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
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.
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