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It's hard to talk about the job market in Texas without mentioning Hurricane Katrina. The disaster has put a huge burden on the nursing work force across the state. Texas is absorbing a great number of evacuees, many with acute and chronic health needs.

 

"Ready Texas Nurses"-the Web-based emergency response system for nurses set up after September 11, 2001-was able to access its cohort of 1,200 nurses already in its system and process an additional 1,000 nurse volunteers. Clair Jordan, MSN, RN, executive director of the Texas Nurses Foundation, posted a message on the Texas Nurses Association (TNA) Website thanking the Texas nurses and out-of-state nurses who have responded.

 

"Texas nurses have found a whole new meaning to the word 'homeless' as our state has absorbed over 200,000 evacuees, predominately from Louisiana," she said in her message. Jordan explained that Texas nurses have volunteered countless hours in shelters, manned public-health phone lines, assessed children, and connected family members.

 

Also, nursing schools in Texas opened their doors to Louisiana nursing students, and the TNA started a job-placement service for displaced nurses from the affected states who want to work in Texas, whether permanently or temporarily. See Texas Board of Nurse Examiners information at http://www.bne.state.tx.us/h-katrina.htm#dn. Also see the TNA information at http://www.texasnurses.org/rtn/nurse_info.htm.

 

The need for nurses will continue as the volunteer nurses, who are currently staffing emergency medical clinics, will need relief, and Texas schools enroll children whose immunization status needs to be documented. Jordan says school nurses and Ready Texas Nurses will be prepared to assist with those clinics. Advance practice nurses staffing shelters are covered under disaster relief regulations as long as they adhere to the guidelines and their scope of practice.

 

Your Guide to Job Opportunities in Texas

Cook Children's Health Care System

 

801 Seventh Avenue

 

Fort Worth, TX 76104

 

Contact: Melissa Levesque, Nurse Recruiter

 

(800) 563-2247

 

Web site: http://www.cookchildrens.org

 

Harrris County Hospital District

 

2525 Holly Hall, Ste. 100

 

Houston, TX 77054

 

Contact: Human Resources/Employment & Recruitment Division

 

(713) 566-6408 or (800) 996-4243

 

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

 

Memorial Hermann

 

Houston, TX 77074

 

Contact: Human Resources

 

Jobline: (713) 448-JOBS

 

Web site: http://www.memorialhermann.org

 

Presbyterian Hospital of Denton

  
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3000 North IH-35

 

Denton, TX 76201

 

Contact: Human Resource Department

 

(940) 898-7063

 

Fax: (940) 898-7195

 

Email: [email protected]

 

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

 

Scott & White

 

2401 S. 31st St.

 

Temple, TX 76508

 

Jobline: (800) 527-JOBS

 

Contact: Shirley Meadows, RN, or

 

Pam Barton, RN

 

Email: [email protected] or [email protected]

 

Web site: http://www.sw.org

 

St. David's Healthcare Partnership

 

Austin, TX 78705

 

(512) 397-4000

 

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

 

St. Joseph Health System

 

Human Resources

 

2601 Osler Blvd.

 

Bryan, TX 77802

 

Contact: Max Anne Jones

 

(979) 774-1818

 

Fax: (979) 774-0775

 

Email: [email protected]

 

Web site: http://www.st-joseph.org

 

Texas Health Resources

 

611 Ryan Plaza Drive, Suite 200

 

Arlington, TX 76011

 

Contact: Leslie Butler, Sr. Nursing Recruiting Consultant

 

(800) 749-6877

 

Fax: (866) 889-8978

 

Email: [email protected]

 

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

 

UT Southwestern Medical Center

 

5909 Harry Hines Blvd.

 

Dallas, TX 75390

 

Contact: James O'Reilly, Manager of Human Resources

 

(214) 879-3253

 

Fax: (214) 879-2597

 

Email: [email protected]

 

Web site: http://www.utsouthwestern.edu

 

University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB)

 

301 University Blvd.

 

Galveston, TX 77555-0512

 

Contact: Nancy Eubanks, RN, Program Manager

 

(409) 747-4717 or (877) 886-2499

 

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

 

University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center

 

1515 Holcombe Blvd., Unit 68

 

Houston, TX 77030

 

Contact: Nurse Recruitment Office

 

(800) 25-UTMDA, option #3 twice or (713) 792-7362

 

Web site: http://www.mdanderson.org/careers

 

It is still a boom time in the desert states of Nevada, Arizona, and New Mexico. The U.S. Census Bureau estimates the Nevada has grown 12.2% in population from 2000 to 2003; Arizona, 8.8%: and New Mexico, 3.1%, which is more in line with the 3.3% national rate. This means more opportunities for nurses.

  
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Efforts to increase the number of nurses in this region, as elsewhere, are hampered by the shortage of nursing faculty to prepare them. And, as elsewhere, critical care specialties are in demand. Hospitals are attempting to plug gaps by using travel nurses. Arizona is also a popular destination for nurses seeking winter seasonal work.

 

As of the May 2004 Bureau of Labor Statistics figures, the most recent available, RNs in Nevada earned $27.65 hourly; in Arizona, $25.47; and in New Mexico, $24.85.

 

Although the American Nurses Credentialing Center's Magnet designation hasn't caught on in this area as much as in other areas of the country, Arizona does have three of the 169 facilities named at this time: Banner Good Samaritan Medical Center and John C. Lincoln Hospital-North Mountain, both in Phoenix, and University Medical Center in Tucson.

 

Population isn't the only thing growing in the desert. Housing prices are sprouting quickly, too. CNN/Money reports that Nevada and Arizona are No. 1 and No. 2 on the Office of Federal Housing Enterprise Oversight (OFHEO) list of 12-month housing price increases by state. New Mexico was farther behind at 11.81%, but had a 4.18% second quarter gain.

 

Your Guide to Job Opportunities in Desert States

Nurses interested in relocating can remember that Arizona and New Mexico are Nurse Licensure Compact States, which mutually recognize the RN license of nurses from other compact states.

 

Abrazo Health Care

 

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

 

Phoenix, AZ 85020

 

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

 

Abrazo Health Care

 

Arrowhead Hospital

 

18701 N. 67th Avenue

 

Glendale, AZ 85308

 

Contact: Sharon Chadwick

 

(623) 561-7173

 

Fax: (623) 572-4578

 

Email: [email protected]

 

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

 

Maryvale Hospital

 

5102 W. Campbell Avenue

 

Phoenix, AZ 85031

 

Contact: Chevez White

 

(623) 848-5899

 

Fax: (623) 848-5959

 

Email: [email protected]

 

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

 

Paradise Valley Hospital

 

3929 E. Bell Rd.

 

Phoenix, AZ 85032

 

Contact: Betty Davies

 

(602) 923-5633

 

Fax: (602) 923-5665

 

Email: [email protected]

 

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

 

Phoenix Baptist Hospital

 

2000 W. Bethany Home Road

 

Phoenix, AZ 85015

 

Contact: Chris Pilley

 

(602) 246-5326

 

Fax: (602) 246-5769

 

Email: [email protected]

 

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

 

Phoenix Memorial Hospital

 

1201 S. 7th Avenue

 

Phoenix, AZ 85007

 

Contact: Steve Austin

 

(602) 824-3079

 

Fax: (602) 824-3420

 

Email: [email protected]

 

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

 

West Valley Hospital

 

13677 W. McDowell Rd.

 

Goodyear, AZ 85338

 

Contact: Paula Hoversten

 

(623) 882-1559

 

Fax: (623) 882-1565

 

Email: [email protected]

 

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

 

Banner Health

 

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

 

Phone: (866) 377-JOBS (5627)

 

Carondolet Health Care Network

 

1601 W. St. Mary's Rd.

 

Tucson, AZ 85745

 

Contact: Leslie Minjarez, System Recruiter

 

(520) 872-3000

 

Fax: (520) 872-6067

 

Email: [email protected]

 

Web site: http://www.carondelet.org

 

CHW St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center

 

350 West Thomas Rd.

 

Phoenix, AZ 85013

 

Contact: DeAnne Russell, Manager, Recruitment & Retention

 

CHW Chandler Regional Hospital

 

475 S. Rd.

 

Chandler, AZ 85224

 

Contact: Viveca Hill, Nurse Recruiter

 

(866) 754-6774

 

Web site: http://www.chwcareers.org/arizona

 

Lovelace Sandia Health System

 

Contact: Woody Creech, Nurse Recruiter

 

(505) 727-4331

 

Fax: (505) 727-9256

 

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

 

Northern Arizona Healthcare

 

1200 N. Beaver St.

 

Flagstaff, AZ 86001

 

Contact: Human Resources

 

(800) 446-2324 or (888) 249-9995

 

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

 

Northwest Medical Center

 

6180 N. Corona Rd., Ste 102

 

Tucson, AZ 85704

 

Northwest Medical Center/Oro Valley

 

1551 East Tangerine

 

Oro Valley, AZ 85755

 

Contact: Human Resources

 

(520) 742-900

 

Fax: (520) 469-8050

 

Web Site: http://www.NMCHealthSystem.com

 

Scottsdale Healthcare Shea

 

9003 E. Shea Blvd.

 

Scottsdale, AZ 85260

 

Contact: Human Resources

 

(480) 882- JOBS (5627)

 

Web site: http://www.shc.org/employment

 

Scottsdale Healthcare Osborn

 

7300 E. 4th St.

 

Scottsdale, AZ 85251

 

Contact: Human Resources

 

(480) 882- JOBS (5627)

 

Web site: http://www.shc.org/employment

 

UNM Hospitals

 

1650 University Blvd., Ste. 200

 

Albuquerque, NM 87102

 

Contact: Human Resources

 

Phone: (505) 272-2325 or (800) 225-1612

 

Web site: http://hospitals.unm.edu

 

Yuma Regional Medical Center

 

2400 S. Avenue A

 

Yuma, AZ 85364

 

Contact: Professional Recruiter

 

(800) 726-YUMA (9862)

 

Fax: (928) 336-7677

 

Email: [email protected]

 

Web site: http://www.yumaregional.org