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Best States for Entry-Level Nursing Jobs
Jon Wirt and CareerVoyages.gov
With so many nursing job openings, it begs the question: Where should you work? NursingLink is committed to providing its members with the most most pertinent career research available. Below is the 10 best places for an entry level nursing job based on salary and job openings.
10 Top Paying States for Personal and Home Care Aides
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The median salary for Personal and Home Care Aides in the U.S. is $8.39
| State | Hourly Wage |
| Alaska | $12.91 |
| Massachusetts | $11.24 |
| Minnesota | $10.95 |
| New Jersey | $10.89 |
| Delaware | $10.83 |
| Rhode Island | $10.68 |
| Washington | $10.61 |
| New York | $10.39 |
| New Hampshire | $10.36 |
| Maryland | $10.28 |
Vermont not reporting
Top 10 States with the Most Average Annual Job Openings for Personal and Home Care Aides
There are, on average, 51,860 annual job openings for Personal and Home Care Aides in the U.S.
2011 RN Salary Projections
In 2010 RNs can expect to see their salaries, and other benefits, grow. More employers are offering sweet incentives such as sign-on bonuses, tuition reimbursement, and more flexible hours in order to entice nurses to work in their facilities.
| State | Average Annual Job Openings |
| New York | 3,790 |
| California | 2,400 |
| Minnesota | 1,420 |
| Pennsylvania | 1,420 |
| North Carolina | 1,230 |
| Wisconsin | 1,160 |
| Illinois | 850 |
| Washington | 830 |
| Ohio | 800 |
| Missouri | 760 |
Delaware, District of Colombia, Hawaii, Kansas, Texas, Virginia not reporting
Tasks
• Perform health care related tasks, such as monitoring vital signs and medication, under the direction of registered nurses and physiotherapists.
• Administer bedside and personal care, such as ambulation and personal hygiene assistance.
• Prepare and maintain records of client progress and services performed, reporting changes in client condition to manager or supervisor.
• Perform housekeeping duties, such as cooking, cleaning, washing clothes and dishes, and running errands.
Get Hired as a Nurse
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• Care for individuals and families during periods of incapacitation, family disruption or convalescence, providing companionship, personal care and help in adjusting to new lifestyles.
• Instruct and advise clients on issues such as household cleanliness, utilities, hygiene, nutrition and infant care.
• Plan, shop for, and prepare nutritious meals, or assist families in planning, shopping for, and preparing nutritious meals.
Knowledge
Customer and Personal Service – Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
wendyjks
almost 4 years ago
2 comments
This was great but there was nothing listed for registered nurses. Where do you recommend a new graduate nurse go to secure a job? The Portland/Vancouver area is not at all promising.
whitedoginwi
almost 4 years ago
6 comments
Find trying to find a nursing job maddening. I like most new grads am having trouble. Whne asked point balnk why employers don't want ot hire new grads, i get a variety of answers. The list includes:
- employers spend lots of money to train a new grad and then they leave.
-some new grads aren't worth much. The goal of nursing schools have become to turn out as many graduates as they can, not training quality nurses
- older nurses fear new grads levels of knowledge. They feel threatend.
- new grads are unreliable. They are young and interested in the opposite sex, drinking, partying and having a good time. They do not come to work with work on their mind , but the night before and the night to come.
- new grads won't stick around. They young, the will leave to start a family.
Those are just a few comments that I have gleened from nurse adminstrators and from converstions with other nurses.
I myself am a new BSN grad (May 2009). I graduated with honors. I have a second degree in social work (also with honors) and I am a EMT. I have applied to over hundred positions. I know that I am limited because I can not work more than and hours drive away from where I llive. (elderly parents). Nursing is taking care of people. Being there fir them when they need some one. How can I be good nurse and leave my parents alone when they need someone right now.
Most positions I apply to, I never hear back from them. I have even applied for LPN/LVN postions, medical assistant and , CNA, personal care worker postions. I have applied for retails sales postions. I can find nothing.
As much as agripe about not finding a job. There are nurses with years of expereince not finding jobs. It is the economy and the mind set of hospitals and care facilties. They are businesses, the want to make a buck ( as many bucks as they can). I believe they will short staff and overwork nurses until, we as nurses as a whole say enough. BUt no, we won't. We have a duty to our patients we will continue to provide the beast possible care to our patients even at the expense of our own health and families. The have us by the very nature that drives us to be nurses.
I hope all new grads find jobs. wisj you all the luck in the world. I position I am extremely hopeful for (part-time for right now) and I am only being considered because a well respected nurs is pushing very hard for me.
whitedoginwi
almost 4 years ago
6 comments
Find trying to find a nursing job maddening. I like most new grads am having trouble. Whne asked point balnk why employers don't want ot hire new grads, i get a variety of answers. The list includes:
- employers spend lots of money to train a new grad and then they leave.
-some new grads aren't worth much. The goal of nursing schools have become to turn out as many graduates as they can, not training quality nurses
- older nurses fear new grads levels of knowledge. They feel threatend.
- new grads are unreliable. They are young and interested in the opposite sex, drinking, partying and having a good time. They do not come to work with work on their mind , but the night before and the night to come.
- new grads won't stick around. They young, the will leave to start a family.
Those are just a few comments that I have gleened from nurse adminstrators and from converstions with other nurses.
I myself am a new BSN grad (May 2009). I graduated with honors. I have a second degree in social work (also with honors) and I am a EMT. I have applied to over hundred positions. I know that I am limited because I can not work more than and hours drive away from where I llive. (elderly parents). Nursing is taking care of people. Being there fir them when they need some one. How can I be good nurse and leave my parents alone when they need someone right now.
Most positions I apply to, I never hear back from them. I have even applied for LPN/LVN postions, medical assistant and , CNA, personal care worker postions. I have applied for retails sales postions. I can find nothing.
As much as agripe about not finding a job. There are nurses with years of expereince not finding jobs. It is the economy and the mind set of hospitals and care facilties. They are businesses, the want to make a buck ( as many bucks as they can). I believe they will short staff and overwork nurses until, we as nurses as a whole say enough. BUt no, we won't. We have a duty to our patients we will continue to provide the beast possible care to our patients even at the expense of our own health and families. The have us by the very nature that drives us to be nurses.
I hope all new grads find jobs. wisj you all the luck in the world. I position I am extremely hopeful for (part-time for right now) and I am only being considered because a well respected nurs is pushing very hard for me.
EmilyLucille523
almost 4 years ago
2 comments
ATTN New Graduates: Nursing2009 Wants Your Opinion!
This well known nursing journal wants to know how difficult it has been for many of us New Grads to get a job! Please go to www.nursing2009.com and scroll down to the Facebook area on the right hand side and click on that. If you are already a Facebook member, then all you need to do is sign in on the top right hand side to post your comment. If you are NOT a Facebook member, then you need to sign up on that page. Oh, and then don't forget to click on "Become a Fan" to be able to comment.
Please let your voice be heard! This is our chance to let everyone know what is really going on
bornintelligence
almost 4 years ago
2 comments
I graduated in May 2008 with a Bachelor's in Nursing. I have my License and I am still working in retail because I cannot find a job. I live in New Jersey, so I'm close to work in either PA or NY and I'm willing to get a license in either state because I am that desperate to start my career. Because I have no experience, I am frowned upon. I've even had an interviewer tell me that I wont be able to find a job in NJ and I should just get a NY license. It is very discouraging and frustrating to go through school and not be able to find a job. Especially when you have loans that have already begin to accumulate interest because I cannot afford to pay them on my salary.
lillara04
almost 4 years ago
2 comments
I FEEL THE SAME WAY! I live in NY and have been applying since March and no one will take me as a new grad! It's really frustrating, I can't understand how they want us to have experience when no one will hire me so that I can gain some. I worked hard for four years to gain my BSN and all this talk about a shortage for nurses.. its really upsetting.
blondelionsmane
almost 4 years ago
2 comments
This article does not address the "entry level nurse". I live in the Cleveland Ohio area and someone mentioned that new grads are frowned upon. SHE IS RIGHT!!! I have been looking for a job and have over 200 applications out there to every hospital/LTC facility/nursing home/Agency/ home health care place in northern Ohio, THEY ARE NOT HIRING NEW NURSES W/O 1-2 YEARS EXPERIENCE. We have the biggest industry for healthcare and there are no jobs for new grads, this is crazy! I don't believe there is a nursing shortage. I do believe I may have made a mistake becoming a nurse, especially because I have not found a job with the 200 applications and have been unemployed since May 2009. I love taking care of people and nursing is my passion, but right now I feel like a failure or a lepor, not a nurse.
whitewaller
about 4 years ago
2 comments
Where is this list for the 10 best places for entry level nurses? It says below, there is no list. There are lists for the other professions though. Am I blind or is something missing?
peaches22
over 4 years ago
54 comments
Im going to take my bsn in september in colorado and I am so excited. It kind of frightens me that the shortage is in effect but adn nurses as well as bsn nurses cant find any jobs. The program im going into is a 35 month bsn program and since I have prereqs done it may take me less than 30 months!
aichausa
over 4 years ago
98 comments
Where I live, CNAs are needed for LTC (High turnover. What else is new?) Fresh RN grads (relative to where you live) w/o patient care experience are frowned upon. At least, this is how it is in my residence. They want RNs with CNA/EMT/phlebotomy/LPN-LVN experience. Theory and clinicals just do not cut it as a starting point (again, where I live...near Boise). Just an FYI...
ginger59
over 4 years ago
32 comments
I am currently in college going for my ADN in Nursing and will be graduating in 2011. I'm hoping by then I won't have much of a problem finding a job even tho there are 2 hospitals here in Albany, GA but that doesn't stop me from checking other towns for gainful employment as an entry level grad nurse. Wish me luck with my studies..........I'm gonna need it. LOL yeah right.........
Karyl1121
over 4 years ago
4 comments
I to am a new grad. I graduated in May 2008. I have passed NCLEX, and yet can not get a job!
yhadgu
over 4 years ago
2 comments
i'm new grad RN BSN and couldt find a job for a year now but still looking
TheSingingNurse
over 4 years ago
32 comments
RNMars - that is NOT true - I know because I have worked for Magnate hospitals and know 1st hand that they hired new grads from ADN programs.
CarterRN
over 4 years ago
2 comments
Yes, I agree! I am a New Grad and I am having the hardest time finding a job!