RN Nursing Programs in Arizona - AZ

Registered Nurses constitute the largest group of health care professionals in Arizona. Although the economic slowdown has impacted new hires, the Arizona Nurses Association predicts that even greater demand will emerge from the economic crisis.

Currently, RNs in Arizona make an average salary of around $65,000 per year before benefits. They do work hard for these wages, however, with irregular hours, including split shifts, nights, weekends and holidays being typical. After all, patient’s health care needs don’t fit a nine-to-five schedule. RNs must also make tough decisions and take responsibility for their patient’s health, which can be trying for some. From management of Licensed Practical Nurses and Certified Nurse Assistants, to complicated decision making procedures and critical patient care, the decisions and actions of RNs impact the lives of dozens or even hundreds of people every day. But this kind of responsibility and critical thinking can be very rewarding at the end of the day, and no one day will ever be the same for an RN in Arizona. Whether working in a hospital like two-thirds of RNs or in doctor’s offices, x-ray clinics and nursing homes, becoming a Registered Nurse in Arizona is an interesting and rewarding career.

How to Become an RN in Arizona

Registered Nurses in Arizona are licensed via the nationally-standardized NCLEX-RN test, which can be taken after as little as two years of study. Hospitals and other private facilities provide what is perhaps the fastest route to licensure, through accelerated programs dedicated to preparing for the NCLEX. In a more traditional educational setting, the quickest route is via a two-year Associate Degree, Nursing program, or ADN. ADN programs can be found all over the state and usually take two years once admitted. But prerequisites and applications can take up to a year, making an ADN more of a three year route to becoming an RN. Prerequisites involve around ten classes in topics like math, biology, English and psychology. It is very important to get good grades as most nursing programs are quite competitive when it comes to entry.

Once accepted into a school of nursing, classes focus predominantly on patient care, with some study in the liberal arts and hard sciences as well—knowledge of both nursing procedures and good communication and interpersonal skills are vital in a dynamic health care environment. After completion of an ADN with satisfactory grades, students are ready for the National Council Licensure Examination-Registered Nurse (NCLEX-RN). Application for the exam goes through the Arizona Board of Nursing at a cost of $350, which includes fingerprinting—a criminal record may stand in the way of application approval, so it is best to check with your program of choice before applying. The test itself costs $200, paid to national exam administrator Pearson Vue. Once the exam is successfully completed, a nurse with an ADN receives their license to practice and can begin to work as a Registered Nurse in Arizona.

Registered Nursing with a BSN

Close to fifty percent of Registered Nurses in Arizona have a Bachelor of Science, Nursing, or BSN. A bachelor’s degree takes four years to complete, but it also opens up the opportunity for specialization and better employment opportunities than other, faster routes to an RN. If starting from scratch, the first two years are pretty much the same as an Associate Degree, Nursing, with around ten prerequisite courses in general studies and general admission to a college required before applying directly to that college’s nursing school. The final two years are what really sets a BSN apart, as nursing students focus on such specialized topics as public health, child care, family health, advanced theory and practice, nursing research and more. BSN students also gain work experience as part of a built-in practicum in a supervised environment, ensuring that they gain hands-on experience as well as technical knowledge. The practicum also gives students access to various setting where they may find work, giving them a leg up in deciding where to specialize and pursue a job once they graduate.

A BSN program in Arizona gives students specialized knowledge to go with their nursing skills—a level of critical thinking that prepares students for a leadership role in a health care setting and beyond. By earning a BSN, nursing students not only set themselves apart with their diverse knowledge and skill set, but also gain work experience and connections in the professional world that can lead to a great job after they graduate. This allows RNs equipped with a BSN to pursue a more diverse array of career options than those with an ADN, which is worth considering when deciding what educational path to choose.

Hospitals in Arizona with Active RN (Registered Nursing) Programs

            56th Medical Group - Luke Air Force Base
            355th Medical Group - Davis-Monthan Air Force Base

A  
            Arizona Cancer Center - Tucson
            Arizona Heart Institute & Hospital - Phoenix
            Arizona State Hospital - Phoenix
            Arrowhead Hospital - Glendale

B  
            Banner Alzheimer's Institute - Phoenix
            Banner Baywood Heart Hospital - Mesa
            Banner Baywood Medical Center - Mesa
            Banner Baywood Surgery Center - Mesa
            Banner Behavioral Health Hospital - Scottsdale
            Banner Behavioral Health Institute - Mesa
            Banner Children's Hospital - Mesa
            Banner Desert Behavioral Health Center - Mesa
            Banner Desert Medical Center - Mesa
            Banner Desert Surgery Center - Mesa
            Banner Estrella Medical Center - Phoenix
            Banner Estrella Surgery Center - Phoenix
            Banner Gateway Medical Center - Gilbert
            Banner Good Samaritan Medical Center - Phoenix
            Banner Good Samaritan Surgery Center - Phoenix
            Banner Health Center - Payson
            Banner Health System
            Banner Alzheimer's Institute - Phoenix
            Banner Baywood Heart Hospital - Mesa
            Banner Baywood Medical Center - Mesa
            Banner Baywood Surgery Center - Mesa
            Banner Behavioral Health Hospital - Scottsdale
            Banner Children's Hospital - Mesa
            Banner Desert Behavioral Health Center - Mesa
            Banner Desert Medical Center - Mesa
            Banner Desert Surgery Center - Mesa
            Banner Estrella Medical Center - Phoenix
            Banner Estrella Surgery Center - Phoenix
            Banner Gateway Medical Center - Gilbert
            Banner Good Samaritan Medical Center - Phoenix
            Banner Good Samaritan Surgery Center - Phoenix
            Banner Health Center - Payson
            Banner Mesa Medical Center - Mesa
            Banner Thunderbird Medical Center - Glendale
            Banner Thunderbird Surgery Center - Glendale
            Osborn Ambulatory Surgical Center - Phoenix
            Page Hospital - Page
            Surgicenter - Phoenix
            Union Hills Surgery Center - Glendale
            Williams Health Care Center - Williams
            Banner Mesa Medical Center - Mesa
            Banner Thunderbird Medical Center - Glendale
            Banner Thunderbird Surgery Center - Glendale
            Barrow Neurological Institute - Phoenix
            Benson Hospital - Benson
            Boswell Memorial Hospital - Sun City

C  
            Carl T. Hayden VA Medical Center - Phoenix
            Carondelet Health Network South Arizona
            Carondelet Holy Cross Hospital - Nogales
            Carondelet Medical Mall of Green Valley - Green Valley
            Carondelet Saint Joseph's Hospital - Tucson
            Saint Mary's Hospital - Tucson
            Casa Grande Regional Medical Center - Casa Grande
            Catholic Healthcare West
            Barrow Neurological Institute - Phoenix
            Chandler Regional Hospital - Chandler
            Saint Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center - Phoenix
            Center for Radiation Therapy - cancer treatment center. Scottsdale
            Chandler Regional Hospital - Chandler

D  
            Del E. Webb Memorial Hospital - Sun City West

E  
            El Dorado Hospital - Tucson
            El Dorado Surgicenter - Tucson

F  
            Flagstaff Medical Center - Flagstaff

G  
            Good Samaritan Regional Medical Center - Phoenix

H  
            Havasu Regional Medical Center - Lake Havasu City

I  
            IASIS Healthcare
            Mesa General Hospital - Mesa
            Saint Luke's Behavioral Health Center - Phoenix
            Saint Luke's Medical Center - Phoenix
            Tempe Saint Luke's Hospital - Tempe
            Indian Health Service (IHS) Federal Government

J  
            John C. Lincoln Health Network - Phoenix

K  
            Kindred Healthcare
            Kindred Hospital Phoenix - Phoenix
            Kindred Hospital Scottsdale - Scottsdale
            Kindred Hospital Tucson - Tucson
            Kindred Hospital Phoenix - Phoenix
            Kindred Hospital Scottsdale - Scottsdale
            Kindred Hospital Tucson - Tucson
            Kingman Regional Medical Center - Kingman
            Kino Community Hospital - Tucson

L  
            Los Niños Hospital - Phoenix

M  
            Maricopa Integrated Health System - Phoenix
            Maryvale Hospital Medical Center - Phoenix
            Mayo Clinic, Scottsdale - Scottsdale
            Mercy Gilbert Medical Center - Gilbert
            Mesa General Hospital - Mesa
            Mount Graham Regional Medical Center - Safford

N  
            Navapache Regional Medical Center - Show Low
            Northern Arizona Healthcare
            Flagstaff Medical Center - Flagstaff
            Sedona Medical Center - Sedona
            Verde Valley Medical Center - Cottonwood
            Northern Arizona VA Health Care System - Prescott
            Northern Cochise Community Hospital - Willcox
            Northwest Medical Center - Tucson
            Northwest Medical Center Oro Valley - Oro Valley

O  
            Osborn Ambulatory Surgical Center - Phoenix

P  
            Page Hospital - Page
            Paradise Valley Hospital - Phoenix
            Payson Regional Medical Center - Payson
            Phoenix Baptist Hospital - Phoenix
            Phoenix Baptist Hospital Family Medicine Residency Program
            Phoenix Children's Hospital - Phoenix
            Phoenix Memorial Hospital - Phoenix
            Promise Specialty Hospital of Phoenix - Phoenix

Q  

R  
            Raymond W. Bliss Army Health Center  - Fort Huachuca

S  
            Saint Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center - Phoenix
            Saint Luke's Behavioral Health Center - Phoenix
            Saint Luke's Medical Center - Phoenix
            Saint Mary's Hospital - Tucson
            Scottsdale Healthcare
            Scottsdale Memorial Health System - Scottsdale
            Sedona Medical Center - Sedona
            Sierra Tucson - Tucson
            Sierra Vista Regional Health Center - Sierra Vista
            Sonora Behavioral Health Hospital - Tucson
            Southern Arizona VA Health Care System - Tucson
            Sun Health - Sun City.
            Boswell Memorial Hospital  - Sun City
            Del E. Webb Memorial Hospital - Sun City West
            Superstition Mountain Mental Health Center - Apache Junction
            Surgicenter - Phoenix

T  
            Tempe Saint Luke's Hospital - Tempe
            Tucson Heart Hospital - Tucson
            Tucson Medical Center - Tucson

U  
            Union Hills Surgery Center - Glendale
            University Medical Center - Tucson

V  
            VA Southwest Health Care Network (VISN 18) - Mesa
            Carl T. Hayden VA Medical Center - Phoenix
            Northern Arizona VA Health Care System - Prescott
            Southern Arizona VA Health Care System - Tucson
            Vanguard Health Systems
            Arrowhead Hospital - Glendale
            Maryvale Hospital Medical Center - Phoenix
            Paradise Valley Hospital - Phoenix
            Phoenix Baptist Hospital - Phoenix
            Phoenix Memorial Hospital - Phoenix
            West Valley Hospital - Goodyear
            Verde Valley Medical Center - Cottonwood

W  
            West Valley Hospital - Goodyear
            Western Arizona Regional Medical Center - Bullhead City
            Williams Health Care Center - Williams
            Winslow Memorial Hospital - Winslow

X  

Y   
            Yavapai Regional Medical Center - Prescott
            Yuma Regional Medical Center - Yuma

Z