Is this true???

Your instructor is right about the need in AZ. We're going to fall WAY short of what we need in the way of nurses. The problem is there's so much growth here (lots of people moving here from out of state) and there doesn't seem to be a whole lot of nurses in that bunch! I can't speak to the $$$ comparison with OH but it's worth checking out.

I am a nursing student in Ohio and this semester 2 different nursing instructors said to me "Go to Arizona! They need nurses so bad out there, espcially peds" They also said that the bonuses and wages were so much higher out there because the demand is so high. Just really curious ... is this true??

SLJ

I am living in Ohio right now and I am moving to AZ after graduation. Im not moving for the reason you asked about though. The pay compared to here isn't that much higher, maybe a little (atleast from what ive noticed from applying at a few diff phoenix hospitlals). In Cincinnati I was offered about 21 base pay and here I was offered about 23.10 basepay, so yes a little more but the cost of living in AZ is a little higher than Ohio so it evens out (or so ive noticed in looking for apts). I accepted a position in Phoenix but didn't get a sign on bonus. All the hospitlas in Cincy have sign on bonuses.

I was reading the MODRN (published by ATI) career guide and here are some stats...There was one article that gave stats on how many RNs there were in the state per 100,000. THere were 5 levels, Arizona was the lowest level, as in compared to the other states it had the least number of RNS per 100,000 people, there were 12 other states in this tier, CA, ID, NV, CO, NM, TX, OK, GA, WV, SC, RI and MS. These stats came from the Center for Healthcare Workforce Studies. AZ has 510-730 RNs per 100,000. Ohio has 1,010 to 1680 per 100,000, it is in the highest tier.

It also says, in the year 2000, AZ ranked 49th among the states in per capaita healthcare employemnt. Of AZs total workforce 155,000 people (7%) were employed in the health care sector. AZ's net per capita growth of 8% in the health services sector employment was lower than the national growth rate of 21%. In Ohio, in the year 2000, Ohio ranked 14th among the states in per capita healthcare employment. Of Ohio's total workforce, 531,000 people (9.6%) were employed in the health sector. Ohio's net per capita growth of 23% in health services sector emplyment was slightly higher than the national growth rate of 21%.

ATI also gave salary info after adjusting it for the cost of living in that area. Here is the stat they gave on AZ...Phoenix-Mesa- mean salary 55,960 and after adjusting for cost of living it was 56,549.

For ohio (and im not sure I believe these stats) it says, well its pretty different for all the cities, but for COlumbus it says: mean salary 53,370 and after COL 50,716.

For cincinnati it says mean: 52,930 mean salary and after COL 57,060.

For Cleveland mean 54,630 and after COL 54,045. I find it hard to believe the cost of living varies that much between cincy, cleveland and columbus. I lived in columbus for a 5 years (2004osu grad) and in cincy from the time i was born till college and now for 2 years after i grad from osu and cost of living isnt different in my opinion. Realestate, renting, anything.

The top ten cities for highest paid nurses (after COL adjustment) according to this guide are:

McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX-77,628

Brownsville-Harlingen-San Benito, TX, 77,381

Houston, TX 66,289

Wausau, WI, 64,098

Rochester, MN, 62,646

Odessa-Midland, TX 62,542

Richland-Kennewick-Pasco, WA, 61,952

Olympia, WA 61,313

Fort-Worth-Arlington, TX, 61,288

Laredo, TX, 60,174

Rememer these are after being adjusted according to the cost of living in that city.

Im excited about moving to AZ:) let me know if you decide to!

Gotta hand it to those Texans! We Arizonans could learn a thing or two about how to pay nurses!:chuckle

Cross Texas off your list. They have that nasty "Group One" that can ruin your career.

Cross Texas off your list. They have that nasty "Group One" that can ruin your career.

What is group one?

Hospitals keep a list of employees they have fired, for any reason, and use it to keep their employees in line. For example, to force you to float or do mandatory overtime, because if you try to get another job and you are on the list, no one will hire you.

We suffer from nurse retention problems, not a nursing shortage.

We suffer from nurse retention problems, not a nursing shortage.

:yeahthat:

There are about 125,000 open nursing positions in the U.S. There are 500,000 registered nurses who are not employed in nursing right now. Do the math.

There are a huge number of reason nurses get out of the business. First there's a high burn out rate for many reasons. And once they leave the profession they lose skills or the knowledge base is out of date. Nursing also has a high risk for disability as well as substance abuse. I forget the numbers for disabled nurses but it is a sizeable percentage. And lets not forget nursing is a female dominated profession at battle with a mother's desires to stay home and raise a family.

where is the OP? I wonder if she is going to move to AZ!

Are you asking peds RN or peds LPN? Most hospitals don't hire LPN's. A few like Paradise Valley (North Phx) and the Veteran's Hospital (downtown Phx)do. Recently several hospitals raised their new grad RN pay to $24 Banner Health and Scottsdale Healthcare. I've lived in Arizona for 11 years and I love it. Great things to do and see!

Wow! Banner Health and Scottsdale Healthcare have raised their new grad pay to $24. That is so exciting to hear. I will be graduating in May 2007! Do you know anything about the benefit package that each offers.

Really any info that you could provide would be greatly appreciated.

Krista