Best Hospitals to Work for in Arizona

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Not every state has the healthcare industry as its largest sector. Did you know that Arizona’s top employer is a health system? This article will focus on six of the best hospitals in the Grand Canyon State, each of which is named a Magnet hospital, as designated by the  American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC).

Arizona’s Top Hospital

• Banner Estrella Medical Center
• Banner Gateway Medical Center
• Banner – University Medical Center Phoenix
• HonorHealth Deer Valley Medical Center
• HonorHealth Scottsdale Shea Medical Center
• Mayo Clinic in Arizona

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Best Hospitals in Arizona

All the following facilities are top-rated hospitals with Magnet status. To provide useful information, we also consulted Medicare, U.S. News & World Report, Healthgrades and other reputable organizations.

Banner Estrella Medical Center

Banner Estrella Medical Center has a three-star rating from the federal government.

It’s rated high performing in several procedures or conditions — including heart failure and maternity care — by U.S. News & World Report.

The hospital received the America’s 250 Best Hospitals Award from Healthgrades two years in a row, 2021 and 2022.

Learn more about Banner Estrella Medical Center:

• Administration: nonprofit 
• Location: Phoenix, Arizona
• Hospital network: 30 facilities 
• Employees: 50,000 (across the entire network)
• Nurse-to-patient ratio: 1:1 – 1:2

Banner Gateway Medical Center

Banner Gateway Medical Center has a four-star rating from the federal government and is rated high performing in cancer by U.S. News & World Report.

The hospital was the first in the United States to offer iCare — a type of monitoring for intensive-care and surgical patients. 

It also earned an Award of Excellence/Built from Modern Healthcare for its ability to expand the number of beds to up to 350, and because it complements its environment, both in the desert and in the Phoenix-Mesa metropolitan area.

Learn more about Banner Gateway Medical Center:

• Administration: nonprofit
• Location: Gilbert, Arizona
• Hospital network: 30 facilities 
• Employees: 50,000 (across the entire network)
• Nurse-to-patient ratio: 1:1 – 1:2

Banner – University Medical Center Phoenix

This academic medical center has been ranked No. 2 in Arizona and is rated as high performing in gastroenterology and gastrointestinal surgery, geriatrics and pulmonology, and lung surgery by U.S. News & World Report. 

Formerly known as Banner Good Samaritan Medical Center, the facility is part of Arizona’s largest health system. It received the America’s 250 Best Hospitals Award from Healthgrades three years in a row, and was named one of the 100 Top Hospitals in the U.S. by IBM Watson Health.

The hospital has a four-star rating from the federal government. 

Learn more about Banner – University Medical Center Phoenix:

• Administration: nonprofit 
• Location: Phoenix, Arizona
• Hospital network: 30 facilities
• Employees: 50,000 (across the entire network)
• Nurse-to-patient ratio: 1:1 – 1:2 

HonorHealth Deer Valley Medical Center

This hospital has a “B” grade for patient safety from The Leapfrog Group and a four-star rating from the federal government. 

The facility is rated high performing in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) by U.S. News & World Report and, in 2015, received the Get With The Guidelines®-Stroke Gold-Plus Quality Achievement Award.

Learn more about HonorHealth Deer Valley Medical Center:

• Administration: nonprofit 
• Location: Phoenix, Arizona
• Hospital network: seven facilities 

HonorHealth Scottsdale Shea Medical Center

HonorHealth Scottsdale Shea Medical Center has a four-star rating from the federal government and is rated high performing in colon cancer surgery, knee replacement and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) by U.S. News & World Report.

The hospital was certified as a Primary Stroke Center by The Joint Commission, and has received the Patient Safety Excellence Award from Healthgrades for three years in a row since 2020.

Learn more about HonorHealth Scottsdale Shea Medical Center:

• Administration: nonprofit 
• Location: Scottsdale, Arizona
• Hospital network: seven facilities 

Mayo Clinic in Arizona

This hospital has been ranked No. 1 in Arizona and rated high performing in 17 procedures or conditions, including lung cancer surgery and abdominal aortic aneurysm repair, by U.S. News & World Report. 

The facility also earned an “A” grade for patient care safety from The Leapfrog Group and received a five-star rating from the federal government.

Learn more about Mayo Clinic in Arizona:

• Administration: nonprofit 
• Location: Phoenix, Arizona
• Hospital network: 16 facilities
• Employees: 8,200

What makes a best hospital in Arizona

There are a number of reasons why these hospitals won awards. Good benefits and patient satisfaction are some examples.

Benefits

Salary is important, but it isn’t the only way to reward hard work. In the best hospitals, nurses and their families can take advantage of benefits such as financial services, medical insurance and childcare.

Growth opportunity

A hospital’s growth opportunities are as important as its awards. Registered nurses can become Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNA) or nurse practitioners for example, based on their employment options. 

Employee satisfaction

Whether you are starting a new career or advancing your current one, a workplace with high employee satisfaction makes a big difference. Besides quality of work and increased productivity, it helps to prevent health problems like job fatigue and burnout.

High patient satisfaction

The benefits of high patient satisfaction include lower costs, improved care quality, and better patient outcomes. It’s worth pointing out that Magnet hospitals, with good work environments, have higher patient satisfaction than non-Magnet hospitals, according to BMJ Open.

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Other factors that make a top hospital

Healthcare policies focused on safety and customer service, cutting-edge technology, and strong ethical values may help you to address your individual needs. Find out more about these factors.

Safety record is critical

Top hospitals tend to have strict guidelines on infection control and medication safety. The application of these principles is not only beneficial to patients, but also to nurses and the organization as a whole, since they reduce the chances of medical errors occurring.

Hospital policies focus on customer services 

There are many opportunities to delight patients with customer service in a hospital — from admission to discharge. A few examples include how their staff treat them and their families, as well as FAQs about bills.

Latest technology and training improve healthcare

According to Harvard Business Review, Arizona is leading the way in genetic research and nanotechnology. And in 2007, Mayo Clinic was the first to launch a stroke telemedicine program.

Ethics lead the way

The principles of healthcare ethics, such as efficiency, justice and beneficence, are present in every hospital. In complex situations, such as when a patient denies a treatment based on his religious beliefs, these values are vital.

Next steps

After learning about the best hospitals in Arizona, and some of the qualities that make them top-performing institutions, it’s time to prepare yourself to find your dream job. 

No matter how long you’ve been in the profession or how experienced you are, you’ll need a strategy in order to succeed. Below, we’ll explain everything you need to know.

Build your resume

First of all, don’t underestimate the value of a well-written resume. In order to make this process easier, we present the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses guidelines for nursing resumes. Take the time to read them and make yourself stand out from the crowd.

Join a nurses association

Another way to prepare for a brilliant career in a top hospital is to network in a nursing organization. You can also amplify your voice as a healthcare professional by joining a nursing union.

Attend industry educational conferences and workshops

Going to a nursing conference is one of the best ways to stay up-to-date with your knowledge and remain competitive in the healthcare field. Otherwise, you can also exchange some ideas about nursing through our frequently-asked questions page.

Keep up with continuing education requirements

If there are too many educational conferences over a limited period of time, you can always learn online. Some employers, especially high-performing hospitals, have their own education requirements. Check out our guide to nursing in Arizona and sign up for our free nursing CEU courses.

Search for job openings

You may think it would be difficult to get a recruiter to approve your resume, experience and other career attributes. But, with Incredible Health, you can have them choosing you. 

Create your account and gain several job opportunities using technology and efficiency.

Transfer your nursing license to Arizona

The Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC) legislation in Arizona doesn’t prohibit nurses from noncompact states from practicing there. It’s always possible to transfer your nursing license if you decide to move and get a job in this state. Our guide will help you through the process.

Sources

• “ANCC Magnet Recognition Program®.” nursingworld.org. Accessed July 2, 2022.
• “Arizona: The New Frontier in Technology and Health Care” hbr.org. Accessed July 1, 2022. 
• Medicare. medicare.gov. Accessed July 2, 2022.
• “Patient satisfaction with hospital care and nurses in England: an observational study” bmjopen.bmj.com. Accessed July 1, 2022. 
• “U.S. News Best Hospitals.” health.usnews.com. Accessed July 2, 2022.
• “Who’s hiring in Arizona? These are the state’s 100 largest employers”. azcentral.com. Accessed July 2, 2022.