Utah State Legislature gave Bridgerland Technical College go ahead to begin construction on a 75,000-square-foot Health Sciences building
LOGAN – Judging from several online rating services, the Practical Nursing Program at Logan’s Bridgerland Technical College (BTECH) is among the country’s elites at turning out licensed practical nurses (LPN).
BTECH’s LPN program is third in the nation according to nurse.org; practical nurse.org says it’s #1 in Utah and nursing process.org, rates BTECH #2 among 423 programs in the western United States.
BTECH Practical Nursing Director Yvonne Manning said credit for the success goes to an exceptional faculty.
“They are wonderful nurse educators,” Manning exclaimed. “They’ve all had clinical experience and some of them continue to work in the clinical setting so they can stay abreast of the newest current trends. And they also have that very caring support that they give to students.”
Manning explains the LPN program is initially two semesters long.
“And then after that they are able to go on to a contractual agreement with Weber State University, to the RN or registered nurse program,” Manning explained. “That one is actually two more semesters, so the third and fourth semesters. And we do that right here at Bridgerland.”
And that is because Weber State faculty are housed at BTECH, as well.
She said the country continues to deal with a nursing shortage made worse by COVID, in a time when older nurses retired and others said they had no interest in becoming a nurse.
“Both of those played a factor in our nursing shortage, and it’s nationwide,” Manning added. “Utah has really tried to find ways to increase the number of nursing students who graduate so that we can find places for them in the hospitals and clinics.”
BTECH’s LPN program will soon move into a state-of-the-art Health Sciences Building at 1400 North and 600 West in Logan.