JOB focus

Source:

AJN, American Journal of Nursing

June 2005, Volume :105 Number 6 , page 82 - 82 [Free]

Article Content

Your Guide to Job Opportunities in the Mountain and Northwestern States

The job market for nurses continues to be good in the Northwestern and Mountain states. Stacey Riden, a recruiter at Valley General Hospital in Monroe, Washington, says there are plenty of opportunities for RNs, advanced practice nurses, and nurse managers in her area. "(It's a) very competitive market from an employer perspective," she says. "RNs have plenty of employers to choose from; employers are competing for applicants."

CHECK OUT THE MAGNET HOSPITALS

The Magnet movement has not caught on in this part of the country as much as it has on the East coast, but Colorado has two Magnet hospitals, and Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington each have one. The University of Washington Medical Center in Seattle was the very first U.S. hospital to gain Magnet status back in 1994.

SALARIES CLIMBING

RN salaries tend to be higher in the states along the West coast, rather than the more interior areas. Using November 2003 Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) figures, the highest average hourly rates in the Northwestern and Mountain states are found in Alaska at $28.39; Washington at $27.73; and Oregon at $26.12. The national average is $25.29. Riden says in her area wages are the same as in the Seattle market, but without the commute and traffic. The BLS figures show RNs in metropolitan Seattle average $29.70 per hour. Riden also reports that emergency, labor and delivery and gero-psych are the nursing specialties that are in demand.

LIVING IN THE NORTHWESTERN AND MOUNTAIN STATES

This is a family-friendly area of the United States. It has outstanding outdoor recreational opportunities including hiking, camping, boating, and world-class skiing in the Rockies. Cost of living varies throughout the region, but Alaska, Washington, and Wyoming are among the few states in the country with no state income tax.

Abrazo Health Care

7878 N. 16th Street, Ste 250-West Lobby

Phoenix, AZ 85020

Contact: Laura Curtis, Senior Recruiter

(623) 537-3470

Fax: (623) 572-4578

E-mail: mailto:[email protected]

Web site: http://www.abrazohealth.com

Banner Health

1801 16th Street

Greeley, CO 80631

Contact: Fran Holmes