Nursing Jobs in Arizona Grow Along with Nation

Nursing jobs in Arizona and across the country are continuing to grow.

A recent report from American Traveler found that nursing jobs - including registered nursing and travel nursing positions - have increased by 56 percent over the last year. This is great news for anyone wondering what RN jobs Phoenix has to offer.

The majority of that growth is due to larger employers that are recovering from the recession and beginning to hire again, as well as an influx of ambulatory outpatient care centers that have opened throughout the nation.

"It looks like healthcare is back in business," Deborah Bacurin, RN, clinical resource manager for American Traveler, said in a statement. "The demand for ambulatory nurse jobs has skyrocketed and almost half of all jobs created in September went to healthcare."

Here are some key findings of the report:

• The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that hospital job growth during the first nine months of 2011 was four times that of 2010.
• Of all the jobs created during September, 42 percent were healthcare related.
• The number of ambulatory healthcare jobs doubled last month.
• About 344,000 new healthcare jobs should be created by the end of the year, more than in manufacturing and construction.

"It's a really good time for nurses to consider a career in travel nursing, and for some to look beyond the hospital," Mary Kay Hull, vice president of recruitment for American Traveler, said. "New business models have pervaded healthcare. These include not only ambulatory care centers, but skilled nursing facilities, outpatient surgery clinics and various types of physician practices subject to a seasonal census.

"The nurse jobs are out there," she continued. "They pay good and come with great benefits. On the other hand, healthcare employers are looking for the 'cream of the crop.' They've raised performance standards for nurses and are keeping better track of where and how they spend labor dollars."