Tag: nurse practitioners

Searching for Medical Jobs: Going Where the Money Is

Despite the modern workforce wanting more than just good pay and benefits, there is no getting around the fact that people want to be paid what they feel they are worth. Healthcare workers are not an exception to the rule. It is with that in mind that looking at the top job markets for healthcare workers gets interesting. Some markets definitely pay more than others.

 Becker’s Hospital Review recently released a list of the highest paying job markets for healthcare workers in the U.S., based on data from the Bureau of Labor and Statistics (BLS). Most of what the data shows isn’t surprising. But there are a few hidden gems in the numbers.

 It is reasonable to assume that job seekers on the hunt for medical jobs might consider salary and benefits first. After that, they might look at things like location and work environment. Moreover, it could be that the majority of American workers do not necessarily want to pick up and move just to make more money.

 Top Locations for Nurses

 The first category examined by Becker’s was registered nurses (RNs). We already know that RNs are in high demand across the country. But where do they earn the most money? Apparently, it’s in California. All the top spots on the Becker’s list are found in the Golden State. Here they are:

  •  San Jose – $155,230
  • San Francisco – $151,640
  • Vallejo-Fairfield – $146,360
  • Santa Rosa – $141,440
  • Napa – $139,680.

 California seems like the place to be if you are a registered nurse hoping to maximize your paycheck. That’s curious, considering that supply and demand heavily influences salary and benefits. What is it about California that appears to make it more difficult to recruit registered nurses there?

 Advanced Practice Nurses

 Becker’s Hospital Review took the approach of dividing advanced practice nurses into two categories: nurse practitioners and physician assistants. That could be due to the fact that the top paying locations for both are different. NPs are paid most in four of the same five cities listed in the RN category. For the fifth city, just remove Santa Rosa and insert Yuba City. San Jose keeps the top spot at $197,870.

 PAs apparently make the most in the joint cities of Portsmouth, NH and Portsmouth, ME. There, they earn roughly $167,240. The remaining four of the top five cities for PAs are:

  •  Panama City, FL – $165,000
  • San Francisco – $164,150
  • San Jose – $163,720
  • Vallejo-Fairfield, CA – $162,030.
  •  California still commands three of the top five spots for physician assistants. So far, the Golden State appears to be the destination of choice for high paying medical jobs.

 Top Locations for Pharmacists

 Last on the list for Becker’s are pharmacists. If you are guessing that California jobs pay the most, you are spot on. Here are the numbers:

  •  San Jose – $168,640
  • San Francisco – $163,840
  • Santa Rosa – $158,420
  • Vallejo-Fairfield – $156,850
  • Santa Cruz – $152,770.

 It is clear that medical jobs pay extremely well in California. We just don’t quite know why. We cannot discount supply and demand but getting a clear picture would also require looking at things like median income, cost of living, and so forth. Just because healthcare workers make more money in California doesn’t mean they enjoy a higher standard of living. Things cost more on the West coast as well.

 At any rate, if you are in the hunt for medical jobs, California has plenty to offer. So do most other states. Take a good look around our job board and see what you can find. With so many jobs available in nearly every healthcare sector, you’re bound to find something that suits you.

Disclaimer: The viewpoint expressed in this article is the opinion of the author and is not necessarily the viewpoint of the owners or employees at Healthcare Staffing Innovations, LLC.

Healthcare Jobs at the Mall? Yes, It’s a Thing!

Could your search for healthcare jobs lead you to a new position at the mall? Absolutely. As healthcare systems and medical groups are looking for ways to expand without putting a ton of money into new buildings, they are finding the mall environment quite attractive. Malls all over the country are being transformed into mixed-use facilities that include medical facilities of all stripes.

 Vanderbilt University Medical Center has already successfully converted open space at one Nashville mall into multiple clinics. Now they have their eyes set on the Hickory Hollow Mall in the city’s southeast district. The mall offers more than 1 million square feet of easily flexible space, space that could be utilized by a health clinic just as easily as a clothing boutique.

 Saving the Dying Mall

 America’s shopping malls became the place to see and be seen when they first emerged in the 1970s. Throughout the eighties and into the nineties, shopping mall owners enjoyed strong revenue and plenty of growth. But then, for whatever reason, the mall began dying out. An already struggling business model took a big hit from the COVID pandemic.

 These days, owners are looking for every possible way to save the dying mall. Mixed-use projects are one way to do that. Furthermore, inviting medical facilities to set up shop in empty mall space is a win-win for multiple reasons. Property owners benefit by signing new tenants. Medical facilities benefit from two things malls offer in spades: floor space and parking.

 Shopping malls are known for their wide-open spaces, especially in anchor stores. Turning a former department store into a surgical center is just one example. The owner of a medical center walks in and has hundreds of thousands of square feet ready to be converted into surgical suites. Outside is a vast ocean of parking space that offers patients easy access.

 The Possibilities Are Endless

 If this new mixed-use model catches on with medical groups, the possibilities could be endless. From primary care clinics to remote healthcare screening solutions, nothing is off the table. That means plenty of healthcare jobs in spaces that used to be occupied by retail workers hawking everything from bedsheets to jeans.

 Turning vacant mall space into medical space is the real estate equivalent of repurposing. It is a fantastic idea whose time has come. Think about it. How much land was cleared to build that huge mall that now sits nearly empty? It doesn’t make sense to tear the structure down and start over again. So why not re-purpose it?

 Malls are perfect for redevelopment because they are essentially skeletons of flexible space. Malls are architectural shells. You keep the perimeter walls and roof intact while inside, the space is flexible enough to accommodate just about anything. Malls are designed to be that way.

 Mixing Medical with Retail

 Even more intriguing is the concept of mixing medical with retail. One group of workers goes to the mall in search of retail jobs. Another group seeks out medical jobs. While they are all working their typical 9-to-5s, patients and customers become one and the same. They see their doctors first thing in the morning, then head down the walkway to pick up a cup of coffee before going shopping. It is a marriage made in heaven.

 Your next search for healthcare jobs may very well have you looking at mall employment. You might not be staffing the cash register at a retail shop, but you could be offering primary healthcare services in a clinic right next door. It is the wave of the future.

Disclaimer: The viewpoint expressed in this article is the opinion of the author and is not necessarily the viewpoint of the owners or employees at Healthcare Staffing Innovations, LLC.

Kansas Becomes 26th State to Loosen NP Practice Restrictions

Nurse practitioner jobs in Kansas now offer a bit more freedom thanks to a bill recently signed into law by Governor Laura Kelly. The bill eliminates the need for direct supervision among nurse practitioners looking to provide the primary care they are trained and licensed to perform. Kansas is the 26th state to make the change. Two U.S. territories and the District of Columbia have also given greater practice authority to NPs.

 Will the remaining twenty-four states follow suit? That’s hard to say. A similar bill was defeated in Colorado in early 2022. In other states, legislators are not even having the discussion. Whether or not to sever the supervisory relationship between physicians and nurse practitioners is by no means settled.

 Independent Primary Care

 Prior to the new law, Kansas nurse practitioners were allowed to offer primary care under the supervision of a physician. An NP could work in the supervising doctor’s office or, with a written agreement in place, offer care in a separate facility. In either case, the NP’s scope and practice remained subject to doctor supervision.

 Such restrictive scope and practice laws have been common in the U.S. for decades. However, the COVID pandemic made it clear that NPs and their physician assistant counterparts are more than capable of providing quality primary care without being tethered to a physician. Perhaps that’s why just over half the states have since loosened their restrictions.

 The most intriguing aspect of eliminating direct supervision is its potential impact on nurse practitioner jobs. How will NPs choose to practice in states that don’t require it?

 Retail Primary Care

 A recent Forbes article by Senior contributor Bruce Japsen briefly mentioned the proliferation of retail healthcare clinics operated by well-known companies like CVS. The retail health clinic is nothing new, but it has gained widespread attention thanks to the pandemic. Such clinics are prime candidates for independent nurse practitioners.

 Japsen suggests that patients could be willing to seek primary care from a nurse practitioner in a retail clinic if that meant avoiding crowded doctors’ offices and long waits in the waiting room. It is hard to argue his point. Anyone who has sat waiting an hour or more for the doctor, only to be given 10 minutes of their time, might welcome the opportunity to walk into a retail clinic, see the NP, and be out the door in under 30 minutes.

 Of course, not all retail clinics get patients in and out as quickly. But the advantage of the retail model is that nurse practitioners are not bound by tight scheduling. They can see fewer patients in a day and, as a result, spend more time with each patient.

 Not Everyone on Board

 It is clear that not everyone is on board with the idea of loosening restrictions on nurse practitioner jobs. There are doctors and healthcare groups who don’t feel as though NPs have enough training to work independently. There are also patients who just do not feel comfortable visiting with an NP – especially if a doctor is available.

 Efforts to prevent states from cutting direct ties between physicians and nurse practitioners is to be expected. Healthcare is a very touchy subject for obvious reasons. Therefore, wide differences of opinion are part of any debate. Furthermore, such differences are not always worked out as evidenced by the fact that there are still twenty-four states that require physician supervision of nurse practitioners in primary care settings.

 Such supervision is no longer necessary in Kansas. With the new law in place, Kansas joins twenty-five other states in allowing nurse petitioners to practice independently.

by Tim Rush (CEO HSI, LLC)

Where NP, PA, & CRNA Salaries Are Highest & Lowest

Advanced practice roles are typically known to be well-paying, but where are NPs, PAs, and CRNAs making the most? The least? Find out here.

Advanced practice roles are typically known to be well-paying, often ranking high on lists of “Best Paying Jobs” both within and outside of healthcare.

This should not be surprising, considering nurse practitioners, physician assistants, and certified registered nurse anesthetists are highly-skilled, in-demand healthcare workers. However, where they are paid the highest and the lowest salaries may surprise you.

Below are the 10 states where NPs, PAs, and CRNAs make the most and the least, on average, according to 2020 salary data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Nurse Practitioners – Highest Paying States

  1. California – $145,970
  2. New Jersey – $130,890
  3. Washington – $126,480
  4. New York – $126,440
  5. Massachusetts – $126,050
  6. Nevada – $119,890
  7. Minnesota – $118,900
  8. Wyoming – $118,810
  9. Hawaii – $118,780
  10. Oregon – $118,600

Nurse Practitioners – Lowest Paying States

  1. Tennessee – $99,370
  2. Alabama – $99,790
  3. Florida – $101,060
  4. South Carolina – $101,190
  5. Kentucky – $102,460
  6. South Dakota – $103,080
  7. Kansas – $104,530
  8. West Virginia – $105,220
  9. Ohio – $105,630
  10. Arkansas – $106,210

Physician Assistants – Highest Paying States

  1. Alaska – $150,430
  2. Connecticut – $146,110
  3. Rhode Island – $135,800
  4. California – $135,180
  5. Nevada – $134,710
  6. New Jersey – $131,210
  7. Washington – $129,910
  8. Vermont – $128,050
  9. New York – $126,370
  10. New Hampshire – $124,080

Physician Assistants – Lowest Paying States

  1. Kentucky – $79,390
  2. Mississippi – $85,380
  3. Alabama – $88,500
  4. Louisiana – $93,770
  5. Missouri – $94,020
  6. Tennessee – $101,640
  7. Arkansas – $101,740
  8. Indiana – $102,030
  9. South Carolina – $103,150
  10. Georgia – $104,230

Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists – Highest Paying States

  1. Oregon – $236,540
  2. Wisconsin – $231,520
  3. Wyoming – $231,250
  4. Nevada – $223,680
  5. Connecticut – $217,360
  6. New York – $217,050
  7. Montana – $216,420
  8. Minnesota – $216,050
  9. New Jersey – $207,500
  10. California – $205,360

Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists – Lowest Paying States

  1. Utah – $127,130
  2. Idaho – $156,250
  3. Louisiana – $161,310
  4. Kentucky – $163,700
  5. New Mexico – $164,980
  6. Arkansas – $167,030
  7. Kansas – $167,700
  8. Indiana – $169,620
  9. Alabama – $170,560
  10. Tennessee – $171,020

Ready to start your search for a higher paying advanced practice job? Click here.

Disclaimer: The viewpoint expressed in this article is the opinion of the author and is not necessarily the viewpoint of the owners or employees at Healthcare Staffing Innovations, LLC.

This Advanced Practice Job Is the “Best Job” in America

Despite times being incredibly taxing for those working in healthcare, somehow, this advanced practice role still came out on top. See what it is here.

Physician Assistants, you’re the best—quite literally. You have the #1 Best Job in America, according to the new rankings released by U.S. News & World Report.

Despite times being incredibly taxing for those working in healthcare, given the unprecedented global pandemic healthcare professionals have had to grapple with on a daily basis, somehow, you still came out on top.

Jobs were awarded an overall score, which was based on a methodology that included measuring salary, the job market, future growth, stress, and work-life balance. Physician Assistants earned a perfect 10 out of 10 points for the job market portion, and future growth looks promising, with an 8 out of 10 score being recorded. When you add in a salary score of 8.4 out of 10, a stress score of 4 out of 10, and a work-life balance score of 8 out of 10, it’s easy to see why the position ranked so high. All in all, Physician Assistants scored a whopping 8.3 out of a possible 10 points, overall, earning them the top spot.

The position, which also topped the lists for Best Health Care Jobs and Best STEM Jobs, ranked higher than not only their fellow advanced practitioners—Nurse Practitioners (#3) and Nurse Anesthetists (#39)—it also outranked Physicians (#5) and Registered Nurses (#37), two professions that have received the bulk of the general public’s praise and admiration over the last year.

How do you feel about the rankings? Does your job seem like it’s the “best”? Tell us in the comments below.

Disclaimer: The viewpoint expressed in this article is the opinion of the author and is not necessarily the viewpoint of the owners or employees at Healthcare Staffing Innovations, LLC.

15 Holiday Wish List Must-Haves for Advanced Practitioners

No matter what you find yourself celebrating this December, here are 15 things advanced practitioners should add to their holiday wish lists.

Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Yule, Solstice, or just the end of 2020—no matter what you find yourself celebrating this December, here are 15 things advanced practitioners should add to their holiday wish lists. Or just snag for themselves, because everyone deserves a treat every now and then—especially this year. From ultra-practical antimicrobial scrubs to a fancy coffee maker to help fuel you when you are at your most exhausted, there is something for everyone on this list.

1. The Gift of Mental Wellness via a TalkSpace Gift Card, $79.00+

2. This Light Blocking Sleep Mask to Help You Recharge, Day or Night, $12.99

3. A UV Light Phone Sanitizer, Because Germs, $119.95

4. Some PPE (Because Can You Really Have Enough PPE?), $79.00

5. This Fancy Coffee Maker, $199.99

6. And an Insulated Cup to Keep Your Fancy Coffee Piping Hot, $34.99

7. Some Extra Cozy Antimicrobial Scrub Pants

Women’s, $32.98+

Men’s, $37.98+

9. A Trusty Stethoscope, $98.99+

10. This Insanely Useful Thing That Makes Cooking a Breeze, Even after Your Longest Day, $59.98+

11. Some Stress Relief In A Jar, $15.18

12. A Neck/Back/Shoulder/Everywhere Else That Hurts Deep Tissue Massager, $39.99

13. TLC for Your Hands after Washing Them Vigorously All Year Long, $14.99

14. An Efficient (But Effective) Gratitude Journal, $22.90

15. This Cute & Comfy T-shirt, $14.90+

Please note: HealthJobsNationwide.com receives no compensation for recommending these items and makes no warranties regarding their safety. Items listed above should be evaluated individually for potential risks and hazards.

3 States with the Most Demand for Advanced Practitioners

With healthcare hiring rebounding, where is the demand for NPs, PAs, and CRNAs the greatest? Here are the top three states for these advanced practitioners.

The healthcare workforce, like nearly every other industry, was greatly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, seeing staggering job losses as the virus, and the economic fallout associated with it, swept across the nation. However, advanced practitioners are essential in a way that most other professions are not at the moment, and hiring remains steady, with the healthcare industry adding back more than 250,000 jobs during July, August, and September.

Where is the demand for NPs, PAs, and CRNAs the greatest, though? We analyzed data from our jobs website to determine what states currently have the highest inventory of openings. Here are the top three states where NPs, PAs, and CRNAs are needed most.

States with the Most Demand for Nurse Practitioners

1. New York

Average Annual Nurse Practitioner Salary in New York: $122,550

Noteworthy Openings in New York:

Click Here to Search Nurse Practitioner Jobs in New York →

2. California

Average Annual Nurse Practitioner Salary in California: $138,660

Noteworthy Openings in California:

Click Here to Search Nurse Practitioner Jobs in California →

3. Connecticut

Average Annual Nurse Practitioner Salary in Connecticut: $115,140

Noteworthy Openings in Connecticut:

Click Here to Search Nurse Practitioner Jobs in Connecticut →

States with the Most Demand for Physician Assistants

1. Pennsylvania

Average Annual Physician Assistant Salary in Pennsylvania: $102,620

Noteworthy Openings in Pennsylvania:

Click Here to Search Physician Assistant Jobs in Pennsylvania →

2. Connecticut

Average Annual Physician Assistant Salary in Connecticut: $137,060

Noteworthy Openings in Connecticut:

Click Here to Search Physician Assistant Jobs in Connecticut →

3. New York

Average Annual Physician Assistant Salary in New York: $123,080

Noteworthy Openings in New York:

Click Here to Search Physician Assistant Jobs in New York →

States with the Most Demand for Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists

1. Texas

Average Annual CRNA Salary in Texas: $167,020

Noteworthy Openings in Texas:

Click Here to Search CRNA Jobs in Texas →

2. Florida

Average Annual CRNA Salary in Florida: $160,030

Noteworthy Openings in Florida:

Click Here to Search CRNA Jobs in Florida →

3. Virginia

Average Annual CRNA Salary in Virginia: $180,120

Noteworthy Openings in Virginia:

Click Here to Search CRNA Jobs in Virginia →

Disclaimer: The viewpoint expressed in this article is the opinion of the author and is not necessarily the viewpoint of the owners or employees at Healthcare Staffing Innovations, LLC.

The Top 10 Pandemic-Proof Healthcare Jobs

Healthcare is often touted as a recession-proof industry. But is it pandemic-proof? Given the number of available jobs, it seems so. See the most in-demand position types here.

Healthcare is often touted as a recession-proof industry. This is typically believed, because, even in the worst economic times, people still require medical care. However, it is proving not to be entirely pandemic-proof, with more than 40,000 healthcare professionals being laid off in March, when COVID-19 began to significantly impact nearly every industry in the United States.

Healthcare is still hiring for a surprisingly large number of positions, though, despite the pandemic continuing on, and not all of them are related to COVID-19, either.

Here are the top ten most in-demand positions right now, according to data from our job board.

1. Registered Nurse

Number of Available Jobs: 7,761
States with the Most Available Jobs: California, New York, Massachusetts
View All Registered Nurse Jobs →

2. Physician

Number of Available Jobs: 4,141
States with the Most Available Jobs: California, New York, Pennsylvania
View All Physician Jobs →

3. Speech Language Pathologist

Number of Available Jobs: 3,462
States with the Most Available Jobs: California, Texas, Illinois
View All Speech Language Pathologist Jobs →

4. Physical Therapist

Number of Available Jobs: 2,840
States with the Most Available Jobs: California, Texas, Illinois
View All Physical Therapist Jobs →

5. Nurse Practitioner

Number of Available Jobs: 2,222
States with the Most Available Jobs: New York, California, Connecticut
View All Nurse Practitioner Jobs →

5. Occupational Therapist

Number of Available Jobs: 2,222
States with the Most Available Jobs: California, Texas, Illinois
View All Occupational Therapist Jobs →

7. Physical Therapist Assistant

Number of Available Jobs: 1,833
States with the Most Available Jobs: California, Texas, Illinois
View All Physical Therapist Assistant Jobs →

8. Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant

Number of Available Jobs: 1,725
States with the Most Available Jobs: California, Texas, Illinois
View All Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant Jobs →

9. Respiratory Therapist

Number of Available Jobs: 1,703
States with the Most Available Jobs: Pennsylvania, Alaska, Florida
View All Respiratory Therapist Jobs →

10. Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist

Number of Available Jobs: 1,346
States with the Most Available Jobs: Texas, California, Virginia
View All Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist Jobs →

Don’t see your position listed? That doesn’t mean it isn’t hiring. Search for it on our job board by clicking here.

Disclaimer: The viewpoint expressed in this article is the opinion of the author and is not necessarily the viewpoint of the owners or employees at Healthcare Staffing Innovations, LLC.

Top 3 States with the Most NP and PA Jobs

Hiring is typically strong in the first quarter of any given year, and 2020 appears to be following the trend. See where the most jobs for NPs and PAs are right now.

Hiring is traditionally strong in the first quarter of any given year, and 2020 is looking to be no different, with healthcare adding 36,000 jobs in January, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics. So, where are the jobs? We analyzed data on our site and came up with the three states with the most available openings for NPs and PAs right now, along with a selection of noteworthy positions in each state.

States with the Most NP Jobs

1. New York

Average Annual NP Salary in New York: $120,970

Noteworthy Openings in New York:

Click Here to Search NP Jobs in New York →

2. California

Average Annual NP Salary in California: $133,780

Noteworthy Openings in California:

Click Here to Search NP Jobs in California →

3. Connecticut

Average Annual NP Salary in Connecticut: $118,020

Noteworthy Openings in Connecticut:

Click Here to Search NP Jobs in Connecticut →

States with the Most PA Jobs

1. Pennsylvania

Average Annual PA Salary in Pennsylvania: $98,510

Noteworthy Openings in Pennsylvania:

Click Here to Search PA Jobs in Pennsylvania →

2. California

Average Annual PA Salary in California: $117,230

Noteworthy Openings in California:

Click Here to Search PA Jobs in California →

3. New York

Average Annual PA Salary in New York: $117,000

Noteworthy Openings in New York:

Click Here to Search PA Jobs in New York →

Disclaimer: The viewpoint expressed in this article is the opinion of the author and is not necessarily the viewpoint of the owners or employees at Healthcare Staffing Innovations, LLC.

NP Workforce, Pay Has Boomed Since 2010

Nurse practitioners have long been touted as a viable solution to the U.S. physician shortage, and it seems as though they are flooding the workforce.

Nurse practitioners have long been touted as one viable solution to physician shortages in the United States, and it seems as though they are flooding the workforce, according to a new study published in Health Affairs.

The study, which was conducted by researchers at Montana State University and Dartmouth College, analyzed NP workforce data from the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey from 2010 through 2017.

Researchers found that the number of nurse practitioners in the United States more than doubled during that time period, up from 91,000 to 190,000, and that growth primarily occurred in hospitals, physician offices, and outpatient care clinics. It was also found that average earnings grew, as well, spiking in every setting—up from $98,269 to $101,243 in hospitals, $87,443 to $90,475 in physician offices, and $86,565 to $94,560 in outpatient clinics.

The news is not all good, however, and the growth does not come without implications. Researchers also identified that the growing NP workforce has reduced the size of the RN workforce by up to 80,000 nationwide, a field that has been struggling with its own shortages in recent years.

Disclaimer: The viewpoint expressed in this article is the opinion of the author and is not necessarily the viewpoint of the owners or employees at Healthcare Staffing Innovations, LLC.