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Interested in avoiding another snowy northern winter? Consider the South. Here are some facts to consider when thinking about a move to Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, or Virginia.

 

MAGNET FACILITIES INCREASING

The number of Magnet facilities has gradually increased in the South since St. Joseph's Hospital of Atlanta was designated in 1995. To date, of the 88 Magnet facilities designated by the American Nurses Credentialing Center, 34 are in the South: one each in Alabama and Virginia, two each in Georgia and Kentucky, three in Louisiana, five in North Carolina, eight in Texas, and 12 in Florida. See the ANCC Web site (http://www.nursingworld.org/ancc) for specific facilities.

 

SALARIES AND COST OF LIVING

Salaries in the region lag behind national averages, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics figures from 2001, the latest available. However, the cost of living here tends to be lower than elsewhere. Also, MSN House & Home Best Places to Live 2003 names Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill, North Carolina, as number one of 331 locations, and Punta Gorda, Florida, is number four.

 

ADVANCE PRACTICE NURSES

Advanced practice nurses are employed throughout the South in varying degrees, with nurse anesthetists especially plentiful. The Health Resources and Services Administration State Health Workforce Profiles show nurse anesthetist rates in all southern states exceed the national rate of 8.6 per 100,000, except for Texas, which is not far behind. Alabama's rate of 17.9 is one of the highest in the country. Numbers for nurse practitioners are clustered around the national average of 26.3 per 100,000 throughout most of the South. But Arkansas is one of the nation's highest with 55.6, and Louisiana, at 10.8, one of the lowest. Nurse midwives are not plentiful in this region, however. Alabama, Arkansas, and Louisiana rank last nationally for their rates of nurse midwives. Only Georgia exceeds the national average.

 

Your Guide to Opportunities in the Southern States

 

Florida Department of Corrections2601 Blairstone Rd.Tallahassee, FL 32399Contact: Sharon McKinnie, RNC(850) 922-6645Fax: (850) 921-6015Email: [email protected] site: https://PEOPLEFIRST.myFLORIDA.comPositions available: Sr. Licensed Practical Nurse, Sr.Registered Nurse, Psychological Specialist.

 

Florida Hospital AssociationWeb site: http://www.flhealthjobs.com

 

HCA North Florida Division HospitalsContact: Lauren Lillie, RN, Division Recruiter(800) 856-9489 or (850) 523-2136Fax: (850) 523-0343Email: [email protected]

 

North Florida Regional Medical Center916 NW 66th StreetP.O. Box 147006Gainesville, FL 32614Contact: Human ResourcesFax: (352) 333-4113Email: [email protected] site: http://[email protected]

 

University Health Systems of Eastern CarolinaContact: Employment OfficeP.O. Box 6028Greenville, NC 27835(800) 342-5155Fax (252) 847-8225Email: [email protected] site: http://www.uhseast.com

 

VITA Medical StaffingContact: Jason Ball, Vice President(800) 752-7134, ext. 513Fax: (888) 274-5873Email: [email protected] site: http://www.vitamedicalstaffing.comRN positions available: Travel positions available nationwide. Benefits package includes company-matched 401K, free health insurance (day 1), liability insurance, referral and completion bonuses and a placement specialist truly concerned with finding your perfect assignment.

 

Wake Forest University Baptist Medical CenterNorth Carolina Baptist HospitalHuman Resources DepartmentMedical Center BoulevardWinston-Salem, NC 27157-1185(336) 716-3339 or (800) 323-9777Job Line (336) 716-9777Fax: (336) 716-5656Email: [email protected] site: http://www.wfubmc.edu