Is this true???

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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

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

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Before anyone uproots themselves to go to AZ, you might want to think about the quality of care when there is an extreme nursing shortage.

Working in an environment like that - well....research is a good thing.

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Specializes in Cardiac.

I think that is why the OP posted on this board.

Quality of care comes from you, and people not wanting to 'uproot' themselves is one reason that some areas are short on staffing. All of us on this board work in 'environments like that' (as you've stated), and I haven't seen any problems in health care that should prevent someone from coming down to AZ and helping out both the community with their nursing skills, and themselves.

We welcome anyone who wants to come down to Az to live and work here.

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I posted mostly because I was curious. I just finished my pediatric rotation and absolutely loved my heart kids ... my heart is in pediatric cardiology. I would only move that far away from home for a ped. cardiology position (I don't know if there even is a peds hospital in arizona with an entire unit devoted to cardiology). And another problem is Arizona is that it's hot there ... I am allergic to heat (no joke), I break out in hives really bad! So I don't think Arizona, or any other hot place would be the best place for me to move.

I was just really curious because I had heard from so many people that Arizona needed so many nurses.

SLJ

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Specializes in Pediatric ICU.
I posted mostly because I was curious. I just finished my pediatric rotation and absolutely loved my heart kids ... my heart is in pediatric cardiology. I would only move that far away from home for a ped. cardiology position (I don't know if there even is a peds hospital in arizona with an entire unit devoted to cardiology). And another problem is Arizona is that it's hot there ... I am allergic to heat (no joke), I break out in hives really bad! So I don't think Arizona, or any other hot place would be the best place for me to move.

I was just really curious because I had heard from so many people that Arizona needed so many nurses.

SLJ

Hey, Flagstaff needs nurses too! It's a wonderfully cool city in Arizona. The hives wouldn't be a problem there :chuckle

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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!

wow the Richland-Pasco Kennewick, wa (tricities) number is awesome. You buy a brand new starter home out there for just over 100k still. Very cheap living! so that pay is really outstanding.

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

You don't have to cross the whole state off your list. Group One operates primarily in the DFW area.

If you look at the top ten on this site; I live somewhere in between and the local hospitals are forced to pay near those amounts to 'keep' up and keep an exodus from going to those areas.

So, I make really decent pay and live in a nice 'suburban' area. And, no Group One.

~faith,

Timothy.

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