Nursing Careers and Schools in North Carolina
North Carolina contains an Atlantic coastline with beaches, lighthouses and sand dunes, over 1,500 lakes, 200 waterfalls and more paved miles of road than any other state. Visitors flock to Kitty Hawk, where the Wright brothers made their first plane flight and to cities such as Asheville, Raleigh-Durham and Charlotte to enjoy great food, historic attractions and golfing. This state, as many others, seeks qualified nursing care for tourists as well as for residents. Registered nurses, physical therapists and emergency nurses all can find a place to work in “The Tar Heel State.”
Becoming a Nurse in North Carolina
A nurse who wishes to earn a doctoral degree in North Carolina can do so at East Carolina University in Greenville. The BSN and MSN also are offered at this school as well as at Duke University in Lexington. Duke provides specialties in acute care, administration, adult care, cardiology, family care, gerontology, HIV/AIDS, informatics, nurse anesthesia and more. Other schools, such as the College of the Albemarle in Elizabeth City, Craven Community College in New Bern, and Lenoir Community College in Kinston offer certifications and associate degrees in nursing.
Nursing Jobs in North Carolina
University Health Systems of Eastern Carolina is a regional health delivery system serving 29 counties and 1.2 million people in eastern North Carolina. With a workforce of more than 6,000, this health system is one of the largest employers in the region. Other large health care employers in this state include: Presbyterian Healthcare, which offers four hospitals as well as outpatient services in Charlotte; Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center, one of the nation’s preeminent academic medical centers located in Winston-Salem; and, Forsyth Medical Center, which also is located in the Winston-Salem area. Forsyth Medical Center’s comprehensive network of services include Medical Park Hospital and Thomasville Medical Center as well as the 847 bed Forsyth Medical Center. LPNs in North Carolina can earn, on average, between $26,000 and $52,000 per year, and RNs in this state can earn between $56,000 and $109,000 per year.