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For Registered Nursing Opportunities, Look to Raleigh-Durham

Mar 25 2023

Career Resources / Nursing Opportunities in Raleigh and Durham

If you’re a registered nurse – or a healthcare professional of any kind — working in an area that includes the “City of Medicine.” The Raleigh-Durham has a well-earned reputation as being an international center of medical care and research, and that has led to it being one of the top reasons why people move to the area. If you are interested in continuing your nursing career in the area that has one of the greatest concentrations of physicians and healthcare professionals in the country, then the three-city-area of Raleigh, Durham, and Chapel Hill that have come to be known as “the Triangle” is the perfect place for you.  

Raleigh-Durham and Healthcare

The Triangle boasts some of the country’s most recognizable and well-respected names in healthcare, including WakeMed Health & Hospitals, UNC Healthcare, and the Duke Raleigh Hospital. It is also home to the Duke Medical Center and UNC Medical Center. Both are consistently found on every list of America’s top hospitals. In addition to the area’s top-quality hospitals, Raleigh-Durham is home to many other healthcare employers who are eager to hire nurses, including positions in long-term care and rehabilitation facilities, positions working in private practices, and working in urgent care clinics. Additionally, the Triangle has attracted healthcare innovation companies that provide a variety of services and devices that are eager to add skilled, qualified registered nurses to their teams. 

Types of Nursing Jobs in Raleigh-Durham

As is true throughout the United States, the Raleigh-Durham area is feeling the impact of the national nursing shortage. A recent study indicated that by the year 2033, the state will face a shortage of nearly 12,500 registered nurses. Most of these available positions will be in hospital facilities and nursing homes, and the greatest portion of the shortage will impact the Raleigh-Durham area. In response, local nursing programs are working to increase the graduate supply while hospitals are applying creative incentives and recruitment measures. Nurses at all levels and in all specialties will find their skills and knowledge in great demand and highly valued, whether they are interested in working in acute care hospitals, community hospitals, urgent care clinics, or in private practice or business.


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Duke University Hospital

In addition to being one of the top hospitals in the country and nationally ranked by U.S. News & World Reports in 11 specialty areas and 9 children’s specialties, Duke University Hospital is also affiliated with the highly respected Duke University School of Nursing. This remarkable health system and educational and research institution includes three hospitals and more than 100 specialty and primary care clinics that have received accolades includes Forbes’ “Best Large Employers,” recognition as an “LGBTQ Healthcare Equality Leader,” Magnet recognition for continued dedication to high-quality nursing practice, and another Forbes award for “Best Employer for Women.

Nurses working at Duke play an integral role in moving health forward. The facility’s mission and motivation combine innovation and collaborative care. Duke’s nurses are constantly learning, as they are at the center of technological advances that make providing service a priority while caring for the whole person in a patient-centered atmosphere. Duke’s nurses are offered significant sign-on bonuses averaging $15,000 for those with one or more years of experience, relocation assistance, generous shift differentials, and full benefits packages that include accumulated PTO from the first day of work and 100% employer-paid pension.

UNC Health Wayne

The University of North Carolina is one of the most respected academic and medical centers in the country, and its hospitals based in Chapel Hill, North Carolina have been ranked in four adult and eight pediatric specialties by U.S. News & World Reports. But not everybody who comes to Raleigh-Durham wants to be in the middle of the action. For them, a more suburban environment like the one at UNC Health Wayne offers the best of the Triangle’s offerings. 

UNC Health Wayne is an affiliate of the larger system located in Goldsboro, North Carolina, a more sedate setting. This facility in eastern North Carolina has earned a reputation for high-quality, patient-centered medical care just an hour away from the heart of the Triangle. One of the largest employers in the area, this 316-bed hospital provides its staff with advanced technology, a warm setting in which to work, comprehensive benefits including tuition reimbursement and scholarships, competitive pay, and plenty of professional growth opportunities. 

WakeMed Health & Hospitals

Based in Raleigh, WakeMed Health has been a community anchor in Raleigh since 1961.  Today, this private, not-for profit organization’s three acute-care hospitals are the top provider of health services in Wake County, North Carolina and a top nurse employer in Raleigh-Durham. As the largest health system in North Carolina’s largest county, its almost 12,000 employees and providers are essential to the community, and this is reflected in the respect and value that is bestowed on its nursing staff.

WakeMed has won Magnet designation, and it takes this esteemed status seriously. Whether you’re a new graduate or an experienced nurse, working for WakeMed means you have a voice at the table. You are recognized for your role in patient outcomes and get the benefit of working in an environment where innovation flourishes and experience and skill are valued. While new nurse graduates are invited to participate in a one-year Clinical Nurse Residency that offers clinical and educational activities to facilitate professional development and growth, experienced nurses engage in a robust professional development program and participate in shared decision-making. Compensation includes tuition and specialty certification reimbursement, on-site bachelor’s and master’s degree programs, and generous shift differentials.

The Raleigh-Durham area offers nurses limitless opportunities combined with an amazing array of opportunities and experiences outside of work. For more information on living and working in the Triangle, start by visiting Incredible Health’s nursing job search page.

Written by Incredible Health Staff

At Incredible Health, it's a team effort to achieve our vision: Help healthcare professionals live better lives. Many are licensed practitioners themselves; others are simply passionate writers and leaders dedicated to providing valuable resources to nurses.

Read more from Incredible Health

Top Registered Nursing Opportunities in Fort Myers Florida

Mar 24 2023

Career Resources / Top Nursing Opportunities in Fort Myers

There’s nothing like the feeling of being needed, and when you’re a nurse it’s an everyday occurrence. Whether you work at a big hospital or in home health, in the intense pace of the emergency department or the quiet calm of hospice, you know that your skills, your compassion, and your empathy are truly valued, regardless of the environment. 

The national nursing shortage has enhanced the professional respect that you receive, as facilities around the country seek you out and try to convince you to come work for them. With your pick of some of the best facilities and locations in the country, there’s good reason to consider working in Fort Myers, Florida. This upbeat, growing city looks and feels like paradise, and the opportunities it offers are a healthcare worker’s dream. 

With approximately 750,000 residents and adding more daily, Fort Myers is a Gulf Coast town that’s on the move.  Over the last ten years, Fort Myers has consistently ranked as among the fastest-growing cities in the country, and as more and more people realize that the “City of Palms” is more than a tourist stop and retirement town, the boom shows no signs of slowing.

Fort Myers has something for everybody, from festivals to fine dining, from boating and beaches to over fifty golf courses. More and more businesses are flocking to the southwest of Florida, and as the population gets younger, neighborhoods are growing ever more family friendly. Fort Myers and its surrounding areas are being revitalized, schools are strong, and the need for qualified, compassionate healthcare workers — especially registered nurses — is increasing exponentially. 

Types of Nursing Jobs in Fort Myers

Florida is facing the same nursing shortage that has been affecting the rest of the country for the last several years. In 2021, the Florida Hospital Association predicted that the shortage would lead to approximately 59,000 open positions by 2035, and as one of the fastest-growing cities in Florida, Fort Myers is certainly feeling those effects. To ensure that their growing patient populations are receiving the expert care that they need, healthcare facilities in Fort Myers have responded by offering generous compensation packages, creative benefits, flexible schedules, and more to their new hires. 

If you are a registered nurse, Fort Myers, Florida offers you a wealth of career options, from hospitals to hospice providers, from nursing homes and rehabilitation facilities to private practices, public health facilities, outpatient surgical sites, and more.  Below you’ll find a list of some of our top choices among Fort Myers healthcare employers in need of registered nursing professionals.


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Lee Health System

As one of Florida’s largest not-for-profit health systems and the largest serving southwest Florida, Lee Health serves Fort Myers with multiple hospitals, medical centers, rehabilitation hospitals, specialty centers, and community health services.  From the Level II Trauma Center at Gulf Coast Medical Center and Lee Memorial’s rehabilitation hospital to the state-of-the-art Golisano Children’s Hospital and Shipley Cardiothoracic Center, nurses with experience and certifications in specialty areas of all kinds can find a professional home where they’ll be welcomed, well-treated, and respected.

Lee Health nurses enjoy flexible schedules and the ability to practice nursing in an environment that rewards excellence. The hospital recently introduced a significant salary increase for nurses across the board and they’re offering sign-on bonuses as high as $28,000. When you combine their keen interest in enticing and retaining superior nursing staff with the many learning opportunities and rewards that they’ve built into their system, it’s no wonder that registered nurses who work for Lee Health never want to leave. 

Florida Cancer Specialists and Research Institute

Florida Cancer Specialists and Research Institute is a leader in medical oncology and hematology research and treatment. Founded nearly forty years ago, the company has grown to become a national presence in custom-tailored, multi-disciplinary oncology treatments driven by cutting-edge technology. Across its entire network, the practice employs over 200 nurse practitioners, providing world-class, patient-first cancer care.

To support their reputation for excellence, Florida Cancer Specialists provides a workplace where its team members can thrive and grow. Health and well-being benefits include medical and prescription drug coverage and Health Savings Accounts, while financial benefits include a retirement savings plan and 401(k) with employer match and quality of life offerings include tuition reimbursement, employee discount programs, and even pet insurance. 

Select Specialty Hospital

Select Special Hospital is a national organization whose mission is to help patients rehabilitate and recover from medically complex conditions. Care is provided by physician-led, multidisciplinary teams supported by compassionate nurses who administer customized treatment plans. The Fort Myers location treats patients suffering from conditions including brain injury, cardiac conditions, infectious disease, renal disorders, and more, relying on nurses to assist with medications, self-care, and wound care.

Employees working for Select Specialty Hospital enjoy support from management and opportunities for professional growth and success. Benefits include health/dental/vision/prescription plans, 401(k) plants, paid time off and sick time, continuing education programs, and both Flexible Spending and Health Savings Accounts. Many nursing positions are offered sign-on bonuses as high as $10,000.

If a nursing career in facilities shaded by palm trees is your idea of paradise, then Fort Myers may be the right professional destination for you.

For information on some of the many positions available in Fort Myers, visit Incredible Health’s nursing job search page. 

Written by Incredible Health Staff

At Incredible Health, it's a team effort to achieve our vision: Help healthcare professionals live better lives. Many are licensed practitioners themselves; others are simply passionate writers and leaders dedicated to providing valuable resources to nurses.

Read more from Incredible Health

Adult Critical Care Registered Nurse (CCRN) Practice Test

Mar 23 2023

Career Resources / Adult Critical Care Registered Nurse Practice Test

As a critical care registered nurse, you love what you do and take pride in the excellent, high acuity care you provide your patients. Your keen observational and sharp clinical skills make you a natural at what you do, and your perseverance and resilience have made you one of the strongest members of your team. Still, it takes more than talent to move ahead to the next step and advance your career. One of the most effective ways of moving up the ladder is to get board certified by the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses. This mark of nursing excellence distinguishes you and your abilities and sets you on a leadership path in caring for critically ill adults.


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Why Pursue Your Adult CCRN?

Getting certified in adult critical care is a crucial professional step for registered nurses who provide direct care to acutely ill patients. Whether you work in a hospital intensive care unit, a trauma unit, a cardiac care unit, or anywhere else where critically ill patients are served, taking and passing the certification exam earns you increased respect among your colleagues and makes you eligible for promotion, increased compensation, and bonuses. 

Who Can Take the Adult CCRN Exam?

Working in a setting with critical care patients is not enough to qualify you to take the Adult CCRN exam. To be fully eligible, you must meet certain requirements listed below and pay a certification fee.

There is a two-year eligibility option and a five-year eligibility option, both of which are explained below:

To qualify for the two-year option, you must have practiced as an RN (Registered Nurse) or APRN (Advanced Practice Registered Nurse) for a minimum of 1,750 hours in direct care of acutely/critically ill adult patients during the last two years: at least 875 of those 1,750 hours must have been logged in the most recent year before submitting your application.

To qualify for the five-year option, you must have practiced as an RN or APRN for a minimum of 2,000 hours in direct care of acutely/critically ill adult patients during the last five years: at least 144 of those 2,000 hours must have been logged in the most recent year before submitting your application.

Whether you are applying for the two-year option or the five-year option, you will be required to pay an examination fee of either $250 if you are an AACN member or $365 if you are not a member. You must have a current, unencumbered U.S. RN or APRN license, your work hours must have been completed in either a U.S.- or Canada-based facility, you must have been actively providing direct care to patients or supervising nurses or nursing students at the bedside of adult patients who were critically/acutely ill, and your hours reported must be verifiable by a clinical supervisor or professional colleague, whether a registered nurse or a physician. 

How Long is Adult CCRN Certification Good For?

Your official certification period begins on the first day of the month in which you pass the Adult CCRN examination and lasts for three years. Four months before the end of your certification period, you will receive an e-mail notification that your certification needs to be renewed. At that time you can apply for and schedule a renewal examination. You are responsible for notifying the AACN Certification Corporation of any name, address, or email address change in order to ensure that you receive this and any other important information pertaining to your certification. This can be done through the AACN website at www.aacn.org, via email at [email protected], or by calling AACN’s Customer Care department at 1-800-899-2226. 

About the Adult CCRN Exam

The Adult CCRN certification examination is a challenging test made up of 150 multiple-choice questions. Applicants are given three hours to complete the examination. Though not all of the questions asked on the exam are scored (25 questions on every exam are being assessed for future exams), each question will be based on the framework and procedures of the American Association of Critical Care Nurses Synergy Model for Patient Care. The majority of the questions (80)%) will measure clinical judgment, and are further broken down by body system as follows:

  • Endocrine/Hematology/Gastrointestinal/Renal/Integumentary (20%)
  • Cardiovascular (17%)
  • Respiratory (15%)
  • Musculoskeletal/Neurological/Psychosocial (14%)
  • Multisystem (14%)

An additional 20% of the questions asked on the exam will gauge the nurse’s command of professional caring and ethical practice in areas including: 

  • Patient Advocacy/Moral Agency
  • Caring Practices
  • Clinical Inquiry
  • Collaboration
  • Facilitation of Learning
  • Response to Diversity
  • Systems Thinking

No matter how experienced or knowledgeable you may be, it is important to prepare yourself adequately for the exam, which is written at the application and analysis level based on a condensed version of Bloom’s Taxonomy. Their high cognitive level demands study and practice, and registered nurses are encouraged to take Adult CCRN practice tests that are specially prepared for those taking the Adult CCRN exam. 

Applying to Take the Adult CCRN Exam

How you apply to take the exam — and the form of the exam itself — will depend upon whether you plan on taking the exam alone or as part of a cohort. Individuals can register for the exam online at the AACN website, www.aacn.org/certification, clicking on the option to “Get Certified.” Those who wish to apply as a group and take the test together must use a paper application which is available by emailing the request to [email protected]. Note: Nurses applying online will take a computer-based exam, either at home with Live Remote Proctoring or at a PSI testing center, while those who apply to take the exam as a group will take a paper-and-pencil exam. The latter must be requested at least four months prior to the desired exam date, and all completed applications and appropriate fees must be submitted 8 weeks prior to the confirmed exam date.

The application itself must be accompanied by a signed honor statement and the application fee. Upon receipt the application will be reviewed and confirming emails will be sent to those who have successfully applied. Ineligible requests will receive written notification, and incomplete applications will result in a written request for clarification. Applicants should allow two to four weeks for paper applications to be processed.

Scheduling the Adult CCRN Exam

Once your application has been received, reviewed, and approved, the AACN will send you an email detailing the process of scheduling your exam appointment, including the deadline by which you have to schedule and take the test. Upon receiving this information you can click through directly to schedule the exam using the link titled “Manage Application and Exam Appointment” or visit the AACN website, log in to your customer dashboard, and select “Schedule Exam.” You will be offered the option of either taking the computer-based exam at one of 300 PSI testing centers located across the country or via Live Remote Proctoring, which allows you to take the test in your home or a location of your choosing via laptop or desktop computer. Applicants selecting Live Remote Proctoring will receive a separate email from PSI ensuring that they meet the technology requirements.

You can also schedule your exam by phone at 833-256-1418. To do this you will need to provide the exam ID number contained within your confirmation email. 


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Taking the Adult Critical Care Registered Nurse Exam

PSI Testing Centers 

If you are taking the exam in person, arrive at the testing center early: those who arrive more than 15 minutes late will not be admitted. You will need to bring a government-issued ID that includes your photograph and signature and that matches the name in your AACN record. You will not be able to bring personal items into the test with you, including purses, backpacks. Coats, or hooded apparel.

Once you’ve been checked in you will be photographed and shown to a dedicated computer where you will take the test. Though the computer screen will prompt you to enter your Social Security Number, you are to enter your AACN customer number instead. The photo that was just taken of you will appear on the screen and remain there throughout the test. The same image will be included with your test score.

Once you have logged in you will be given time to take a practice exam. This is offered as a way to make you comfortable with the computer and the process itself. The time that you spend on your practice exam will not count towards your three-hour time limit. It is up to you how long you spend on the practice exam. Once you indicate that you are ready, you can begin the actual exam and the three-hour clock will start.

The test is structured to provide you with enough time to complete the exam within the allocated three hours. One question will be presented at a time and you can change your answer as many times as you want. You can display the amount of time that you have remaining by clicking on the TIME button that will appear on the lower right-hand side of the computer screen. You will also be able to go back to review your answers or answer any questions that you have left unanswered: the testing system provides a bookmark option next to the TIME button to allow you to do this easily.

You are permitted to take breaks during the exam, but time will continue elapsing. You may not ask questions about the exam’s content, use any scratch paper, or leave the testing area without authorization. You are not permitted to eat, drink, chew gum, or smoke in the testing center. 

When you have completed the exam, you will be prompted regarding any questions that you haven’t answered. It is suggested that you answer those questions, even if you are guessing. If you reach the three-hour mark without completing the exam, the computer will stop the test.

Upon completion, your test score will appear on the screen. A detailed report on your score will be emailed to you separately and your certification will appear in the AACN Certification Verification system if you have passed. 

Live Remote Proctoring

Applicants who have chosen the Live Remote Proctoring option should log onto the exam at least 15 minutes before their scheduled examination appointment. This is done by logging in to your AACN customer dashboard and clicking “Take Exam” or “Launch Exam.” Applicants who log in more than 30 minutes after their scheduled exam time will not be permitted to take the exam. A live proctor will appear on screen and guide you through the check-in process, which will include presentation of a government-issued ID that includes your photograph and signature via your webcam, which you’ll also use to capture a digital photograph of yourself. You’ll also be asked to use the webcam to provide a scan of the room in which you are taking the exam.

No headphones, electronics, cellphones, tablets, notes, or reference materials can be present. You are also not permitted to eat any food, drink any beverages other than water in a clear container, chew gum, or smoke. Do not talk, whisper, or cover your mouth during the exam. The live proctor must be able to see your face the whole time and your computer must be set up at a desk or table, with both hands on or above the workspace at all times. 

Once you’ve checked in the exam will be provided to you via a dedicated, secure browser. You will be given time to take a practice exam. This is offered to make you comfortable with the process. The time that you spend on your practice exam will not count towards your three-hour time limit. It is up to you how long you spend on the practice exam. Once you indicate that you are ready, you can begin the actual exam and the three-hour clock will start.

The test is structured to provide you with enough time to complete the exam within the allocated three hours. One question will be presented at a time and you can change your answer as many times as you want. You can display the amount of time that you have remaining by clicking on the TIME button that will appear on the lower right-hand side of the computer screen. You will also be able to go back to review your answers or answer any questions that you have left unanswered: the testing system provides a bookmark option next to the TIME button to allow you to do this easily.

You are permitted to take breaks during the exam, but time will continue elapsing. You may not ask questions about the exam’s content, use any scratch paper, or leave the testing area without authorization. Your entire testing session will be recorded and monitored by the live proctor.

When you have completed the exam, you will be prompted regarding any questions that you haven’t answered. It is suggested that you answer those questions, even if you are guessing. If you reach the three-hour mark without completing the exam, the computer will stop the test.

Upon completion, your test score will appear on the screen. A detailed report on your score will be emailed to you separately and your certification will appear in the AACN Certification Verification system if you have passed. 

Paper-and-Pencil Exams

Those who have requested paper-and-pencil exams will be asked to show a government-issued ID that includes a photograph and signature. Once checked in you will be shown to a testing seat and provided an exam book and Scantron form. The form needs to be answered using a pencil. Do not make any marks outside of the appropriate areas on the answer sheet. Erasures must be complete. Your score report will be tabulated manually. This process will take six-to-eight weeks. One-to-two weeks later a letter of congratulations and a wall certificate will be mailed to those who have passed the exam. 

Exam Violations

It is important to familiarize yourself with the AACN’s rules regarding behavior during exams. Test takers who break the rules – which include restrictions against tapping fingers or feet, talking to themselves or reading exam questions aloud, or eating, drinking, or chewing gum – are subject to having their exams terminated. The full list of violations is included in the AACN Certification Exam Policy Handbook, which is available on the AACN website.

Passing the Adult Critical Care Registered Nurse Exam

The standard for passing the exam is set using a process known as the modified Angoff. A group of subject matter experts reviews each exam question to determine the level of knowledge or skill required to represent the passing score of 83. Your score is not a reflection of the percentage of questions that you have right, but of how many questions you have answered correctly. For this reason, you are encouraged to answer all questions, even if you are guessing. When you get your score report back it will include information on the number of questions you’ve answered correctly in each content area. 

If you do not achieve a passing score, you can apply for a retest.

Preparing for the Adult CCRN Exam

No matter how many hours you’ve worked in critical care or how well you did in nursing school, you will probably not be able to pass the Adult CCRN exam without additional study and preparation. Critical care nursing is a challenging job that requires more than knowledge and skills: you also need proven high-level critical thinking and good judgment. The Adult CCRN exam measures all of these. 

In 2021, three out of ten nurses who took the Adult CCRN exam did not pass the first time they took the test. Not only did this delay their ability to achieve their professional goals, it also represents hundreds of dollars in exam fees. To avoid this disappointment and financial loss, it is important that you take the necessary time to study. Most successful test takers indicate that they studied for at least two months prior to the Adult CCRN Exam, and that their most effective test strategy was to study the concepts of critical care and then test themselves with practice questions. 

There are plenty of study guides available to familiarize yourself with the different subject areas that will be tested. Testing experts suggest that the most effective method of studying is to study each content area thoroughly, taking notes to highlight any areas that you feel you need to understand better or may struggle to remember. Once you have completed reading the content, take a practice test dedicated to that section, referring to your notes when needed. Once you have successfully gotten 80% of those practice questions right, take the test without your notes. Only move on to the next content area when you have been able to get 80% of the questions right. 

After moving on to the next content area, go back to the subject matter that you’ve mastered once a week and take another practice test. By doing this you will keep the material fresh at hand and continue building on your knowledge and comfort level with the questions. 


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FAQs about the Adult CCRN Exam

How hard is the Adult CCRN Exam?


According to the AACN, approximately 70 percent of test takers pass the Adult CCRN exam the first time they take it. Those who do attribute their success to the preparation time that they put in, including studying and taking practice tests. 

How many questions are on the Adult CCRN Exam?

The Adult CCRN Exam consists of 150 multiple-choice questions. Twenty-five of those questions will not count toward your score. You have three hours to complete the exam

Written by Incredible Health Staff

At Incredible Health, it's a team effort to achieve our vision: Help healthcare professionals live better lives. Many are licensed practitioners themselves; others are simply passionate writers and leaders dedicated to providing valuable resources to nurses.

Read more from Incredible Health

Best Registered Nursing Opportunities in Portland, Oregon

Mar 22 2023

Career Resources / Best Nursing Opportunities in Portland, Oregon

Nursing is among the most ethical professions. No matter your background or the reasons you chose to become a nurse, when you did so, you knew that the job required empathy, honesty, and integrity, and the longer you’ve worked in the field, the truer that has become. As a nurse you are dedicated to preserving human dignity and helping those for whom you care to achieve the highest possible level of both well-being and autonomy. There are few places where you can work that embodies that belief system more than Portland, Oregon. 

Portland has a cherished and well-earned reputation for being friendly and eccentric — “Keep Portland weird” is a local motto— but that’s just another way of expressing the overall sense of joy and energy that imbues the city. Located in the Pacific Northwest, Portland is a city surrounded by natural beauty and loaded with charm and things to do. The city has just over 600,000 residents whose interests range from hiking or snowshoeing on Mount Hood to enjoying strolls through the city’s quirky neighborhoods or visiting the oldest art museum in the Pacific Northwest.  

Portland’s residents enjoy all of the benefits that come from being home to many startups: as Silicon Valley entrepreneurs have moved to the city, it has brought many jobs, as well as all of the coffee shops, boutiques, and culture that comes with a young, well-educated population. The town is known for great food, great wine and beer, an efficient and wide-ranging public transportation system, and a bustling bike community: Portland has more residents commuting by bike than any other city in America and has a bike share program provided by Nike.

Types of Healthcare Jobs in Portland

Nurses considering Portland as their future home will benefit from more than the city’s many attractions. They will also find themselves in great demand: Oregon is among the states that have been most impacted by the nursing shortage, and the state is currently working on a program to attract more nurse educators. The facilities that hire nursing professionals hold their skill and knowledge in high esteem and reward it in countless ways. They’ve also been highly ranked in terms of their treatment of diverse patients and employees.

The metropolitan area, which extends to Vancouver, Washington, is home to hospitals that are nationally ranked or highly rated in several specialties and conditions by U.S. News & World Report. It also boasts two nationally ranked children’s hospitals. The Commonwealth Fund, a foundation that advocates for better health care policy, has ranked Oregon 14th in the country for overall health, a measure in part attributable to efforts to improve cost savings and access to employer insurance for ambulatory care.

Portland has many great facilities where registered nurses can find meaningful, rewarding work. Below, you’ll find a few of our top picks for facilities offering generous salaries, benefits, flexibility, and opportunities.


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Legacy Health

Legacy Health is a locally owned, nonprofit health system that provides comprehensive health care services across the Portland and Vancouver metropolitan area. With six hospitals, a full-service children’s hospital, a round-the-clock mental and behavioral health services center, and dozens of primary care, specialty, and urgent care clinics, the system has won the most five-star ratings of all hospitals in the region. 

In addition to the services that it provides to the community, Legacy Health is one of the Portland area’s largest employers. Its 14,000 employees and nearly 3,000 healthcare providers take pride in knowing that Forbes named Legacy one of the best large employers in America. The organization embraces diversity, equity, and inclusion, and also believes in rewarding its staff. Nurses are acknowledged as essential to the system’s mission, and this is reflected by the system’s unique R.N. Residency Program to prepare new graduate nurses for their transition into the workplace. Nurses are also offered generous salaries with shift differentials, as well as bonus and relocation assistance. They also offer competitive total benefits packages including medical, dental, vision, life insurance, retirement 403b, paid time off, sick time, and vacation time.

OHSU 

OHSU is Oregon’s public academic health center and a premier national research hub. Combining its schools of medicine, nursing, pharmacy, dentistry, and public health with its affiliated hospitals and clinics throughout Oregon and southwest Washington, it has been named the top hospital in Oregon by U.S. News & World Report and has six specialties ranked among the best in the nation. It also is home to the Oregon Health & Science University Doernbecher Children’s Hospital, which is among the top 50 U.S. pediatric facilities in multiple specialty areas. OHSU was designated a Magnet hospital in recognition of the quality of its nursing program.

Nurses working for OHSU receive generous pay, paid time off, health care coverage, and a choice of retirement plans. Many positions are offered hiring bonuses, relocation assistance, and retention incentives.

Cambia Health Solutions

Cambia is a non-profit organization headquartered in Portland and offers multiple health plans to consumers. It employs almost 5,000 employees, including nurses, and has won multiple awards, including being named one of the World’s Most Ethical Companies by the Ethisphere Institute, one of the Healthiest 100 Workplaces in America by Springbuk, a Best Managed company by Deloitte, and having earned a perfect score on the Corporate Equality Index for LGBTQ+ Workplace Equality by the Human Rights Campaign. In addition to its health care plans, the organization has a palliative care and caregiving division that helps people live as well as possible for as long as possible, and supports family caregivers.

Nurses working for Cambia can expect their compensation to include base pay as well as an exceptional 401(k) match, bonus opportunities, and other benefits. The company offers comprehensive well-being programs and benefits, including annual employer contribution to a health savings account, up to 12 weeks of paid parental time off, furniture and equipment allowance for employees working from home, and up to $225 in Amazon gift cards for participating in various well-being activities. 

Beyond these hospitals and employers, Portland’s health care employers include clinics, behavioral health centers, private practices, schools, and more. For information on some of the many exciting opportunities available in Portland, visit Incredible Health’s nursing job search page. 

Written by Incredible Health Staff

At Incredible Health, it's a team effort to achieve our vision: Help healthcare professionals live better lives. Many are licensed practitioners themselves; others are simply passionate writers and leaders dedicated to providing valuable resources to nurses.

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How the nursing workforce has changed over time

Mar 17 2023

Even as the population of the United States becomes more diverse—with people of color making up more than 40% of U.S. residents as of 2020—the nursing workforce isn’t following suit.

Incredible Health analyzed 2023 data from Revelio Labs and 2020 data from the National Council of State Boards of Nursing and found that nurse demographics have remained relatively consistent over the past two decades. 

Bureau of Labor Statistics data shows that there were about 3.05 million nurses nationwide in May 2021, earning a median $37.31 per hour. Nurses’ work is undoubtedly crucial, especially in the wake of the ongoing nursing shortage which was exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Still, the last few years have seen a push for a more diverse medical field that better represents the population it serves. In the United States, people of color fare worse than their white counterparts across a wide range of health measures—a trend at least partly attributed to disparities in access to health care.

Receiving medical care from someone with a similar cultural background or ethnicity can help patients feel more comfortable. And research has linked more diverse health care workforces with higher-quality patient care. A 2022 Columbia University study even found that states with higher levels of nurse diversity reported fewer health complications for moms during childbirth.

Keep reading to see demographic snapshot of the nursing workforce today—and perhaps discover opportunities to increase diversity within the field.

A woman nurse with a mask on putting on gloves.

Nursing remains a female-dominated field

Revelio data shows that about 84% of nurses are female. This figure has remained nearly the same over the past decade, with the share of female nurses having changed by less than 1 percentage point since 2008. (Note: Only binary gender data was available.)

The reason that nursing remains so dominated by women likely comes down to societal gender norms.

Historically, people have viewed nursing as a woman’s profession, from early wet nurses and midwives to Florence Nightingale’s pioneering nurse training programs in the 19th century, which favored women over men.

Society sees nurses as caretakers, and ascribes seemingly feminine traits like humility, empathy, and kindness to the profession. Although the number of male nurses has grown slightly, these occupational stereotypes often dissuades men from entering the field.

A split bar chart showing the share of nurses by ethnicity in 2008 and 2023.

Nurses are still predominantly white

Despite the need for diversity and inclusion in the medical field, about three-quarters of nurses are white—a percentage that has barely shifted in the last 15 years. As of 2020, only 58% of Americans identify as white, indicating that the nursing field isn’t representative of its patient population.

A diverse workforce leads to increased creativity and problem-solving, and greater health equity for marginalized groups. 2019 research published in the American Economic Review journal found that patients are more likely to take advantage of preventative care and have better health outcomes when their provider is of a similar race or background.

Many nursing schools have made changes to increase the number of diverse nurses entering the field. Some are reducing their reliance on standardized testing and switching to holistic admissions policies. Some are reevaluating how institutions recruit students and faculty to eliminate racial bias. And others are introducing more hospital community programs to raise awareness of nursing as a potential career.

These efforts are paying off: The number of nursing students of color has steadily increased at the undergraduate and graduate levels over the past several years.

A woman doctor talking with a patient.

The 2020 median age for RNs was 52

In 2020, the median age for registered nurses was 52—a year older than what the same study determined in 2017. Data Revelio sourced from LinkedIn also supports this observation, revealing that nurses have gotten older on average over the past 15 years. The higher average age in nursing can  be partially attributed to the aging baby boomer population, which represents the second-largest population behind millennials.

As baby boomer nurses retire, millennial nurses are taking their place: Millennials are entering nursing at about twice the rate of baby boomers. However, that still might not be enough to combat the worsening nursing shortage. Nursing school enrollment isn’t keeping up with the demand for new nurses, and a lack of nursing school faculty makes it challenging to increase admissions.

Medical students studying on their laptops.

Bachelor’s degrees growing among nurses

Prospective nurses have several choices for their education. To become a registered nurse, you must first complete either an associate degree in nursing over two years or a bachelor’s degree over four years. Then, you need to pass the NCLEX-RN licensure exam.

Though you can get your nursing license with either an associate or bachelor’s degree, many hospitals consider a bachelor’s degree in nursing the gold standard. Still, some nurses complete a more affordable associate’s degree first to start working sooner and then save up to pursue their bachelor’s degree.

Some nurses return to school to complete a Master of Science in Nursing program or a Doctor of Nursing Practice degree. After completing coursework, prospective nurse practitioners must pass a national board certification exam.In 2020, nearly half of nurses listed a bachelor’s degree in nursing as their highest level of education. This statistic has steadily increased over the past decade. Forty-two percent of registered nurses also said their bachelor’s degree qualified them for their first U.S. nursing license.


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Written by Annalise Mantz

Annalise is an avid traveler, fitness fan, Harry Potter nerd, and home cook who's always working on my scone recipe. She lives in a tiny New York City apartment with her husband, but grew up on a ranch in Northern California surrounded by horses, dogs, and cats. Annalise is a jack of all trades, covering everything from dog breeds to historic U.S. destinations for Stacker.

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