28,000 jobs added in the healthcare industry in November

When the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) released its November jobs report earlier this month, there was good news for the economy as the overall unemployment rate fell from 7.3 percent to 7.0 percent. There was even better news for those of us working (or looking for work) in the healthcare industry, as this sector showed the second highest growth rate of all other industries.

Overall, the healthcare industry added 28,000 jobs throughout the month, with the most growth seen in home healthcare and physicians’ offices. This is up from the average month-over-month growth so far this year of 19,000 jobs in the industry. A downside of the report, however, is that nursing care facilities lost jobs during November.

This news may reinforce a U.S. News & World Report roundup this summer that named nursing as the #2 profession in the country. The report stated that “this fast-growing community of more than 2.7 million workers is rapidly expanding into a host of specialized jobs ranging from elder care to oncology.” Additionally, the same article also reports that the BLS projects a 26 percent employment growth rate for RNs between 2010 and 2020.

While this doesn’t change the fact that there are nurses currently out of work, it does provide a bit of hope for those who are looking to land their next (or first) job. So hang in there, and we hope that our Nurse’s Guide to Hospitals can be a helpful aid in your search!

Are you seeing signs of these new jobs in your area, or are nursing jobs still tough to come by where you live and work? Share your experiences in the comments below!