Destination: Phoenix
Don Vaughan
Would you like to swap your boring job for a wide variety of challenging career choices and year-round fun in the sun? You can’t go wrong with Phoenix, one of the oldest modern cities in the US.
Though located on the eastern edge of the Sonoran Desert, Greater Phoenix, which includes the neighboring towns of Glendale, Scottsdale, Tempe, and Mesa, is much more than just cactus and cowboys. Over the years it has become a mecca for retirees, new families, and a vast array of businesses and industry, according to the Greater Phoenix Chamber of Commerce. The largest city in Arizona and the sixth-largest in the nation with a population of 1.3 million people, Phoenix is projected to exceed 3.3 million people by 2005.
What makes Phoenix so attractive? Foremost, it boasts nearly 300 days of sunshine a year, which is great if you love the outdoors. And, despite being a desert town, the temperatures really aren’t that bad. In January, the average temperature is 54 degrees F; in July, it’s a warm but tolerable 89 degrees F. Don’t forget — it’s a dry heat, as the locals are so fond of telling newcomers.
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The Arizona Center is a downtown hub that features shopping, dining, and a movie theater. Photo by Babe Sarver, courtesy of the Greater Phoenix Convention & Visitors Bureau. |
On Duty
Nursing jobs are plentiful in Phoenix because the city, like most the nation, is in the throes of a nursing shortage. That’s not surprising, considering that Phoenix is the most populous and fastest-growing city in Arizona.
“Currently, Arizona ranks 47th in the country with ratings of 6.28/1,000 [nurses per thousand people],” says Kathy Player, RN, EdD, president of the Arizona Nurses Association. “Vacancy rates in Arizona are approximately 16%, compared to 11% nationally. The average age for nurses in Arizona is 47, and for nursing faculty, it’s even higher at 54. Nurses retire faster here than we can fill the positions.”
However, Arizona has been working hard to recruit new nurses. Toward that goal, the Arizona Hospital and Healthcare Association received a national grant, Colleagues in Caring, funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation from 1996 to 2002. “The purpose of that grant was to enhance the health and welfare of Arizonans by improving access to a nursing workforce prepared to meet evolving consumer healthcare needs and consumer demands,” Player explains.
“The second phase of this grant, Campaign for Caring, is a five-year, $8 million initiative focused on improvements in education and the workplace and promoting career opportunities in the field. As part of a nationwide recruitment plan, Johnson & Johnson launched a multimillion- dollar campaign to attract more people into the profession. The Arizona Hospital and Healthcare Association facilitated the partnering allowing Arizona to take part in that nationwide nursing recruitment plan, which is called The Promise of Nursing for Arizona.”
Presently, Arizona does not have any Magnet hospitals. However, that’s expected to change quickly because nearly 10 Phoenix facilities are gearing up to apply for Magnet status. “The message of needing to improve the workforce environment for nurses has been well received in Arizona and hospitals are responding accordingly,” Player says.
Nursing salaries in Arizona rank 17th in the nation, with average hourly wages at approximately $22.63 and annual salaries averaging $47,070. Player adds that many hospitals in Arizona have additional financial incentives in place, such as sign-on bonus plans, clinical ladder incentives, mentor and preceptor incentives, and relocation packages.
As a result of its ongoing growth, Phoenix has successfully established itself as a progressive and forward-thinking city when it comes to healthcare. It is a model municipality with some of the most innovative medical science in the nation. For example, Phoenix is the headquarters of the International Genomics Consortium (IGC) and the Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen). The IGC plans to apply genomic analysis to human tumor samples and publish an accessible database for profiling the genetic changes. TGen is focusing on translating genetic information of cancer and other diseases into new diagnostic tests and therapies.
Also boosting the reputation of the Greater Phoenix area is the Virginia G. Piper Cancer Center at Scottsdale Healthcare-Shea in nearby North Scottsdale. The Piper Center houses the Arizona Cancer Center, where the New Therapies Program provides access to cancer-related clinical trials and prevention programs.
Other news-making — and job-offering — medical facilities include —
- The Barrow Neurological Institute of St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center in Phoenix, which specializes in Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, stroke, epilepsy, pediatric neurology, and state-of-the-art neurological and spine surgery techniques. This dedication to advanced healthcare placed St. Joseph’s on U.S. News & World Report’s 2002 list of America’s Best Hospitals, along with Good Samaritan Regional Medical Center in Phoenix and Thunderbird Samaritan Medical Center in Glendale.
- The Phoenix Children’s Hospital, which boasts a 20-acre, full-service pediatric hospital.
- The Mayo Clinic-Scottsdale.
Nurses looking for additional education or the opportunity to mentor a student nurse have many excellent nursing programs from which to choose in the Phoenix area. Arizona State University, Grand Canyon University, the University of Phoenix, and approximately six community colleges offer associate degree nursing programs with flexible hours. In addition, Rio Salado Community College will be starting an online associate degree nursing program this fall.
“Arizona is very progressive and competitive with educational offerings for nurses,” Player says. “Opportunities include accelerated second degree programs, RN-to-BSN tracks, and educational offerings right in the hospital setting, so nurses can take classes after work without the commute to school. In addition, the majority of Arizona healthcare facilities offer fabulous employer tuition-reimbursement packages to nurses seeking to further their education. In many cases, nurses who desire higher education can do so with close to, if not 100% of the costs covered.”
It’s important to note that Arizona is a member of the Interstate Compact Agreement, which means nurses working in other compact states with unrestricted licenses can work in Arizona. Better yet, a nurse working for a large healthcare system can spend the winter in Phoenix and summer in another compact state without leaving his or her hospital system.
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The Kierland Commons (left) is an upscale retail, restaurant, and commercial center. The Heard Museum (right) is a perfect place to experience the native cultures and art of the Southwest. Photos courtesy of the Greater Phoenix Convention & Visitors Bureau. |
Off Duty
Phoenix has long had a stellar reputation as a great place to have fun, which is why it’s one of the nation’s premier vacation and convention centers. In fact, no matter what your interests — from dining to culture to sports — Phoenix has you covered.
Fabulous food. Whether you’re a true gourmand or an old-fashioned steak-and-potatoes kind of person, you’ll find a wide selection of great dining experiences in Phoenix. There are literally hundreds of restaurants in the greater Phoenix area, so we turned to Greater Phoenix Explorer magazine, published by the Greater Phoenix Convention & Visitors Bureau, for the lowdown on the best places to spend your dining dollars.
For traditional American food, your choices include A League of Our Own, Acacia at Four Seasons Resort Scottsdale, Alchemy at Copperwynd, American 5 & Diner, Bandera Restaurant, Cowboy Ciao, Ed Debevic’s, Eddie Matney’s, The Famous Door, Portland’s Café Royal, Steve’s Greenhouse Grill, and Tom’s Tavern. If you’re an unapologetic carnivore with a hankering for steak, check out Beef Eaters Restaurant; Fleming’s Prime Steak House & Wine Bar; Kincaid’s Fish, Chop & Steakhouse; Morton’s of Chicago; Roti Joe’s Char Pit; or Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse.
Barbecue lovers are encouraged to visit the city’s two Honey Bears Bar-B-Que restaurants or the La Mesa Pit BBQ, while those who prefer seafood can choose from Chart House Restaurant, Fish Market Restaurant, Landry’s Pacific Fish Company, and others.
An enthusiastic sports town, Phoenix boasts several popular sports bars and restaurants, including Alice Cooper’stown, Fox Sports Grill, Friday’s Front Row Sports Grill Group (located inside Bank One Ballpark, overlooking left field and third base), Jackson’s on 3rd, and The Original Hamburger Works.
Diners with more eclectic tastes can indulge their passion for Asian food (P.F. Chang’s China Bistro, Roy’s of Phoenix, Thaifoon-Taste of Asia), Cajun (Fat Tuesday’s Phoenix), Caribbean (Bahama Breeze), French (Christopher’s Fermier Brasserie and Paola’s Wine Bar), Irish (Rula Bula, Tempe Irish Pub and Restaurant), Italian (Avanti Restaurant of Distinction, Foccaccia Fiorentina, Mancuso’s Restaurant), Japanese (Ah-So Teppanyaki & Sushi Restaurant, Kyoto), and Mexican (Carlos O’Brien’s Mexican Restaurant, El Encanto, Los Olivos Mexican Patio).
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Phoenix is a resort town, so feel free to pamper yourself at one of the local getaways. Photos courtesy of the Greater Phoenix Convention & Visitors Bureau. |
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Relax a little. Phoenix is a resort destination, which means people come here to chill out and have fun. And what better way to spoil yourself than with a relaxing day at the spa? Greater Phoenix has a wide selection of day spas, many of which are located in the city’s renowned resorts. Each is unique in its own way, and may offer such services as cold and warm stone therapies, aromatherapy exfoliations, yoga, tai chi, and even astrology.
Some of the better-known spas include the Phoenician’s Centre for Well-Being (listed as one of the best in the country by Conde Nast Traveler), the Arizona Biltmore Resort & Spa, Pointe at South Mountain, the Fairmont Scottsdale Princess Resort, and the Golden Door Spa at the Boulders in Carefree.
Sports aplenty. In Phoenix, where the sun shines almost every day, professional sports aren’t just a pastime — they’re an obsession. In fact, Phoenix is one of just eight cities in the entire country to have teams in all four major professional sports.
In 2001, Phoenix made the front page of every sports section in the country when the Arizona Diamondbacks defeated the seemingly unstoppable New York Yankees to win one of the most exciting World Series in baseball history. The Diamondbacks play at Bank One Ballpark, where you can buy lower-level seats (in the bleachers) for as little as $12.50.
If you’re not a baseball fan, don’t despair — it’s not the only game in town. The Phoenix Suns basketball team, which plays at America West Arena in downtown Phoenix, has called the city home since 1968 and has a streak of 13 playoff appearances in 14 years. Good tickets can be had for less than $30.
Local gridiron fans cheer the Arizona Cardinals. Founded in 1898, the Cardinals franchise was a charter member of the National Football League and is the oldest continuously run professional football franchise in the US. The team moved to Phoenix from St. Louis in 1988 and play in Sun Devil Stadium at Arizona State University. A new stadium with a retractable roof is under construction in Glendale. Season-ticket packages can be purchased for as little as $27 a game.
Hockey in a desert town may seem like an oxymoron, but that doesn’t faze the rabid fans of the Phoenix Coyotes. The team relocated to Arizona from Winnipeg in 1996 and has made five playoff appearances. Always fascinating is the team’s postseason “white out” tradition in which fans show their support by wearing only white clothing and even painting their faces white. The Coyotes will soon be playing home games in nearby Glendale, where a new 17,000-seat arena is under construction. Miniseason packages start at $242.
For those who prefer to play sports rather than watch, golf is by far the game of choice in the Phoenix area, which boasts nearly 200 private and public courses of varying difficulty.
Shopping fun. Those who consider shopping a sport will find plenty to keep them busy at Phoenix’s seven malls, where you can enjoy a cool respite from the desert heat for an hour or a day. (The city’s neighboring municipalities also have several malls within an easy drive.) In addition to many stores specific to Arizona, you’ll find a wide selection of national retail favorites, such as Dillard’s, J.C. Penney, Macy’s, Nordstrom, and Robinson’s-May.
Cool culture. As a city with 8,000 years of heritage, Phoenix is deservedly proud of its diverse ethnic and cultural attractions. The complete list of must-see activities is too long to report here, but highlights include the Hall of Flame Museum of Firefighting, the Desert Botanical Garden, the Arizona State Capitol Museum, the Pueblo Grande Museum and Cultural Park, the Phoenix Zoo, and St. Mary’s Basilica.
Living Well
Phoenix remains a city on the grow, and one of tremendous diversity. It is strongly influenced by both Hispanic and Native-American cultures, and there is a strong demand for bilingual nurses interested in attending to these in-need populations.
Although Phoenix is touted as a prime retirement location, the average age of residents is only 32, according to the US Census Bureau, and the average household income is $55,400. Professionals make up the highest percentage of skill level in the Phoenix area at 8.15%, followed by executives at 6.13%. Healthcare workers make up just 0.69% of the total.
One of the biggest reasons people move to Phoenix is the housing market. Not only does the area offer a wide selection of scenic views but there are also home prices for almost every income. A study conducted by the Arizona Real Estate Center at Arizona State University found that the median sales price for a new home in Maricopa County in 2002 was $159,990, which is approximately $22,000 less than the national average. The region also boasts a strong renters market, with several new rental communities currently under construction.
Public transportation is provided by Valley Metro, which offers inexpensive bus service throughout the Greater Phoenix area. Many commuters are looking forward to the opening of the area’s new light-rail system, which will provide a superfast link between Phoenix, Tempe, Mesa, and Glendale. The system is expected to open in late 2006.
If you have children, you should know that Arizona has made great strides in improving the overall quality of its public education. In 2000, voters overwhelmingly approved a multimillion dollar funding package for classroom and teacher needs, and in May 2002, Gov. Jane Dee Hull signed a bill known as Arizona LEARNS, which evaluates schools in an effort to identify and engage those most in need of assistance. According to Money magazine, the student-to-teacher ratio in Phoenix is 17.83-to-1, which is higher than the national average of 15.43-to-1, but remember, this area has seen tremendous growth.
What You Can See for a C-Note
You’ve been working hard and you finally have a day off. Better still, you have $100 in fun money to spend on yourself. What should you do? Let’s start with breakfast at My Florist Café. This eclectic restaurant is a converted flower shop adjacent to the Willo Bread Company and is a favorite with the locals. It opens at 6 AM and has a range of delicious breakfast deals that will cost you less than $8.
After a hearty morning meal, let’s drive over to the Heard Museum, which is acclaimed as one of the best Native-American culture and art museums in the Southwest. USA Today called this crown jewel of the Phoenix cultural scene “the most prestigious private Indian arts center in the nation.” Admission is just $7 for adults and $3 for children.
From there, we’ll spend the afternoon at Heritage Square, an astounding collection of historic buildings that date back to the 1800s. Many homes in the region have been meticulously restored and decorated to the period and are open for tours. The Victorian Rosson House, built in 1895, is the square’s centerpiece. Next door, the Heritage Café — where you can get a fabulous lunch for about $10 — occupies a turn-of-the-century carriage house. Located directly across from Heritage Square is the Phoenix Museum of History, which features interactive exhibits on early Phoenix history and development. Admission is a bargain at $5.
Once we’ve had our fill of Phoenix history and culture, it’s time for dinner at Pizzeria Bianco. This small Italian eatery does huge local business and is said to have some of the best pizza in town. A tasty and filling dinner can be had for less than $20.
We’ll wrap up the evening with a night game at Bank One Ballpark in Copper Square. The home of the Diamondbacks is a beautiful structure that even features a swimming pool. Very good seats can be had for less than $30, leaving you plenty of money for peanuts and ice-cold beer.
Phoenix is a city with roots in the Old West and eyes set firmly on tomorrow. For nurses, it holds tremendous promise for personal change and professional growth.
