When it comes to healthcare needs, Nevada has a lot in common with other states. Patients are predominantly older with one or more chronic health conditions, and a large segment of the nursing workforce is at or close to retirement age. These factors help explain the state’s nursing shortage.

While the state is facing a shortage, there is high demand for nursing professionals who can fill this need. The growth of the patient and resident population makes Nevada a good state for nursing jobs that pay well, and the online Registered Nurse (RN) to Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program from Nevada State University can help you meet this need.

What Is the Status of the Nursing Profession in Nevada?

According to the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN), the U.S. as a whole is facing a widespread nursing shortage because of retiring nursing school faculty, retiring nurses, increases in nursing school enrollments, changes in workplace standards, and more. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) predicts the national job outlook for RNs will expand by 6% through 2031.

Nevada is no different. Presently, the National Council of State Boards of Nursing Database (NCSBN) estimates 58,371 active RN and PN licenses in Nevada, and many more nurses are needed. Therefore, there are many employment opportunities available. Healthcare hiring platform Vivian projects that the demand for RNs in the state will result in 1,950 job openings annually, with the number of nurses expected to reach 29,630 by 2030. According to the Nevada Health Workforce Research Center (the Center), “Nevada currently needs over four thousand additional registered nurses simply to meet the national population-to-RN average.”

One of the factors contributing to the nurse shortage, besides a growing patient population and retirement, is a lack of nursing educators. That is because Nevada requires nursing faculty to have a master’s degree. Thus, there are not enough nurse educators because it takes them longer to prepare for an academic job.

Given the demand, a law may soon be passed to allow a Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC). Currently, 37 states are involved in the compact, while eight others have pending legislation to join the NLC. Nurses only need to be licensed in one of the participating states to practice in all of them without additional licensure. Nurses in Nevada are against the compact because they believe it will erode the quality of patient care in these ways:

  • Compromise the standards that Nevada has set in place for RNs to practice
  • Permit nurses with sanctions or a revoked license to move to Nevada to practice
  • Encourage nurses to receive licenses in a state with less stringent regulations and the lowest registration fees
  • Shrink the job pool for nurses from Nevada

The changing landscape of the nursing workforce and healthcare needs in Nevada make the nursing landscape in the state of peak importance.

Employment Opportunities for RNs in Nevada

According to the Center, there are many opportunities available to nurses in Nevada, with hospitals and other employers of nurses reporting “high vacancy rates” for nurses, “as well as ongoing reliance on expensive travel nurses.” This shortage “is compounded by an aging nursing workforce and ongoing labor market volatility associated with the pandemic.”

Nurses can pursue their BSN and help address the current shortage, which “is critical to improving population health and reducing health disparities in Nevada.” Nevada State’s program allows students to transfer 38 credits from an associate degree in nursing from an accredited community college or four-year university when applying to the program.

What Nursing Programs Award the Highest Number of BSN Degrees?

Nevada State recently took the top spot for the highest number of baccalaureate degrees awarded by an RN to BSN program. The school also holds the No. 1 spot for the number of BSN degrees conferred by a traditional four-year program. Here are the totals for Nevada State University from the Nevada State Board of Nursing 2021-2022 report:

  • RN to BSN program: 106 BSN degrees
  • BSN program: 254 degrees

What Is the Annual Salary for Nurses in Nevada?

According to ZipRecruiter, the average annual salary for an RN with a BSN is $75,776 per year as of July 2023, while RNs in Nevada earned an annual mean wage of $96,310 in May 2022. For states with the best RN salaries, Nevada ranks in the top percentile, according to Indeed.

Where Can Nurses Find Available Jobs in Nevada?

According to Incredible Health, some of the best hospitals and nursing opportunities, such as those with top rankings from Healthgrades, include the following:

  • Renown Regional Medical Center
  • MountainView Hospital
  • Southern Hills Hospital and Medical Center

What Are the Popular Nursing Occupations and Work Environments?

By 2031, the BLS reports that the following organizations and fields will employ the most nurses:

  • Hospitals, including general medical and surgical hospitals
  • Ambulatory healthcare services, such as physicians’ offices and home healthcare services
  • Nursing and residential care facilities
  • Government facilities
  • Administrative and support services
  • Educational services

Nevada placed No. 12 on Wallet Hub‘s 2023 list for opportunity and competition. Nevada’s need for nurses provides an incentive for nurses to complete Nevada State University’s online RN to BSN program. In as few as 12 months, students can graduate and be ready to advance in their nursing career with the necessary skills and experience to fill widespread demand for nursing professionals.

Learn more about Nevada State University’s online RN to BSN program.