OR Nursing in the Midwest

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• Eastern Region Highlights
• Western Region Highlights

Many iconic images come to mind when we think of the Great Midwest: St. Louis' Gateway Arch, Chicago's Sears Tower, South Dakota's Mount Rushmore, Kansas' wheat fields. Both the geographic center of the contiguous states and the population center of the United States are here. No other region matches the Midwest's mix of agriculture and industry, rural and urban settings—which creates very diverse opportunities for OR nurses. The region boasts nearly 100 Magnet™ facilities and has a higher overall employment-to-population ratio than the Northeast, West, South, or Sun Belt.

The Midwest splits between the Great Lakes and the Rust Belt on one side and the Heartland and the Great Plains on the other. The eastern half comprises Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, and Michigan. The largest cities are Chicago, Detroit, Indianapolis, Columbus, Milwaukee, and Cleveland. The western half includes North and South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Iowa, Missouri, and Minnesota. Its largest cities are Kansas City, Omaha, Minneapolis, and St. Louis.

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Eastern Region Highlights 

According to figures from the December 2006—January 2008 National Compensation Survey (NCS), mean hourly earnings for RNs in this region were $29.10. According to the May 2007 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates, Illinois had the region's highest mean annual salary for RNs at $61,060; salaries in the other states ranged from $54,990 to $61,030. The largest pool of nurses was 114,920 in Ohio, with Wisconsin having the fewest nurses (50,690).

This region takes nursing quality standards very seriously: 66 hospitals have earned Magnet™ status, and Ohio alone boasts 23! The other top Magnet™ states in this area are Illinois (18) and Wisconsin (11). OR nurses here also regard AORN membership highly, forming 35 chapters in these five states.

Jeffery M. Khatri, BSN, RN, CNOR, says, “I find the best thing about working in the Midwest is the collaboration among healthcare team members. I have done some traveling and have worked at various institutions throughout the Chicagoland metropolitan area and find that nursing has a real voice and the opinion of the nurse is respected.”

Despite a tough economy, Khatri observes, “Two major academic facilities in Chicago are expanding, and it seems that ambulatory surgical centers are remodeling or expanding to handle the need to provide cost-effective surgical management.…Institutions also are focusing on both patient safety and technology. Improved technology creates a safer patient environment.”

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Western Region Highlights 

The population of this area is considerably smaller than its eastern counterpart, so salaries are lower overall. According to figures from the December 2006—January 2008 NCS, mean hourly earnings for RNs were $25.79. The mean annual wage estimates for RNs in these states ranges from $67,510 in Minnesota to $49,140 in Iowa. Salaries in the Dakotas, which have the fewest numbers of RNs and much smaller populations, range from $50,830 to $53,610. There are an impressive 31 Magnet™ hospitals in this region, with Missouri (8) and Minnesota (7) leading the way. There are also 16 AORN chapters.

Linda Marcum, MSN, CNOR, at the Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha, says working in the Midwest is attractive because “the cost of living is much more reasonable here than in other parts of the country.” Expansion in her region involves “hospitals trying to promote their specialties. Companies that own 2 or more hospitals are now grouping services to eliminate duplication. Other hospitals are opening up specialized care centers, such as oncology and plastic/reconstructive. More outpatient care facilities are sprouting up to accommodate those not wishing to drive long distances.”

Evidence of a tough economy in this area includes “fewer elective procedures being done. Nursing has been minimally affected, whereas management, upper level positions, and ancillary help have been reduced.” Marcum concludes, “The pay is not equivalent to other areas of the country, but we do have jobs and great family communities!”

Both Marcum and Khatri have observed a greater emphasis on technology in the region's OR suites. Marcum said, “More hospitals are offering robotic surgery and minimally invasive procedures, such as laparoscopic nephrectomies, endoscopic thoracic aneurysm repair, etc.” Khatri noted, “The latest technology in this area seems to be in robotics—more and more institutions are getting the DaVinci system.”

If you're seeking to practice in the Midwest, check out the OR positions waiting for you on the following pages.