Oregon can conjure visions of mystical forests, an energetic Pacific coast and metropolitan sophistication. And, you’ll find all these attributes in a state that is crisscrossed by rivers and filled with mountains and vineyards. Portland and Seattle can provide nurses with urban living, and other places such as Yakima, Spokane and Walla Walla can offer small-town living with high-tech medical care. Travel and rural nurses are needed as well in places such as Mt. Hood, Redmond and Brookings.

Becoming a Nurse in Oregon

Educational facilities for nurses abound in Oregon, and a nurse can seek any degree or certification possible in a wide variety of programs. For example, Oregon Health & Science University in Portland offers BSN, MSN and doctoral degrees in nursing, and the University of Portland provides students with a master’s degree in programs such as community health, education, family care and geriatrics. A sampling of smaller schools includes Umpqua Community College in Roseburg, with programs in adult care, anatomy and family care; Clackamas Community College in Oregon City, with an associate degree in nursing and programs in clinical nursing and neonatal and newborn care; and, Linn-Benton Community College in Albany, with certification programs and an associate’s degree in programs such as adult or family care.

Nursing Jobs in Oregon

One of the largest health care employers in Oregon includes Samaritan Health Services, a network of Oregon hospitals, physicians and senior care facilities that serves the health care needs of people in the mid-Willamette Valley and the Central Oregon Coast. Headquartered in Corvallis, SHS maintains an employee base of 4,300. Other large employers include Oregon Health & Scince University, the state’s only health can research university, and Legacy Health System in Portland. LPNs in this state can earn between $26,000 and $53,000 per year. Salaries are dependent upon the nurse’s experience and degree earned and the job description and location. An RN in Portland, for instance, can earn approximately $74,000 per year.