Top LPN Programs in Utah

Utah LPN Schools and License Requirements, Salary, and Job Outlook

LPNs/LVNs provide basic nursing care to the patients in various medical settings such as hospitals, clinics, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes, physician’s office, or patient’s home. They perform various tasks for their clients like dressing, feeding, monitoring and examining their condition, measuring vital signs, and taking care of their hygiene.

Since nursing is a growing profession in the United States of America, there are numerous job opportunities for licensed practical nurses in almost all the states of the country. Apart from salary, LPNs get good overtime, bonus, and other perks. That is why; it is one of the top choices for the aspirants who want to make a successful career in the field of nursing.

Enrolling in the right LPN school is the first step towards achieving your goal. Several community colleges, technical and vocational centers offer LPN programs. Students should opt for accredited nursing schools in Utah for pursuing the practical nursing course. For complete information and guidelines about this profession, read on this article.

LPN Schools in Utah

OUR METHODOLOGY +

A nursing school ranks on the top according to the following criteria-

• Higher Passing Rate of Alumni in NCLEX
• Financial Aid that a school provides
• Higher number of students

The nursing schools were then included in the ranking on the basis of following factors-

• Well-developed Architecture
• Better Infrastructure
• Superior Technology
• Ranking in US News and World Report
• Teachings offered by world-class faculty
• Inclusion of world-class facilities
• World-class Opportunities

We hope that the list will help you to opt the best college as per your preferences in the state. The programs available in these colleges will give you an opportunity to begin your journey as a successful nurse.

There are about 10 top nursing schools in Utah that provide courses in practical nursing.

Requirements for LPNs/LVNs in Utah

After completing a degree, diploma, or certificate course in practical nursing, every candidate has to obtain a license from the Nursing Board to work as an LPN in Utah. Here is the complete procedure for gaining licensure in the state of Utah:

Step 1. Complete the LPN/LVN Program

First of all, you must complete the LPN program from a college, university, or school accredited by the Utah Division of Occupational and Professional License. The program comprises of theory classes and clinical rotation. The hands-on practice provides you exposure to the real work settings and lets you hone your skills.

Step 2. Qualify the State Exam

The next step is to appear for the state exam (the NCLEX-PN) and gain passing marks in it. Several online practice tests are available for aspirants that may help them understand the format of the NCLEX-PN exam and learn time-management skills. Once you clear it, you are eligible to apply for the LPN license in the state.

Step 3. Application of Licensure

Soon after passing the state exam, candidates are supposed to submit a completely filled application to the Utah Nursing Board. Along with the form, you also need to submit some transcripts, documents, and application fee of $100. Payment of fee should be made either in the form of money order or check.

Step 4. Verification

Once the officials at the Utah Board of Nursing get all your documents and application form, they will verify all the information provided by you. This may take about a few days or a month. After verification, the board decides if you are eligible to get your name enlisted in the Utah Nurse Aide Registry and obtain a license.

Step 5. Maintenance of the Licensure

Besides obtaining a license, it is also important for an LPN to maintain it. For this, s/he has to renew it after every 3 years. With this, you can practice as an LPN professional without any interference. In case your license expires, you are not allowed to work as a licensed practical nurse in the state, legally.

Licensure by Endorsement

If you are applying for the licensure by endorsement, you need to fulfill certain requirements.

• Submit properly filled application form along with fingerprints.
• Get verification of licensure from where you are licensed as a nurse. In order to accomplish this, you have to undergo the following procedure-
  • Visit the website www.nursys.com to find out if the state where you are seeking verification of licensure is a participant of the Nursys Verification System or not. If it is a part of it, then you need to obtain a verification of your licensure by Nursys, by following certain directions.
  • If the state is not a participant of the Nursys system, you have to fill the "Request for Verification of License." Request the state to fill the form and send it directly to the Utah Division of Occupational and Professional Licensing (DOPL).

Note: For the application of licensure by endorsement, you need to submit transcripts only if you are a foreign graduate.

1. If you are a nursing graduate from some other state, you have to submit credentials evaluation from the list of approved credentialing services enlisted in the "Additional Important Information."
2. Make a payment of $100 as the non-refundable application processing fee to DOPL.

LPN License Renewal in Utah

The license of all the practical nurses expires on 31st January (every even-numbered year). The nursing license renewal in Utah doesn’t depend on the licensee’s date of licensure. Licenses in every profession expire on the same day after every 2 years. Every renewal cycle is for 2 years. In addition to this, you need to pay required renewal fee. The intimation to renew your license will be sent to your address, two months before the expiration date.

Licensure by Reinstatement

For the reinstatement of an inactive or expired license, candidates need to submit an application for reinstatement along with all the applicable fees.

Name Change on the LPN License

If you want to change your name on the license, submit a copy of social security card, driver’s license, court order, divorce decree, or marriage certificate depicting your name change. Submit the documents along with a fee of $10 to the following address:

PO Box 146741
Salt Lake City, UT 84114-6741

You can also email the documents at [email protected] or fax at 801-530-6511.

Address Change on the LPN License

You can apply online for address change. You have to provide your license number, date of birth, and last 4 digits of your SSN (Social Security Number).

Duplicate LPN License

You can get your duplicate license by any of the following methods:

1. Via Mail- Mail your written request along with your name, phone number, current address, license number, and money order or check for $10.00 (payable to "DOPL") to:

DOPL, PO Box 146741
Salt Lake City, UT 84114-6741

The board will mail your duplicate license to your address within 10-15 business days.

2. In-Person- If you want to get your duplicate license immediately, visit the DOPL’s main office with your picture ID that is issued by the government. You will have to pay the $10.00 reprint fee via MasterCard, American Express, Visa, or cash.

Average Annual Salary of Licensed Practical Nurses in Utah

As per the data of indeed.com, licensed practical nurses in Utah earned $40,000 (as of September 26, 2016). Whereas, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the hourly and annual mean wages of these professionals were $20.73 and $43,110, respectively (as of May 2015).

Information Source: indeed.com (as of September 26, 2016)

As per the data in the table above, Patient Care Technician Students were paid the least (i.e., $13,000), whereas Psychiatric Nurses earned the highest, i.e., $44,000 per annum.

Annual Median Salaries of LPNs in Different Cities of Utah

Name of the City	Annual Median Salary
Layton	$41,443
Lehi	$40,218
Logan	$35,858
Ogden	$41,443
Orem	$40,218
Provo	$40,218
Saint George	$35,910
Salt Lake City	$43,333
Sandy	$43,333
South Jordan	$43,333
West Jordan	$43,333

Information Source: salary.com (as of August 2016)

From the table given above, we can conclude that the salary of licensed practical nurses in West Jordan, South Jordan, Sandy, and Salt Lake City was $43,333 per annum, while the wage of these professionals in Logan was $35,858.

Job Outlook for Licensed Vocational/Practical Nurses in Utah

According to the data of bls.gov, there were 1,980 employed licensed practical nurses in May 2015, in Utah. As per the population of the state, this employment level is quite good. In the upcoming years, there will be many job opportunities for LPN professionals in Utah. Among major employers for LPNs were Harmony Home Health, Orianna Health Systems, Acadia HealthCare, Silverado Senior Living, Molina HealthCare, etc.