Los Angeles Nursing Jobs
If you're looking for a career in the healthcare industry, you may want to see what Los Angeles nursing jobs have to offer.
The Los Angeles area has a strong healthcare industry that has managed to remain stable amidst the current economic recession. During September, the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale area's education and health services industry employed 513,800 workers, according to the U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics. This is up from 499,000 jobs during August and a 2.2 percent increase from last year.
According to the California Employment Development Department, registered nurses are the largest group of workers among all the healthcare occupations. Most RNs work in acute care hospitals, private clinics or private homes. They're responsible for evaluating patients' health problems and needs and providing care to ill, injured, convalescing or disabled people.
In order to become a registered nurse, you must be licensed to practice in California by the California Board of Registered Nursing. Potential RNs have to meet educational requirements, pass a criminal background check, obtain fingerprint clearance and pass the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses.
The median wage for registered nurses in California is currently $39.68 per hour or $82,535 per year. The median wage for registered nurses in Los Angeles County is $38.82 per hour or $80,756 per year. Most full-time RNs also receive medical, dental, vision, life and retirement benefits, as well as vacation and sick leave.
The number of available jobs for registered nurses in Los Angeles County is expected to grow much faster than the average for all occupations, increasing by 14,440, or 23 percent, from 2006 to 2016. Jobs for registered nurses in California as a whole are expected to increase by 59,600, or 25 percent, during the 10-year span.
The California Board of Registered Nursing has reported that there are currently more than 330,000 nurses and more than 14,000 nurse practitioners with an active RN license. However, shortages of workers to fill RN positions still exist and are expected to continue during the next 10 year.