A career as a registered nurse may be the way to go for those looking for a California nursing job.

According to the California Employment Development Department, a critical shortage of registered nurses is expected throughout the next 10 years. Because of this, hospitals and clinics have ongoing, active recruitment programs, some of which offer unique benefits to attract applicants.

The CEDD states there were 230,300 registered nurses in 2004, and that number is expected to reach 291,200 by 2014. There should be 10,910 openings for registered nurses per year.

According to the United States Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics, California’s education and health services industry employed 1,716,300 people in June 2008, an increase of 3.5 percent over last year.

Registered nurses are the largest group of employees among the healthcare profession. Most registered nurses work in hospitals, but some care for patients in private clinics or homes. Nurses provide care to ill, injured, convalescent or disabled patients. Nurses are responsible for assessing health problems and needs, developing and implementing nursing care plans and maintaining medical records. Nurses also may do case management, advise patients on health maintenance and disease prevention and provide public health education.

In order to become a nurse, you must obtain a high school diploma, complete a state board-approved nursing program, obtain a passing grade on the State Board of Registered Nurse exam for a state license and get fingerprinted.

Possible career paths for registered nurses include: nurse practitioner, certified registered nurse anesthetist, certified physician assistant, nursing administrator and nursing, clinical specialty or public health nurse.

As of 1995, according to city-data.com, there were 70 psychiatric hospitals in California, and an increasing number of patients have been treated through community mental health programs instead of state hospitals.

In 2001, California’s 384 community hospitals had 73,291 beds, 3,332,839 admissions, 85,961 full-time registered nurses, 10,387 full-time licensed practical nurses and 281 physicians per 100,000 people.

California offers its residents Medi-Cal, a statewide program that pays for the medical care of persons who otherwise could not afford it. The state also been a leader in developing new forms of health care, including the health maintenance organization, which provides preventive care, diagnosis, and treatment for which the patient pays a fixed annual premium.

Federal government grants to cover California Medicare and Medicaid services in 2001 totaled $13.9 billion and 3,954,996 enrollees received Medicare benefits that year.