Whale-watching is a popular hobby in Washington.
Photo by J. Poth, courtesy of Washington State Tourism.

“The bluest sky you’ve ever seen, in Seattle...

“And the hills the greenest green, in Seattle...”

So begins the theme to “Here Come the Brides,” a short-lived television series best known for making Bobby Sherman and David Soul popular teen idols. But the song’s writers, Jack Keller, Hugo Montenegro, and Ernie Sheldon, were absolutely right - Washington is one of the most scenic states in the union, and it is an appreciative, welcoming destination for nurses in search of a new place to practice.

Bordered by Oregon, Idaho, the Canadian province of British Columbia, and the Pacific Ocean, Washington is a state of stunning geographic contrasts. It has beautiful, snow-capped mountains and dense forests in the west, and a huge expanse of grainland in the east.

The only state to be named after a president, Washington joined the Union as the 42nd state November 11, 1889. Its capital is Olympia, and its largest city is Seattle, which serves as a national gateway to East Asia and the Arctic north. The Cascade Mountains divide the state into two climatic regions. The area west of the range receives a lot of rain-bearing wind from the Pacific Ocean and is relatively temperate, with wet winters and cool summers. Eastern Washington is much drier, with warmer summers and colder winters.

Olympic State Park: Olympic National Park offers just one of
Washington’s many breath-taking views.Photo by Sunny Walter,
courtesy of Washington State Tourism.

On Duty

As with most states, Washington is in the middle of a nursing shortage, reports Joan Garner, RN, MN, director of nursing practice, education, government & media relations for the Washington State Nurses Association. In May 2003, according to the most recent data available, the number of RN vacancies statewide totaled more than 2,500. (Garner notes that this figure does not include employers with fewer than five employees.)

“Washington state has good data on RN shortages in hospitals but little on nurses outside of the acute care setting,” Garner says. “In a study conducted by the Washington State Hospital Association in 2002-2003, a high percentage of hospitals in all regions reported difficulty recruiting staff nurses.” Garner says specific specialties in need include ICU, CCU, ED, and OR.

Washington is working to improve recruitment and retention of nurses and other health care personnel in an effort to curb the state shortage before it becomes critical. In 2002, four committee leaders in the state House of Representatives - Phyllis Gutierrez Kenney, Eileen Cody, Steve Conway, and Shay Schual-Berke - requested that the Workforce Training and Education Coordinating Board convene a Health Care Personnel Shortage Task Force to address the shortage of health care personnel. The task force outlined six major goals in a 2003 report titled “Health Care Personnel Shortage: Crisis or Opportunity?” They are:

• Increase educational capacity and efficiency in health care training programs to enable more people to gain qualification to work in health care occupations.
• Recruit more individuals, especially targeted populations, into health care occupations and promote adequate preparation prior to entry.
• Develop a data-collection and analysis system to assess health workforce supply and demand.
• Retain current health care workers.
• Enable local communities to implement strategies to alleviate the health care personnel shortage in their areas.
• Develop a mechanism to ensure continued collaboration among stakeholders, track progress, create accountability for fulfilling this plan, and to plan for future health workforce needs.

The task force’s priorities place an emphasis on training and education. Key initiatives include providing funding to health care education and training programs in order to expand capacity and allow for the higher costs of providing these programs, and to provide compensation to health care program faculty that competes with wages earned outside teaching. The task force also encourages the expansion of clinical training capacity and the empowerment of local communities to address the shortage in their areas.

Nursing salaries in Washington are fairly competitive. Garner says the base salary for a graduate nurse in the state’s urban areas is approximately $21.93 an hour. Rural hospital base salaries start at $18.83 an hour. Neither figure includes shift differential or certification pay.

Washington has one Magnet hospital, the University of Washington Hospital & Medical Center in Seattle. This facility tied for ninth place with New York Presbyterian Hospital in U.S. News & World Report’s 2004 ranking of America’s Best Hospitals, and it placed among the top 50 hospitals in 12 specialties, including cancer, digestive disorders, geriatrics, gynecology, kidney disease, and rheumatology.

Children’s Hospital & Regional Medical Center, also located in Seattle, ranked 16th among the nation’s top 29 hospitals in pediatrics, according to the U.S. News & World Report annual survey.

According to Garner, nurses who want to advance their education or mentor a student nurse have several fine nursing programs from which to choose. More than 20 community colleges or technical colleges throughout the state offer associate degrees in nursing, and at least seven university programs lead nursing students to a BSN. In addition, several also offer distance-learning programs that allow study to be done online.

San Juan Islands: Catch a glimpse of amazing wildlife and beautiful nature in the San Juan Islands. Photo by J. Poth, courtesy of Washington State Tourism.

Mount St. Helens is known nationally for erupting in 1980 and gurgling again recently, but locals know it as a great place to picnic and enjoy the outdoors. Photo courtesy of Washington State Tourism.

Off Duty

To many people, Washington is most notable as the birthplace of Starbucks (in addition to Microsoft and grunge rock). But step outside that coffee shop and you will see some of the most spectacular natural panoramas in the nation. Without question, Washington is paradise for those who enjoy the great outdoors, and here is just a taste of what awaits you:

• If you’re interested in seeing killer whales in their natural environment, drop by Fidalgo Island, where commercial fishing has partially given way to a booming trade in boating tourism. Whale-watching excursions out of the city of Anacortes spot the 8-ton giants on 95% of their departures, so you have an excellent chance of going home with some remarkable memories. Members of local whale pods, based year-round in the San Juan Islands, are named, numbered, and can be easily identified by their distinctive markings.
• The 74-acre Seattle Center has been the pulse of Seattle entertainment since it opened for the 1962 World’s Fair. Seattle’s two largest annual music festivals are held here: Memorial Day weekend’s Northwest Folklife Festival and Labor Day weekend’s Bumbershoot both draw internationally renowned musical talent. The centerpiece of the Seattle Center is the 605-foot high Space Needle, which shoots visitors to the sky for fine dining and an incredible 360-degree view.
• If you find Seattle too busy, visit Lewis County, which is cradled between three of the most recognized Cascade volcanoes - Mount Rainier, Mount Adams, and Mount St. Helens. Lewis County is a popular tourist destination that offers visitors an array of thick forests, rich river valleys, and small-town attractions.
• Washington a wine mecca? You bet! In fact, the Walla Walla Valley is home to more than 50 boutique wineries that specialize in cabernet sauvignon, merlot, syrah, and other types. Most of the local wineries offer tours and tastings, as well as bottles for every budget and palate.

The climate of southeastern Washington makes it terrific for producing wine.
Photo by Sunny Walter, courtesy of Washington State Tourism.

Bald Eagles are just one kind of bird you can spot in Washington.
Photo by Sunny Walter, courtesy of Washington State Tourism.

Walls Walla County is also one of Washington’s most noted birding spots east of the Cascade Mountains. The 300-plus species spotted here include boreal owls, peregrine falcons, hawks, and long-billed curlews. Popular viewpoints include the nearby Blue Mountains and McNary National Wildlife Refuge near the confluence of the Snake and Columbia Rivers.

Sports-lovers will find plenty to cheer in Washington. Baseball fans root for the Seattle Mariners, who play at Safeco Field, while football fans pull for the Seattle Seahawks, who call Qwest Field home. Basketball fans go wild for the Seattle Supersonics, who play at KeyArena, as do the Seattle Storm of the WNBA. KeyArena is also the home rink of the Seattle Thunderbirds of the Western Hockey League. In addition, the University of Washington in Seattle and Washington State University in Pullman offer big-time college sports.

Golfers will find great links all over the state.
Photo courtesy of Washington State Tourism.

If golf is your game, you’re in luck. Washington boasts more than 200 public and private courses of varying difficulty and cost. Whether you’re just a weekend duffer or a seasoned player, you can easily find a course that will challenge you.

Washington is a state rich in history, heritage, and natural grandeur. It’s also a wonderful destination for nurses of all specialties who are seeking new and exciting career challenges.