Career Resources / Kansas City Nurse Quality of Life
When you decided to become a nurse, you likely had several career goals in mind, including completing your education and learning vital hands-on skills, securing a good job, and learning more about specialty areas where you might seek certification. But as you’ve gained more experience and come into your own, your goals have expanded even further and you recognize the need to prioritize other areas as well.
You may find this means you want to participate in mentoring or seek an advanced degree. You may be interested in becoming a more effective advocate for yourself, your patients, and your colleagues. Most importantly, you’ve learned to address and prioritize your own needs, to value a healthy work/life balance, and to practice self-care. Many of these essential quality-of-life aspects are tied directly to where you live and work, and that’s why Kansas City, Missouri is such a great choice for nurses who want to have it all.
Kansas City is a town with incredible job opportunities, great places to live, fantastic sports teams, and a vibrant arts and culture scene. The city is unusual in spanning two states — Missouri and Kansas — but residents say that element adds to its attractions. Nursing professionals will find the area a healthcare haven: they can add to their education and expertise at multiple top-level nursing programs and choose from among dozens of hospitals and healthcare facilities eager to talk to them about how they can best use and expand their talents.
- Kansas City is Home to Top Nursing Schools
Whether you entered your career with an Associate’s degree, as a BSN, or MSN, there is always more to learn. Adding to your education does more than increase your knowledge: it provides greater professional credibility and self-confidence, and many facilities offer higher salaries to nurses with advanced degrees. Living and working in Kansas City provides direct access to a remarkable number of high quality nursing programs, including the Master’s program at the University of Saint Mary, the online RN-to-BSN program offered at the University of Kansas Medical Center, and the many Advanced Practice Nursing options available online through Pittsburg State University. Nursing education is so vital to Kansas City’s future that the University of Kansas School of Nursing has introduced the nation’s first virtual reality nursing school program allowing nurses to attend school and meet patients in virtual exam rooms from wherever they live, and HCA Midwest recently announced a $34.5 million expansion of its Research College of Nursing.
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- Kansas City is Home to Top Medical Teaching and Research Hospitals
Pride in your employer is one of the most important factors contributing to job satisfaction, and that’s especially true when you work in healthcare. Nurses in Kansas City have a remarkable selection of high-quality healthcare providers from which to choose, including a hospital system that U.S. News and World Report named one of the top 50 in the country. The University of Kansas Medical Center has been nationally ranked in 12 separate specialty areas for a decade, but it is not alone in being considered among the nation’s best. St. Luke’s Hospital is ranked as high performing in 5 specialties and 13 procedures and conditions, and the city is also home to the CARE Clinic, one of the largest free and charitable health clinics in the country. Nearby St. Joseph, Missouri is home to Mosaic Life Care, a Mayo Clinic Care Network member, and HCA Midwest’s Research Medical Center is one of the region’s leading acute-care hospitals.
- Kansas City Offers Remarkable Opportunity
Healthcare facilities and companies are among Kansas City’s top employers, but there are plenty of opportunities in other industries. From government to manufacturing, from banking to delivery services, the Kansas City metropolitan area has a low unemployment rate and is attracting new investments in tech — in fact, it was ranked the tenth best startup city in the country based on the low cost of doing business there: the LLC filing fee is just $50 and the incorporation filing fee is just $58! These are just a few reasons why venture capitalists invested $1.09 billion in the city’s up-and-coming businesses in 2021. A local nonprofit, the Kauffman Foundation further supports and provides capital to the city’s entrepreneurs, particularly women, people of color, and business founders who are investing in the city’s underserved communities.
- Kansas City Nurses Enjoy Generous Compensation, Benefits, and Perks
Registered nurses in Kansas City earn an average salary of $71,800 per year, and the remarkable demand for qualified professionals has triggered a significant upward shift in compensation, benefits, and additional bonuses being offered. Many new nursing positions come with generous sign-on bonuses and perks such as relocation assistance, while benefit packages have been expanded to include incentives including paid hotel rooms for those commuting 50-75 miles each way, paid mileage to/from the hospital for those commuting less than 50 miles each way, and free uniforms and stethoscopes. Beyond these extras, Kansas City hospitals are also dedicated to helping their nurses’ professional goals, offering CEU opportunities, reimbursement for continuing education, leadership and career training, and advancement programs dedicated exclusively to Registered Nurses.
- Economic Advantages of Living in Kansas City
Living in an area that holds so much appeal generally comes at a cost, but Kansas City is the exception to that rule. According to the Economic Development Corporation of Kansas City, the metropolitan area is one of the most affordable cities in the Midwest, boasting a cost of living that is 2.5 percent lower than the national average. This not only impacts the purchase price of existing single-family homes and apartment rentals, but also everyday expenses including energy and transportation costs, healthcare, and food.
- Registered Nurses in Kansas City Enjoy a Town Ranked One of the Best Places in the Country to Live
Registered nurses seeking the best of all worlds need to factor in more than professional considerations. One of the reasons that Kansas City is a top place for nurses to work is that it’s also one of the best places to live. From the quiet suburbs on the Kansas side of the river to the bustling downtown and historic Westport area on the Missouri side, Kansas City has become one of the fastest-growing areas in the country. There are many factors that have made the city such a magnet: it is home to several top-rated colleges and universities offering academic opportunities in wide ranging areas. There are multiple cultural offerings, from the city’s famous fountains to countless museums, galleries, and evocative memorials. Families can also enjoy festivals and water parks, zoos and farms, as well as reveling in the many jazz clubs, concerts, and professional sports teams to root for. And no review of Kansas City would be complete without mentioning the barbecue for which it has become world famous.
With so many excellent reasons to live and work as a registered nurse in Kansas City, what are you waiting for? You can start your professional journey by visiting Incredible Health’s website and job search platform, where top Kansas City employers are waiting for you to log on so that they can reach out to you.
