For BYU FNP students, their dedication to service is not just a career choice—it’s a calling with a question: Where can we help?
| The BYU master’s in nursing program is celebrating its 50th anniversary as a beacon of excellence to the world. Inspired by a profound commitment to serve families in need of quality healthcare, the program has blossomed into a dynamic force that nurtures, heals, and inspires. As we celebrate this monumental milestone, we honor a legacy that has enriched countless lives. Every act of care sends out ripples far beyond our campus, touching individual lives, uplifting communities, and sparking endless opportunities for compassionate impact. Join us as we reflect on a remarkable past and embrace a future where our shared light continues to guide the Family Nurse Practitioner program toward a healthier, kinder world. | A JOURNEY OF TRANSFORMATION AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENTWhen our program first began, the focus was predominantly on academic rigor and clinical excellence within the ambulatory care setting. Embracing a new hands-on approach, the BYU FNP master’s program has since pivoted away from some traditional classrooms and clinical environments to forge meaningful community partnerships that directly improve healthcare outcomes. The program’s emphasis on community engagement is not a coincidence—it is a necessity. We saw firsthand that true learning happens when students actively engage with real patients, real families, and real challenges. Whether through rural outreach initiatives, collaborations with local clinics, or global health projects, BYU FNP students are answering the call to help God’s children in tangible ways |
FROM ADVOCACY TO ACTION: BYU’S ROLE IN ADVANCING NURSE PRACTITIONER PRACTICE IN UTAH
In the early years of the program, all Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRN) faced legal barriers that prevented them from practicing independently in Utah. Recognizing the immense potential of nurse practitioners to transform healthcare access (especially for underserved populations), BYU faculty, students, and alumni became relentless advocates, collectively pouring thousands of hours into policy discussions, forming strategic partnerships with healthcare organizations and community stakeholders, and engaging directly with state legislators to drive change. It was not easy—but where there’s a will, there’s a way. After almost a decade of the advocates’ persistent, unwavering focus, and perseverance to push through six general legislative sessions, the law changed. Through unyielding commitment and faith, BYU alumni, students, and advocates reshaped healthcare in Utah. Thanks to their dedication, APRNs in Utah currently have the freedom to practice independently: a historic milestone that has expanded healthcare access, strengthened advanced practice nursing, and empowered communities across the state. Through the power of advocacy and resilience, APRNs and their supporters continue to show their unwavering faith in and pursuit of a better future.
TRANSFORMING LIVES: THE IMPACT OF THE BYU FNP PROGRAM
The FNP master’s program at BYU reaches across state and country borders to improve the lives of God’s children around the world. Here are just a few initiatives that FNP students have participated in this past year:
1. Improved healthcare access for underserved populations in urban, rural, and global settings. FNP students have conducted health needs assessments and secured resources to strengthen the community at local warming centers. In rural communities, students and faculty have provided women’s health services at no cost. Globally, FNP students and faculty traveled to Tonga to teach the Helping Babies Breathe program to Tongan nursing faculty, nursing students, and community health nurses.
2. Developed community-based interventions that have enhanced preventive care and chronic disease management. FNP student projects have improved vaccination rates in Utah county, changed state policy regarding vaccination exemptions, and improved access to vaccines for patients with psychiatric and mental health disorders. In tandem with the Volunteer Care Clinic in Provo, FNPs worked with patients who have new chronic diagnoses, such as patients who are prediabetic or diabetic. FNP students and faculty created culturally and linguistically tailored educational videos to help patients in Ecuador improve their understanding of diabetes.
BYU College of Nursing has changed lives for the past 50 years. Together, we can continue to make the world a little bit better—one life at a time.
3. Championed health education efforts that empower individuals and families to take control of their well-being. In Moab, Utah, a rural area with only two dentists and a long waiting period to get an appointment, FNP students and faculty coordinated with one dentist and the elementary school to teach oral hygiene, conduct oral assessments, and apply fluoride treatments to hundreds of students who otherwise may not have received care.
4. Brought innovation to healthcare delivery and interdisciplinary collaboration. For almost a decade, FNP students have learned how to use point-of-care ultrasounds to quickly diagnose patients, saving valuable time and preventing the need for more expensive tests. Some of the FNP students have even traveled with Dr. Neil Peterson (BS ’07) to Nepal to ultrasound the lungs of brick kiln workers.
THE STUDENT EXPERIENCE: A FOUNDATION FOR LIFELONG IMPACT
Graduates of the FNP program often reflect on how their experiences in the program prepared them not only for clinical excellence but also for pursuing leadership opportunities, advocating for patients, and providing compassionate service. Many students have described how working on community-based projects helped them gain confidence in their abilities, refine their critical thinking skills, and develop a deeper understanding of holistic patient care. DeeDee Long, a BYU FNP student, said, “I’m grateful for these learning opportunities because they have elevated me—not only educationally but also spiritually. I was uplifted by talking to people and pulling from their strength and the different things they’ve gone through.” Whether by conducting rural health screenings, establishing helicopter mountain rescue services in India, or improving access to HPV vaccines in California, the FNP students have had life-changing experiences that reinforced their commitment to making a difference.
FROM ADVOCACY TO ACTION: BYU’S ROLE IN ADVANCING NURSE PRACTITIONER PRACTICE IN UTAH
In the early years of the program, all Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRN) faced legal barriers that prevented them from practicing independently in Utah. Recognizing the immense potential of nurse practitioners to transform healthcare access (especially for underserved populations), BYU faculty, students, and alumni became relentless advocates, collectively pouring thousands of hours into policy discussions, forming strategic partnerships with healthcare organizations and community stakeholders, and engaging directly with state legislators to drive change. It was not easy—but where there’s a will, there’s a way. After almost a decade of the advocates’ persistent, unwavering focus, and perseverance to push through six general legislative sessions, the law changed. Through unyielding commitment and faith, BYU alumni, students, and advocates reshaped healthcare in Utah. Thanks to their dedication, APRNs in Utah currently have the freedom to practice independently: a historic milestone that has expanded healthcare access, strengthened advanced practice nursing, and empowered communities across the state. Through the power of advocacy and resilience, APRNs and their supporters continue to show their unwavering faith in and pursuit of a better future.
LOOKING FORWARD: A CALL TO SERVE
BYU College of Nursing is immensely proud of our FNP alumni who have carried forward the legacy of service and innovation. Today, we celebrate not just the passage of time, but the enduring spirit of service that defines us. Let us continue to share our unique light, fostering a future where compassionate care and community engagement are at the heart of everything we do.
CLOSE TO HOME: INCREASED EFFORTS IN RURAL UTAH
HYPING DENTAL HYGIENEMoab is home to 10,000 residents, but there are only two practicing dentists in town. In March 2024, FNP graduate students addressed the community's need for dental care through a rural health project at Helen M. Knight Elementary School. Each child was taught proper dental hygiene habits and supplied with a toothbrush and toothpaste to use at home. Children who opted in were given a brief oral assessment, a cleaning, and fluoride; dental care providers were notified of children needing follow-up care. 
| HOSTING A WOMEN'S HEALTH FAIRA team of FNP students worked with the Moab Free Health Clinic to host a women's health fair and provide cancer screenings. This health fair was a great success, for both the women in the community and the FNP students. In just two days, 53 women received Pap smears or mammograms, matching the clinic's total number of screenings in all of 2024. FNP student Susy Vega shared how special it was to care for the women at the clinic, noting that many of them were moved to tears in their gratitude for the healthcare assistance. 
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