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by C.J. Gustafson
Nursing Schools.com Contributing Writer
July 18th, 2005

The Hohokam Indians lived in the area that is now Phoenix from the 300s BC until the 1400s AD. They were among the first people to tame the desert area around Phoenix. They developed a sophisticated network of canals to irrigate the area, enabling them to establish a thriving community. No one knows for certain what happened to this inventive civilization, but the modern day Phoenix was named after the mythical bird the Phoenix because the city is said to have risen from the ashes of the ancient Hohokam settlement.

Small City Feel -- Big City Services
Today the city, which is the capital of Arizona, spans more than 500 square miles, geographically exceeding Los Angeles. Because of this expansive layout, Phoenix does not experience the traffic and crowding problems typical of larger cities. The beauty and openness of the surrounding desert and mountain terrain, along with one of the warmest, driest climates in the U.S., continues to draw hundreds of people to visit and to live.

Phoenix is one of the three fastest-growing cities in the U.S., and the nation's fifth largest, with a population of nearly 1.4 million. Including the residents of the surrounding communities such as Scottsdale, Glendale, Tempe, Mesa and several other smaller suburbs, the Greater Phoenix Metropolitan Area has a population of 3.3 million. To meet the health care demands of a large population, a city needs numerous hospitals and medical facilities, and Phoenix has one of the most impressive lists in the country.

A Wealth of Health Care Facilities
Banner Health System is one of the area's largest employers with 13,756 employees working at numerous locations in Maricopa County and the surrounding area, including Banner Estrella Medical Center and Banner Good Samaritan Medical Center located in Phoenix. Good Samaritan has over 600 beds, as does Maricopa Medical Center, one of the area's largest hospitals and home to a 24-hour, pediatric emergency department, Level I trauma care, and the Arizona Burn Center.

St. Joseph's Hospital & Medical Center is another large facility located in Phoenix. It has over 500 beds and includes Barrow Neurological Institute, one of the largest and most highly regarded full-service neuroscience centers in the country. The Mayo Clinic, another leader in the medical world, opened a facility in Scottsdale in 1987. It has evolved into an integrated multi-campus system that includes Mayo Clinic Hospital in northeast Phoenix.

The list of medical facilities continues. Abrazzo Health Care operates four hospitals in Phoenix alone -- Maryvale Hospital Medical Center, Paradise Valley Hospital, Phoenix Baptist Hospital and Medical Center and Phoenix Memorial Hospital. The city is also home to the Arizona Heart Hospital and Phoenix Children's Hospital. In addition, there are many more hospitals in Scottsdale, Mesa, and surrounding areas, and hundreds of smaller facilities and clinics in the Phoenix metro region.

Bountiful Career Opportunities
Considering this large list of impressive medical facilities, one would think that the area is more than able to meet the demand for medical services. In fact, there continues to be an unmet need, due in part to a continually increasing population. In an article on AZCentral.com entitled In Good Health, writer Deb Rinard quoted Adda Alexander (executive vice president of the Arizona Hospital and Healthcare Association): "Arizona's population increased 40 percent from 1990 to 2000, and hospital/health care systems are striving to meet the needs of their communities by expanding programs, adding services and building facilities."

This amazing wealth of medical services provides unprecedented opportunities for those interested in careers in the nursing field. While in college, Darla Hopkins left her studies in nursing to pursue a marriage and family. When she and her husband decided to divorce, Hopkins was worried about how she would support herself and her children.

"Just out of curiosity, I started checking into the nursing field," she shared. "I talked to several hospitals and learned that they were in dire need of trained nurses. I was told that I could work in a related position until I completed my schooling. One HR person told me the hospital would help pay for my schooling, provided I came to work for them once I finished my degree."

Schools Partner With the Medical Community to Meet Demand
In fact, many hospitals and larger clinics in the Phoenix area have partnerships with schools to help address the nursing shortage in the city. Students can receive help with training costs, internship opportunities that often lead to employment, and even hiring bonuses. "It really is a great market for those in the health care professions," Hopkins said. "Instead of worrying how I'm going to make a living, it looks like my only problem will be trying to decide which job offer to take once I finish school."

There are numerous colleges and universities in Phoenix to help recruit and train qualified nursing professionals. The University of Phoenix, Phoenix College, and Gateway Community College are some of the more popular choices for students interested in a career as a Registered Nurse (RN), Nurse Practitioner, or Legal Nurse. Students at Phoenix's colleges and universities can also study Critical Care Nursing, Forensic Nursing, Hospice Care Nursing, Nursing Informatics, and Midwifery. They can also train for a career as a health care administrator or other related position in the health care field.

There are few cities on earth that have as many hospitals and health care facilities as Phoenix. Add in the appealing climate, unique natural environment, and small city feel with big city services, and it's no wonder Phoenix is a popular place to pursue a career in nursing.