Attending one of the several accredited nursing degree programs in Iowa is the perfect way for students to start an in-demand career in the state’s healthcare industry. In the “American Heartland,” our nation’s 30th most populous state is bursting with nursing career opportunities to improve health outcomes for its citizens. Iowa may be viewed as a farming state, but its thriving diversified economy was recognized by CNBC as the sixth best in the United States. With the high-performing University of Iowa Hospital, Genesis Medical Center, UnityPoint Health, Iowa Methodist Medical Center, and Mercy Medical Center located here, it’s no surprise that there’s 31,860 registered nurses working in Iowa. If you’re ready to join this workforce and fulfill the employment demand growing by 19%, the following is our second list (M-Z) of bachelor’s degrees in nursing approved by the CCNE in Iowa. To see more accredited nursing degree programs, visit Nursing Degree Programs in Iowa (A-L).
Mercy College of Health Sciences
School of Nursing
First founded by the Sisters of Mercy in 1899 as the city’s first hospital, Mercy College of Health Sciences is an accredited private health-focused institution located on a bustling urban campus in Iowa’s capital city of Des Moines. Well-known for having more alumni on the “100 Great Iowa Nurses” list than any other college, MCHS offers 16 academic degree programs ranging from clinical laboratory science to surgical technology and diagnostic medical sonography. In the School of Nursing, students can earn their associate’s or bachelor’s degree to begin practicing as registered nurses in Iowa.
Nursing (BSN)
From a concept-based approach, the Nursing (BSN) program at MCHS strives to prepare students without previous medical experience with essential nursing knowledge that can be applied across the lifespan and in diverse clinical settings. After the liberal arts core, the eight-semester curriculum trains nurses on the mechanisms, assessment, and management of infection and illness. Students create their own individualized curriculum plans by selecting three specialty seminars suited to their unique career interests. There are several community-based experiences available to help enhance student understanding of healthcare, including practicum on the Pine Ridge reservation and summer trips to the Yucatan to discover indigenous medical treatments. Registered nurses can also complete their RN-to-BSN from Mercy online in just three semesters.
Accreditations
- Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE)
- Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association (NCA)
Contact
928 Sixth Avenue
Des Moines, IA 50309
(515) 643-6615
sbeaver@mercydesmoines.org
http://www.mchs.edu/acad-bsnursing.cfm
Morningside College
Nylen School of Nursing
Situated on a beautiful 68-acre suburban campus in Sioux City at the head of the Missouri River, Morningside College is a small private co-educational liberal arts institution affiliated with the United Methodist Church to serve over 2,000 students from a Christian worldview. Known for educating alumni like Pauline Phillips, Jerry Johnson, Samuel A. Stouffer, and Paul Splittorff, Morningside is currently ranked as the 23rd best regional college in the Midwest by the U.S. News and World Report. The Nylen School of Nursing is CCNE-accredited to educate quality nurses and build foundations for further educational success in healthcare.
Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN)
Offered only in a four-year baccalaureate track, the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program at Morningside builds on a liberal arts foundation to prepare undergraduate students with the technical skills, diagnostic abilities, and compassion needed for professional nursing practice. Boasting a 100% acceptance for graduate programs and employment, the program gives three years of hands-on clinical experience in all major specialty areas. With a low student-faculty ratio, students benefit from personalized attention in creating a strong foundation for a registered nursing career. Students will take coursework in health assessment, family care, pharmacology, mental health, pathophysiology, community health, pediatric nursing, nursing leadership, research methods, quality management, health policy, and more.
Accreditations
- Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE)
- Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association (NCA)
Contact
1501 Morningside Avenue
Sioux City, IA 51106
(712) 274-5297
mscadm@morningside.edu
https://www.morningside.edu/academics/undergraduate-programs/nursing/
Mount Mercy University
Department of Nursing
As a comprehensive four-year senior private Roman Catholic liberal arts institution, Mount Mercy University is home to over 1,800 students on its residential 40-acre urban campus in Cedar Rapids within just 20 miles north of Iowa City. Since offering its first bachelor’s degree in 1959 and receiving NCA accreditation, Mount Mercy has evolved into the U.S. News and World Report’s 21st best regional college of the Midwest. With a faculty-student ratio of 1:6, the Department of Nursing seeks to provide professional education from the Standardized Patient (SP) teaching strategy to prepare nurses for difficult, stressful situations.
Bachelor of Science in Nursing
In the spirit of the Sisters of Mercy, the Bachelor of Science in Nursing program is designed to train students for general nursing practice to address the health needs of the community while emphasizing the leadership role of registered nurses. Thanks to hands-on clinical practicum at the Community Health Free Clinic, Mercy Medical Center, and St. Luke’s Hospital, students have the opportunity to interact with diverse patients in our changing medical field. Aspiring RNs will also practice their skills in interactive learning activities at the on-campus Clinical Simulation Laboratory (CSL). BSN students are invited to study abroad in places like the Philippines, Italy, Ireland, or Belize to better understand the global healthcare system too.
Accreditations
- Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE)
- Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association (NCA)
Contact
1330 Elmhurst Drive NE
Cedar Rapids, IA 52402
(319) 363-8213
cchihak@mtmercy.edu
https://www.mtmercy.edu/nursing
Northwestern College
Department of Nursing
Located on a 100-acre rural campus in Orange City within just 150 miles north of Omaha in Nebraska, Northwestern College is a small private Christian liberal arts institution serving more than 1,200 students of all faiths with an affiliation to the Reformed Church in America (RCA). Named to the President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll for two straight years, NWC is ranked as the 6th best regional college and 2nd top school for veterans in the Midwest by the U.S. News and World Report. The Department of Nursing is committed to creating competent nurses with the know-how and faith to be healers in our hurting world.
Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN)
With the mission of promoting shalom, the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program at NWC strives to prepare graduates with the knowledge, skills, and confidence needed to continue Jesus’ healing ministry. Students are trained to advocate for individual, family, and community health from a biblical perspective to create wholeness and peace. Along with 130 credits of coursework, nurses will gain hands-on learning with six human patient simulators in the state-of-the-art nursing laboratory and over 800 hours of off-campus clinical practicum. Graduates have an average pass rate of 93% on the NCLEX-RN examination. There’s also an online RN to BSN completion option available in an adult-friendly flexible format.
Accreditations
- Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE)
- Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association (NCA)
Contact
101 7th Street SW
Orange City, IA 51041
(712) 707-7220
nursing@nwciowa.edu
http://www.nwciowa.edu/nursing
St. Ambrose University
Department of Nursing
Initially founded as a seminary in 1882, St. Ambrose University has grown into a comprehensive private co-educational Roman Catholic liberal arts institution with over 3,600 students on a 118-acre urban campus in the large city of Davenport. With a high freshman retention rate of 79.3%, SAU is ranked as the 34th best regional college and 15th top school for veterans in the Midwest by the U.S. News and World Report. In the Genesis Medical Center, the Department of Nursing prepares nurses with an appropriate balance of caring compassion, ethical sensitive, and critical thinking for generalist practice.
Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN)
For unlicensed first-year and transfer students, SAU offers the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program to develop essential clinical nursing theories and acquire required registered nursing skills through patient care experiences. Over four years full-time, students will complete at least 132 credits of courses in microbiology, health assessment, lifespan development, evidence-based practice, biomedical ethics, genomics, population health, human anatomy, pharmacology, psychology, wellness, and more. Starting in the junior year, nurses will complete four clinical practicum application assignments and an advanced capstone project. Graduates of this program have an average first-try pass rate of 90% on the NCLEX-RN licensing exam, which exceeds the national average.
Accreditations
- Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE)
- Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association (NCA)
Contact
518 West Locust Street
Davenport, IA 52803
(563) 333-6082
nursing@sau.edu
http://www.sau.edu/Academic_Programs/Nursing.html
University of Dubuque
Department of Nursing
Since its founding in 1852, the University of Dubuque has been affiliated with the Presbyterian Church (USA) as a four-year comprehensive private Christian liberal arts institution on a 77-acre urban campus in the city of Dubuque along the Mississippi River. Enrolling just over 1,550 students, UD is accredited by the NCA to offer academic programs in four distinctive divisions. In the Department of Nursing, students can obtain their baccalaureate degree with training to provide the highest quality of care with safe, effective, and ethical health assessment.
BSN: Nursing
Following the curriculum guidelines from the Institute of Medicine (IOM), the BSN: Nursing program at Dubuque is focused on preparing 21st century health professionals who can competently provide patient-centered care, collaborate on interdisciplinary teams, utilize informatics, and ensure quality improvement. After two years of courses in the humanities and social sciences, juniors focus in studying nursing science outside the traditional classroom. Students will be paired with an experienced RN for a 144-hour preceptorship for smooth transition into professional nursing practice. Most nurses will complete their clinical rotations in rural communities to support underserved populations in Iowa. Graduates will be qualified for master’s-level study to further enhance their knowledge and enter advanced practice roles.
Accreditations
- Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE)
- Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association (NCA)
Contact
2000 University Avenue
Dubuque, IA 52001
(563) 589-3561
pkerr@dbq.edu
https://www.dbq.edu/academics/officeofacademicaffairs/undergraduatemajors/majors/nursing/
University of Iowa
College of Nursing
As the state’s flagship public space-grant research institution, the University of Iowa sprawls across a 1,700-acre urban campus in Iowa City along the banks of the Iowa River to educate more than 31,300 students in over 5,000 different courses. Named the 169th best university in the world by Times Higher Education (THE), UI is ranked as the 71st top college, 27th best public school, and 10th best university for veterans nationwide by the U.S. News and World Report. Also acclaimed for having the 78th best online nursing programs, the College of Nursing is approved by the CCNE to produce nursing leaders, researchers, scientists, and educators.
Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN)
Blending in-depth classroom learning with extensive patient contact, the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program is offered in collaboration with the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics (UIHC), which is one of the largest teaching medical centers in America. High-achieving high school students can enroll with early decision admissions, but most declare the major after completing their first year or two with competitive admissions. The pre-licensure curriculum requires at least 128 credits in preparation for passing the NCLEX-RN exam with flying colors. Those who are already registered nurses can join the online RN-BSN program to expand nursing skills and professional potential with one clinical course near their residing address.
Accreditations
- Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE)
- Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association (NCA)
Contact
50 Newton Road
Iowa City, IA 52242
(319) 335-7018
collegeofnursing@uiowa.edu
http://www.nursing.uiowa.edu/academic-programs/bsn
Upper Iowa University
Department of Nursing
Enrolling more than 6,100 students, Upper Iowa University is a comprehensive senior private higher learning institution based on a main 100-acre rural campus in Fayette within northeastern Iowa near the Volga River. Recently named among the Best Buys on GetEducated.com for affordable distance learning, UIU is ranked the 109th best regional college and 40th top schools for military veterans in the Midwest by the U.S. News and World Report. Also acclaimed for having the country’s 87th best online bachelor’s programs, the Department of Nursing is dedicated to providing engaging, student-centered education to lay the foundation for nursing leadership at the bedside or in administration.
RN-BSN Program
Designed in a hybrid format of on-campus and online coursework, the RN-BSN Program at UIU offers students in-person interaction and immediate faculty feedback while giving flexibility in scheduling class time and reducing travel time. Registered nurses are prepared with the advanced skills and knowledge necessary to advance into leadership in today’s rapidly evolving healthcare delivery system. With unique eight-week terms, the program is around 75% online for working nurses to further develop their evidence-based practice tools. Whether students are attending in Fayette, Des Moines, Ames, or Cedar Rapids, the department will tailor clinical experiences to their individual needs and specialty interests.
Accreditations
- Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE)
- Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association (NCA)
Contact
605 Washington Street
Fayette, IA 52142
(563) 425-5318
nursing@uiu.edu
http://www.uiu.edu/nursing/
Although it’s still possible to work as a nurse with a diploma or associate’s degree, the American Nurses Association (ANA) recommends that the bachelor’s degree be the “minimum preparation for beginning professional nursing practice.” In fact, the IOM declared that 80% of all registered nurses should have a BSN by 2020. Due to the growing complexities of the 21st century healthcare industry, baccalaureate-level education is becoming essential to advance beyond the entry-level. BSN-prepared nurses enjoy better job stability, higher salary potential, improved patient treatment outcomes, and more opportunity for promotion to leadership. Let your nursing career liftoff by checking out these top-notch accredited nursing degree programs in Iowa.
