN
Founded in: 1843
Accreditation: Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE)
Website: http://www.clarke.edu

Coe College School of Nursing
Location: Cedar Rapids, Iowa
Programs: BSN
Founded in: 1851
Accreditation: Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE)
Website: http://www.coe.edu

Grand View College School of Nursing
Location: Des Moines, Iowa
Programs: BSN
Founded in: 1896
Accreditation: Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE)
Website: http://www.gvc.edu

Iowa Wesleyan College School of Nursing
Location: Mount Pleasant, Iowa
Programs: BSN
Founded in: 1842
Accreditation: Accreditation Commission For Education in Nursing (ACEN)
Website: http://www.iwc.edu

Luther College School of Nursing
Location: Decorah, Iowa
Programs: BSN
Founded in: 1861
Accreditation: Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE)
Website: http://www.luther.edu

Mercy College of Health Sciences School of Nursing
Location: Des Moines, Iowa
Programs: BSN
Founded in: 1995
Accreditation: Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE)
Website: http://www.mchs.edu

Morningside College School of Nursing
Location: Sioux City, Iowa
Programs: BSN
Founded in: 1894
Accreditation: Accreditation Commission For Education in Nursing (ACEN)
Website: http://www.morningside.edu

Mount Mercy College School of Nursing
Location: Cedar Rapids, Iowa
Programs: BSN
Founded in: 1928
Accreditation: Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE)
Website: http://www.mtmercy.edu

The University of Iowa School of Nursing
Location: Iowa City, Iowa
Programs: BSN, MSN, PhD
Founded in: 1847
Accreditation: Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE)
Website: http://www.uiowa.edu