Blog

Career Resources / Nursing Opportunities Fredericksburg, VA

While nursing has always been a truly portable profession, the national nursing shortage has made that even more true: once you’ve completed your schooling and gotten your license, you can take your skills with you wherever you want to go and find facilities welcoming you with open arms. You can work in whatever type of environment you prefer, from the hustle and bustle of an acute care hospital to the quieter atmosphere of an extended care facility. You can also choose whether to work in a big city or a rural community, anywhere in the country. 

If you’re looking for a community with a small-town feel combined with big-city features, you can’t do much better than living in Fredericksburg, Virginia. Fredericksburg’s hospitals and care facilities offer nurses generous salaries and benefits, plenty of opportunity for growth, and the chance to live in a region that offers an outstanding quality of life.  

Fredericksburg is located in between Washington, D.C. and Richmond, Virginia. It’s a wonderful combination of history and culture, with access to the best of the nation’s capital and its own proximity to some of the nation’s most iconic battlefields and colonial sites. Residents enjoy a remarkable quality of life highlighted by good schools, award-winning restaurants, museums, shops, and art galleries, plus an economy that has made Fredericksburg one of the fastest-growing towns in the state of Virginia.

Its location on the I-95 corridor and its location close to several international airports make Fredericksburg an easy place for family and friends to visit, as well as a convenient departure point for family vacations and exploration. Living and working in Fredericksburg puts you in close contact with the nationally ranked University of Mary Washington, as well as community colleges, and some of the nation’s most innovative cybersecurity, technology, and logistics companies. Housing is inexpensive and you’re surrounded by the best of the great outdoors, with the Atlantic Ocean and the Chesapeake Bay to the East and the Blue Ridge Mountains to the west. 

Types of Healthcare Jobs in Fredericksburg

As part of the Washington, D.C.  Metropolitan area, Fredericksburg’s four counties are home to more than 338,000 people. Residents are well served by healthcare facilities of all kinds, from the largest regional medical center in the region to private clinics, specialty care centers, rehabilitation facilities, and long-term care centers. Registered nurses can choose to work for private practices or the area’s renowned free clinic, in a bustling hospital department or in homecare.

---

---

As more and more people move to Fredericksburg, healthcare offerings and opportunities will continue to grow. Though it’s hard to pick the best from among so many great facilities, the following have set themselves apart as great employers based on the generous salaries they pay, sign-on bonuses and flexibility, and positive comments from current and previous employees.

1. Mary Washington Healthcare/Mary Washington Hospital

Mary Washington has been serving Fredericksburg since 1899, when it was an eight-room hospital. Since then, it has grown to the area’s largest regional health system, including Mary Washington Hospital, a Magnet-designated, Level II Trauma Center, and Stafford Hospital. The health system also includes three emergency departments and over fifty healthcare facilities and wellness services. As a nonprofit corporation, Mary Washington’s mission drives it to constantly reinvest in the organization through upgrades to its technology, expansion of its services, and reinvigorating its staff.

Mary Washington is a Great Place to Work-Certified company and one of Virginia’s fastest-growing healthcare systems. Its Centers of Excellence include the Regional Cancer Center, the Virginia Heart & Vascular Institute, the Human Motion Institute, the Women’s Health Institute, and the Neurosciences Center. The system supports its growth by ensuring that nurses are supported and encouraged to advance in their careers. The hospital offers all the benefits of a big city healthcare system in a beautiful, suburban setting, as well as newly increased pay rates and $15,000 sign-on bonuses. Nurses who are interested in learning more about the facility and its openings are encouraged to participate in Walk-in Wednesday interviews as well as virtual interviews that can be scheduled at your convenience. 

2. Pratt Medical Center

Pratt Medical Group started in 1937 when Dr. Frank Pratt joined forces with other primary care physicians in the belief that patients are best served when physicians work together in an organized group practice. Over the years, that practice has expanded to include multiple campuses and specialty group practices working under the umbrella of HCA Virginia Physicians. Specialty areas include Family medicine, gastroenterology, general surgery, obstetrics and gynecology, orthopedics, and pediatrics. 

3. Encompass Health

Encompass Health provides compassionate inpatient rehabilitation care, home health care, and hospice care. The company stresses empathy for patients, encouraging nurses to deliver integrated care across the health continuum. Nurses on the Encompass Health team are offered free in-person continuing education courses and live webinars, tuition reimbursement for clinical-related courses, and reimbursement of tuition and mandatory fees for full-time clinical employees participating in graduate and undergraduate level courses. They also provide a unique educational partnership with Chamberlain College of Nursing that discounts the RN-to-
BSN program by 50% and offers 15% savings for the RN to MSN track, as well as FNP, MSN graduate certificates, and DNP online programs. 

Fredericksburg’s community is served by hospitals, specialty practices, urgent care clinics, nursing and long-term care facilities, and more.

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

Career Resources / Five Reasons Nashville for Nurses

Nursing is a rewarding career that offers innumerable ways to make a difference, and Nashville, Tennessee is one of the best places in the country to find your perfect position. Forbes.com calls Nashville the health services capital of the United States, citing its extensive reach, its impact on healthcare education, the presence of one of the largest healthcare IT companies in the world, and its reputation as a “hospital town.”

Not only is Nashville home to some of the best nursing employers in the United States: registered nurses in Nashville are in demand and highly compensated. The low cost of living, as well as the lack of state income tax, means salaries go further in Nashville than that of peers in other locales, and nurses living in Nashville have the opportunity to advance their nursing education at some of the country’s top nursing graduate programs. Finally, Nashville is a vibrant, active city that is home to a legendary music scene and numerous cultural offerings. The city is growing rapidly, ranking second in the country for job creation in the last ten years, with healthcare leading its growth.

1. Nashville is Home to Top Nursing Employers

The Nashville metropolitan area boasts more than 30 hospitals, including the world-renowned Vanderbilt University Medical Center and the Vanderbilt Heart Transplant Center, which is the largest in the world. Vanderbilt is nationally ranked by U.S. News & World Report in nine adult specialties and 10 pediatric specialties, and as high performing in 4 specialties and 19 procedures or conditions. Nurses interested in a hospital setting can also opt to work for Ascension St. Thomas Hospital, TriStar Centennial Medical Center, which is also where you’ll find the city’s Children’s Hospital.

Registered nurses in Nashville have work options that go far beyond hospital settings. Nashville is home to more than 500 healthcare companies: it is where many of the nation’s largest investor-owned hospital chains are headquartered, including Hospital Corporation of America, as well as a growing number of pharma and biotech companies. Additionally, there are dozens of nursing homes and long-term care facilities, including six that were top-ranked by U.S. News & World Report, and countless clinics, private practices, schools, and government agencies that are in need of qualified, compassionate nurses.

---

---

2. Registered Nurses in Nashville Have Access to Top-notch Graduate Education

Registered nurses in Nashville can take advantage of some of the top nursing schools in the country to expand their knowledge and advance their careers. Some of the best nursing schools in the country are located in Nashville or the immediate vicinity, including Vanderbilt University, whose master’s in nursing program ranked 8^th in the country and whose Doctor of Nursing Practice degree was ranked 7^th in the country by U.S. News & World Report. Other Nashville-based options for earning an Advanced Practice nursing degree include Belmont University, which also offers both MSN and DNP degrees.

3. High Demand for Nashville Nurses Drives Generous Salaries and Bonuses

While there’s a significant nursing shortage across the nation, the situation in Nashville is so acute that Nashville-based Hospital Corporation of America has offered $1.5 million in scholarships to the city’s Fisk University specifically to fund nursing education. With demand continuing to skyrocket and nurses leaving the field, healthcare employers in the city are anxious to recruit and retain qualified registered nurses – and they are offering significant salaries, bonuses, and benefits to sweeten their offers. According to Indeed.com, the average base salary paid to registered nurses in Nashville is $112,572, and on top of that they are paid an average of $11,250 in overtime each year. Even those with less than a year of experience are earning six figures, and nurses with more than ten years of experience are earning over $132,000.

In addition to paying generous salaries, hospitals are offering significant hiring bonuses to registered nurses, with some as high as $12,500 on top of benefits that include paid time off, 401K accounts with matching deposits, health and life insurance, relocation reimbursement, and tuition reimbursement. Nurses who are already on staff are eligible for equally significant referral bonuses.

4. Economic Advantages of Living in Nashville

The salaries and sign-on bonuses being offered to registered nurses in Nashville make the city an attractive career option, but when you factor in the low cost of living and other economic advantages of living in Tennessee, the financial attractions are even greater. According to Payscale.com, the overall cost of living in Nashville is 2% lower than that of the national average. Add to that the fact that Tennessee has no state income tax and your paycheck will go even further. 

5. Quality of Life in Nashville

As rewarding as a career in nursing is, there’s more to life than the hours we spend at work. Nashville is Tennessee’s most populous metropolitan area, and the city’s creative roots have attracted innovators in all phases of life, making it one of the top cities in the country for job creation.. With almost two million people living and working in the city proper and surrounding suburbs, it is also one of the most exciting and vibrant cities in the country. Voted one of the Best Places to Live in America, Nashville is internationally known as the home of the Grand Ole Opry and country music in general, but music lovers can also enjoy classical music at the Schermerhorn Symphony Center. In recent years Nashville has blossomed into a culinary haven and enjoys multiple outdoor attractions for those who want to enjoy the region’s natural resources. 

Registered nurses will thrive in Nashville. To find a rewarding career in Nashville, start with Incredible Health’s innovative Nurse Job search platform and get multiple job offers from top Nashville employers. 

Career Resources / 5 Reasons Memphis for Nurses

Nursing can be challenging, but it’s also one of the most rewarding careers anybody could possibly choose, especially if you choose to do it in Memphis, Tennessee. Memphis offers a small-town feel in a big-city setting. It’s home to a rich music scene, plenty of job and educational opportunities, and some of the best food in the world. From a healthcare perspective, Memphis boasts both physicians and facilities that are regularly ranked as among the best in the nation. The city is home to Tennessee’s foundational source of medical education, the University of Tennessee Health Science Center, as well as the world-renowned St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. It’s a great place for a nursing professional to work and call home. 

1. Memphis is Home to Top Nursing Employers

With 16 area hospitals, urgent care facilities, nursing homes, private practices, and more, Memphis offers nurses a wide range of work environments from which to choose. Among them is the top-rated Baptist Memorial Hospital, which U.S. News & World Report rates high performing in 12 procedures and conditions, and the Methodist Hospitals of Memphis which is nationally ranked in three children’s specialties. Whether you’re interested in working with veterans or children, in an acute care setting or in home health, you’ll find plenty of options and a community that is working hard to ensure that nurses know that they’re valued. 

A recent article in Memphis Magazine profiled the efforts that Memphis employers are making to attract and retain qualified registered nurses. In addition to financial incentives, Memphis nurses are offered health and wellness benefits, schedule flexibility, and even seasonal shifts based on children’s school schedules. Regional One Health has created a specialized nurse residency program that exposes nurses to diverse patient-care settings, and Memphis hospitals are even offering to help pay nursing school tuition for those who commit to work for them afterward. 

---

---

2. Nurses in Memphis Have Top-notch Graduate Programs Close at Hand

Living and working in Memphis offers registered nurses remarkable opportunities to continue growing in their careers. The city is home to one of the nation’s top-ranked nursing schools, the University of Memphis’ Loewenberg College of Nursing, which offers MSN and PhD programs in Nursing with concentrations in Nursing Education, Advanced Practice, and Executive Leadership as well as an Accelerated RN to BSN to MSN program. Memphis is also home to the University of Tennessee Health Science Center, the first college of nursing in the state, and home to programs including a 12-month second-degree accelerated BSN program and a Doctor of Nursing Practice program with eight concentrations and three dual DNP concentrations, as well as a Ph.D. in nursing.

3. Nursing Shortages Drive Pay Raises, Sign-on Bonuses, and Benefits in Memphis  

As is true of many cities across America, Memphis is facing a significant nursing shortage that has driven facilities to extreme measures – and that works to the advantage of any registered nurse considering working in the town called the Home of the Blues. Nurses in Memphis have been offered substantial pay raises and sign-on bonuses, including a $20,000 bonus that Methodist Le Bonheur paid to keep full-time nurses on staff for two years and $10,000 paid to part-time bedside nurses.  The average salary for a Registered Nurse is $58.26 per hour in Memphis. On top of that, hospitals are working to attract and retain their staff with benefits that go beyond the typical health insurance and sick leave to include such offerings as yoga and mindfulness classes.

4. Economic Advantages of Living in Memphis

Memphis boasts a cost of living that is 15% below the national average, and according to the city’s chamber of commerce, there are a number of contributing factors that keep prices low. First and foremost, Tennessee imposes extremely low taxes on its residents, and there is no state income tax. Utility bills in the city are the lowest in the nation. The economy is growing, and as that happens the city is adding more jobs, led by the hospitality and tourism industry. Still, healthcare and social services represent one of the top industries in the area, amounting to over 14% of the population and over 39,000 healthcare and social assistance professionals working within the city.

5. Quality of Life for Nurses in Memphis

There are many reasons why living and working as a nurse in Memphis is so appealing. The city itself is ranked the fourth best place to live in Tennessee by U.S. News & World Report. Its affordable housing, schools, and expanding opportunities are attracting both young professionals and significant economic investment, and tourists flock to its historic sites and music venues. The metropolitan feel of the city is offset by its small-town vibe.

Additionally, Memphis has engaged in an innovative program called the Memphis Medical District Collaborative meant to strengthen community and improve both sense of place and opportunity in a previously troubled area of town. The 2.6 square mile district is anchored by eight of the city’s top hospitals and healthcare organizations, including Baptist College of Health Sciences; Memphis Bioworks Foundation; Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare; Regional One Health; Southern College of Optometry; Southwest Tennessee Community College; St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital/ALSAC; and University of Tennessee Health Science Center. Together they employ tens of thousands of people and have improved the safety, housing opportunities, employment, and social life of the district. Working within the district has provided nurses and others a real sense of purpose and civic engagement.

Nurses looking for real opportunities, a strong sense of community, and an excellent quality of life will find Memphis a wonderful place to live and work. To learn more about the opportunities available in this wonderful city, start with Incredible Health’s innovative job search platform and get multiple job offers from top Memphis employers. 

Career Resources / NusringOpportunities in Nashville

Registered nurses have the opportunity to work in a wide range of settings and locales. Their training, knowledge, professionalism, and caring are valued in hospitals and homes, in research, business, and teaching environments. As a nurse, you’ll find doors opened to you wherever you’d like to go, but there are very good reasons to be a nurse in Nashville, Tennessee. 

Not only is Nashville one of the best cities in Tennessee, but it was also ranked #25 on U.S. News & World Report’s best places to live in the entire country!  Despite the fact that it’s a much-buzzed-about town, the cost of living has remained low, and real estate is affordable. There are plenty of wonderful neighborhoods to put roots down, and there is so much to see and do that you’ll never be bored.

In terms of opportunities, nurses will find that Nashville was built as much around healthcare as it was around music. It is home to more than 250 healthcare companies, including the headquarters of many of the nation’s top for-profit hospitals. And if you’re looking to raise a family, you’ll find that Nashville has an excellent public school system that prepares graduates for whatever future they desire.

Types of Healthcare Jobs in Nashville

Nashville is a healthcare worker’s dream. In 2019, one in eleven jobs in the city was in healthcare, and it’s projected that ratio will change to one in eight in the next few years. These jobs represent clinical work in ambulatory care, home care, and residential care, as well as local, national, and international healthcare management firms, life science research companies, and professional services firms. There are also several top-ranked nursing programs in Nashville that offer LPN-to-RN programs, ADN programs, Direct-Entry BSN programs, BSN-to-MSN programs, and Direct-Entry MSN programs where qualified registered nurses can establish themselves as educators for future nurses.

---

---

With so many potential employers to choose from, it is hard to select the best nursing opportunities in Nashville. Here are some of our top choices based on salary, benefits, opportunities for growth, and reviews of previous employees.

1. Vanderbilt University Medical Center

Vanderbilt University Medical Center is consistently ranked among the nation’s best hospitals. It is also the largest comprehensive research, teaching, and patient care health system in the Mid-South Region. It consists of 7 adult and children’s hospitals, as well as over 200 clinics, and sees over three million patients a year. Vanderbilt has a staff of 40,000 individuals making it Middle Tennessee’s largest non-governmental employer. 

Registered nurses will find that Vanderbilt nurses are highly respected and have multiple opportunities for career growth. The hospital hires nurses at the Associate Degree level up through Doctor of Nursing Practice. It offers competitive compensation and benefits, including student loan payment assistance, flexible shifts, and sign-on bonuses up to $20,000 for full-time positions. 

2. Ascension Saint Thomas

Ascension is a national, faith-based healthcare organization with over 150,000 employees, including 50,000 nurses, working at over 2,600 sites of care. Among its eight Tennessee hospitals are two Nashville facilities: Ascension Saint Thomas Hospital Midtown, with 683 licensed beds, and Ascension Saint Thomas Hospital West, with 541 licensed beds. There are also numerous affiliates, medical practices, clinics, and rehabilitation facilities. 

Ascension relies upon registered nurses as compassionate caregivers and has created an innovative model focused on a culture of inclusion, improved care, team communication, and openness. They offer customizable benefits aimed at work-life balance, health and financial wellness, and career progression. Many positions offer significant sign-on bonuses, parental leave, adoption assistance, paid time off, various health insurance options, long- and short-term disability, and tuition reimbursement. 

3. TriStar Centennial Medical Center

This 741-bed comprehensive facility is situated on a 43-acre campus that includes a heart and vascular center, a women’s hospital, a children’s hospital, a cancer institute, an advanced joint replacement institute, and a mental health care facility. The medical center, which was named to Merative 100’s Top Hospitals List, has over 3,000 employees and has invested heavily in enhancing patient experiences and expanding services over the last few years.

Registered nurses who join TriStar Centennial Medical Center will find the hospital prides itself on its family approach. They offer competitive salaries,a comprehensive benefits package, access to the larger HCA Healthcare system, which provides the ability to transfer within their 185-hospital network. Nurses will find plenty of career development and advancement opportunities, including tuition reimbursement, student loan assistance, and other benefits, as well as sign-on bonuses up to $20,000.

In addition to hospitals, Nashville has rehabilitation facilities, private practices and clinics, home healthcare agencies, nursing schools, and a variety of businesses and service firms eager to have qualified registered nurses to join their teams.

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