[brian]

If you're thinking about pursuing nursing as a career, you're not alone.

The nursing field is one of the hottest and fastest growing in the nation.

Why? As baby boomers age, the need for skilled nurses is even more pressing locally and nationally, said Carol Saxton, chief nursing officer at West Florida Hospital.

It's no wonder applicants are lining up to enter Pensacola area nursing programs ?? even as the schools struggle to meet the demand.

Primarily four area schools -- University of West Florida, Pensacola Junior College, Virginia College and Pensacola Christian College -- are training nurses for tomorrow's health-care needs.

Full Story: Nurses in demand [PensacolaNewsJournal.com,FL]

[LadyCharge]

The problem with the Pensacola area is there are only 3 major hospitals all competing against each other. Escambia County though growing due to the hurricanes, is a relatively small city and reported to be the poorest of all counties in the State of Florida. Given this, the cost of living has increased drastically in housing costs. Pensacola, as well as other states, are not in step with the national median income for Registered Nurses, let alone pay well enough to afford the rising cost of purchasing homes. This is a dilemma nationwide with nurses.

I have been in this profession for 10 years and though this article boasts of the rising demand for nurses in the area - there is good reason for it! Those not in healthcare have no clue how they will be regarded once they are inside "Corporate Healthcare." Administrators need to share the wealth and not be so greedy. I was once in some of the the wanna-be nurses position, and failed to heed the warning from other experienced, veteran nurses to abandon my noble motives in becoming a RN! ha ha! I did not listen...went into the career, only to discover how little nurses are respected and compensated. They are truly overworked and understaffed and this is an age-old problem that has only been corrected in California. There is a vast difference in the mentality of nurses in California vs the Southern States. Nurses in California are pro-active and take control of their careers recognizing the fact there is strength and power in numbers. Nurses in Florida are wimps - sad to say - but so true as I know from experience. Until nurses in Florida realize they are pawns in a very greedy business, they will never command the respect let alone fair wages for the awesome work they do.

I for one am changing careers. Good luck to those blind fools who enter this world who will soon discover their administrations only goal is to keep more for their endeavors of more buildings and more income in their wallets - all at the expense of the patient. For those willing to dare enter this profession - good luck! Maybe someone new entering this world will be a pioneer or revolutionary type that will have the gutts to form a much needed union here - because administration will never budge until they do.

[Seren21]

Lady - maybe this explains the florida nurse who left her rn position to be a waitress - saying she could make more money, easier!

[michelleicu]

okay are cna's in demand too as well?I wanted to be one but after i read a comment on one of the threads on here that the girl would never work as a cna again that she'd rather work at burger king cause they pay the same anyways.and I don't want to touch any old geriatics private parts during a sponge bath.Do you really have to go down there and clean them like you would a baby?Also does anyone work as cna who could enlighten me? I live in san diego,ca area.