Above: New Orleans’ French Quarter is home to many great dining and entertainment options. Photo copyright Louisiana Office of Tourism.

“Let the land rejoice, for you have bought Louisiana for a song.”

— Gen. Horatio Gates to President Thomas Jefferson,
July 18, 1803

You may consider yourself an accomplished bargain shopper, but it’s hard to top the deal President Thomas Jefferson struck in 1803, when he bought 800,000 square miles of land from French emperor Napoleon Bonaparte for about 4 cents an acre. America needed the Louisiana Territory to ensure access to the vital Mississippi River shipping corridor and continue its westward expansion, and that it did. The Louisiana Purchase effectively doubled the size of the United States, going down in history as the greatest real estate deal of all time.

In 1803, Louisiana was one of the most culturally diverse areas of the country, with westbound American trappers and settlers joining the Caribbean, African, Spanish, French, and American Indian residents of the territory. Today, the state of Louisiana proudly touts its ethnic heritage, which is still very much alive in its delightful cuisine, music, and entertainment. And the state’s thriving health care industry is proof that Louisiana continues to attract those seeking the good life.

On Duty

Due to its popularity with those in the nursing profession, Louisiana doesn’t suffer a shortage of nurses to the same degree as some other states, says Tawna Pounders, RN, MNSc, CS, executive director of the Louisiana State Nurses Association. “There are some employers who are having difficulty finding registered nurses,” Pounders says, “but if you look at the raw numbers, the fact is that the RN population in Louisiana has been steadily increasing. It’s still a pretty tight labor market, but it’s one that’s in our favor right now.”

Why has Louisiana been spared the brunt of the national nursing shortage? Pounders says it has much to do with the state’s extensive educational offerings. “There are 24 schools of nursing in the state, geographically scattered throughout Louisiana,” she notes. “For anyone who wants to become an RN, distance is not a problem.”

According to Pounders, those schools are turning out some highly educated alumni. “The graduates from our schools tend to score well on the NCLEX, even on the first sitting,” she says. “We always exceed the national average, and we generally have at least one or two schools with a 100% pass rate. We produce a product we’re very proud of.”

New Orleans skyline, seen from the Mississippi River.
Photo courtesy of Photodisc.

And Louisiana is home to one of the youngest groups of nurses in the nation, according to Pounders. “You always hear about how old everybody is getting and how we’re basically decomposing before your eyes,” she laughs. “But here, about 40% to 50% of our nurses are under the age of 40. That’s very different from the national statistics, which show that less than 30% of nurses are under 40. So we’ve got a young group, but still a sufficient number of older, seasoned nurses who are there to mentor the younger ones and help them up the ladder.”

With no lack of nurses, there is no shortage of Louisiana health care employers either. The Louisiana Hospital Association boasts 157 member hospitals across the state, and many other employment opportunities exist at nursing homes and other venues. “We have just shy of 40,000 nurses residing in Louisiana, and most of them are employed,” Pounders says. “The ones who aren’t are mostly unemployed by choice.”

Three hospitals in Louisiana have earned Magnet status from the American Nurses Credentialing Center: East Jefferson General Hospital in Metairie, Lafayette General Medical Center in Lafayette, and the Ochsner Clinic Foundation in New Orleans. And, in its 2003 list of the nation’s best hospitals, U.S. News & World Report ranked West Jefferson Medical Center, a 462-bed not-for-profit community facility in Marrero, one of the top facilities in America for rheumatology.

Want to get back to nature? Take a trip down the Atchafalaya River, which offers stunning views. Photo copyright Louisiana Office of Tourism.

Off Duty

Whether you prefer the rural life or the excitement of a big city, Louisiana has a niche for you. The state’s official musical instrument is the diatonic accordion, which is also known as a “squeezebox” or Cajun accordion. When you visit southern Louisiana, you’ll know why. The area west of Baton Rouge has become a mecca for those seeking good food, great music, and down-home fun.

Known as “the French capital of Louisiana,” Lafayette offers delicious Cajun treats, such as filé gumbo and étoufée, original Zydeco and Cajun music, and boat rides on the scenic Atchafalaya River. Down in Lake Charles, you can soak up some sun at “The Cajun Riviera,” the only white-sand inland beach along the Gulf Coast. And in New Iberia, don’t miss the Jungle Gardens at Avery Island, home to the McIlhenny Company’s world-famous Tabasco factory.

Farther north, in the heart of the state, the entertainment is even more pastoral. At the Kisatchie National Forest, shady woodlands and peaceful bayous attract nature buffs and city dwellers in need of a recharge. The park’s 600,000 acres let visitors leave civilization far behind, at least for an afternoon.

Golf Magazine named the Carter Plantation golf course one of the “Top 20 Places You Can Play.” Photo copyright Louisiana Office of Tourism..

If you like to hit the links, Louisiana’s Audubon Golf Trail was made to order. Consisting of nine courses spanning the entire state, the world-class Golf Trail entices players of every skill level from all points of the compass. Earlier this year, Golf Magazine named Audubon Golf Trail course Carter Plantation one of the “Top 10 You Can Play.”

Louisiana offers many more outdoor activities, including birding, boating, swimming, water skiing, and windsurfing, but you can stay outdoors only for so long. When it’s time to kick back and enjoy culture, nightlife, shopping, and fine dining, the big cities beckon.

New Orleans, and much of Louisiana, offers a terrific mix of the old and the new. Photo copyright Louisiana Office of Tourism.

As the second-largest city in Louisiana, state capital Baton Rouge is often lost in the glare of its bigger cousin that is an hour south. But the city sports a more peaceful lifestyle than The Big Easy and offers the charm of a small town combined with a big-city energy that befits a growing center of commerce. Its attractions include plantation homes, old governmental buildings, swamp tours, a world-renowned zoo, gardens, museums, wildlife centers, an arts and science facility that soon will house a state-of-the-art planetarium space theater, and a multitude of fine restaurants.

But for most people, the names “Louisiana” and “New Orleans” are nearly synonymous. Home to nearly half a million people at the last census, the city is a heady blend of art, music, old-world architecture, and mouth-watering cuisine — and that’s just the French Quarter. The city’s unofficial motto is “Laissez le bon temps roulez!” (Let the good times roll!), which gives you an idea of just how much fun you can have there.

The National D-Day Museum in New Orleans is the official
national museum dedicated to the World War II invasion.

If the rowdy French Quarter isn’t your style, the city brims with cultural attractions, as well. Here is just a small sample:

• The Ogden Museum of Southern Art — has the largest collection of Southern art in the world.
• The Contemporary Arts Center — dedicated to both performance and visual arts of all types.
• National D-Day Museum — declared by Congress as the official national museum dedicated to the World War II invasion.
• The New Orleans Museum of Art — collection contains more than 40,000 objects. The museum is noted for its displays of French, African, Japanese, and American art, as well as photography, glass art, and many fine paintings from around the world.
• The Presbytere — originally a cathedral, it now contains many historic artifacts, costumes, music, and interactive displays associated with Mardi Gras.

As you can see, there is something for everyone in Louisiana. With a thriving health care industry and a young and vigorous workforce, the state’s outlook is bright. Thomas Jefferson would be proud.