Louisiana nursing careers are regulated by the Louisiana State Board of Nursing, under the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals. Louisiana requires degrees and licenses for its registered nurses (RNs) and advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs). There are many nursing positions to choose from: certified nurse midwife (CNM), certified registered nurse anesthetist (CRNA), clinical nurse specialist (CNS) and nurse practitioner (NP).
"Future Louisiana nursing needs"
The Bureau of Labor Statistics sees a favorable career outlook for nurses. The healthcare system is rapidly expanding, making nursing one of the most rapidly growing fields in the country. Louisiana nursing careers should benefit from older nurses retiring; some experts estimate that 50% could retire immediately. More people need hospitals due to contaminated conditions in the environment.
The average annual starting salary for a Louisiana registered nurse is $32,000; many nursing graduates are leaving Louisiana for higher paying jobs in other states - Texas registered nurses receive average annual starting salaries of about $45,000. The average CRNA salary in New Orleans is about $140,000 per year. It is estimated that New Orleans lost about 25% of her CRNAs due to Hurricane Katrina.
Increasingly, online nursing programs are filling the void in Louisiana nursing, maximizing limited nursing school resources. Louisiana nursing careers offer many options: hospitals, government facilities and private doctor clinics. Many nurses prefer to work in private clinics rather than hospitals. Hospitals and health care facilities are desperately looking for nurses in Louisiana, offering bonuses to attract nurses.
Online nursing programs can get you a degree quickly so you can benefit from the many Louisiana nursing opportunities available. Federal and state governments are working with nursing organizations to increase nursing graduation rates, providing grants to prospective students.