This month’s State Spotlight takes us to noble Nevada! The Silver State is known for its varied landscapes and scenery, intriguing attractions, the iconic sights, sounds, and shows of Las Vegas, and so much more. There are also tons of great Travel Nurse jobs in this cool state. Read on to learn more about why you should roll the dice and try Travel Nursing in Nevada!
Travel Nursing in Nevada
Nevada is a great place for a Travel Nursing assignment. In The Silver State you’ll have tons to do and see on your days off while also building your skills and resume on the job.
Nevada is home to about 55 hospitals — according to U.S. News & World Report’s 2018/2019 Best Hospitals list. That includes UMC of Southern Nevada in Las Vegas, MountainView Hospital in Las Vegas, Renown Regional Medical Center in Reno, Southern Hills Hospital & Medical Center in Las Vegas, and Sunrise Hospital & Medical Center in Las Vegas.
U.S. News & World Report’s 2018 “Best States” ranked Nevada #34 overall, as well as #5 for infrastructure and #12 for economy. According to Livability.com, some of the best places to live in Nevada include Carson City, Sparks, Reno, Henderson, Elko, Paradise, Fallon, Boulder City, Summerlin South, and Spring Valley.
As for licensing, Nevada is not currently a walk-through state or a compact state, but it is a NURSYS state and nurses licensed in other U.S. states may apply for license by reciprocity. Click here for more, up to date info on licensing in Nevada.
Nevada Fast Facts
State Nickname: The Silver State
Capital: Carson City
Largest City: Las Vegas
National Parks: 4
State Parks: 27
National Historic and Natural Landmarks: 14
State Motto: “All for our country”
State Flower: Sagebrush
State Tree: Bristlecone Pine
State Animal: Desert Bighorn Sheep
State Metal: Silver
State Gem: Virgin Valley Black Fire Opal
Nevada was the 36th state.
Charles Fey invented a slot machine called Liberty Bell in 1899, which served as the model for all future slots.
In 1931, the Pair-O-Dice was the first casino opened on Highway 91, which would become the future Las Vegas Strip.
Bugsy Siegel’s Las Vegas casino was named The Flamingo after the long legs of Virginia Hill, a showgirl and Bugsy’s girlfriend.
Nevada was the first state to ratify the 15th Amendment, giving black men the right to vote in March 1869.
Slot machines and video slot machines, required hard hats at construction sites, multi-state hydroelectric power, blue jeans, quickie divorces, the pistol offense in football, fingerprint convictions, and solar cells were all invented in or originated in Nevada!
In 1859 the Comstock Lode — a discovery of lots of silver — triggered a silver rush to the state and sent the population soaring.
Nevada stands is one of seven U.S. states that do not collect individual income tax.
Nevada is the nation’s driest state, with less than 10 inches of rain annually.
Believe it or not, Reno, Nevada is actually further west than Los Angeles!
Oregon is the only state with an official state nut. The nut in question? The humble hazelnut!
Approximately 86 percent of Nevada land is owned by the federal government — including the famous Area 51. In terms of size, Nevada is the seventh-largest state.
Construction of the Hoover Dam began in 1931 and upon completion in 1935 it was the largest dam in the world. It remained the world’s largest producer of hydroelectric power until 1948.
Elko, Nevada is home to an annual Cowboy Poetry Gathering.
Las Vegas has more hotel rooms than any other city in the world.
More than 60,000 pounds of shrimp are consumed each day in Las Vegas!
Famous folks from or who’ve lived in Nevada include Jena Malone, Andre Agassi, Pat Nixon, Amy Purdy, Kurt Busch, Dawn Wells, Thomas Ian Nicholas, Sailor Jerry, Cosmo Baker, Bryce Harper, T.J. Lavin, Brandon Flowers, Jimmy Kimmel, Mark Twain, Robin Leach, Floyd Mayweather, Mike Tyson, Coolio, and Jenny Lewis.
The Kangaroo Rat, which lives in Death Valley, can live its whole life without drinking a drop of liquid.
Each day in Las Vegas, approximately 150 couples get married.
The name Nevada comes from a Spanish word meaning “snow-capped.” Yes, most of the state is desert, but the Sierra Nevada Mountains near Reno and the Ruby Mountains near Elko have quite a bit of snow for about six months each year.
Highway 50 in Nevada is known as the “Loneliest Highway in America” for its scarcity of stops along the 287-mile stretch between Ely and Fernley.
In Nevada, camels were used as pack animals until about 1870.
The humanmade Lake Mead is the nation’s largest reservoir.
Native American tribes which inhabited Nevada included the Shoshoni, Northern and Southern Paiute, and Washo.
To Do & See in Nevada
From the lights of Las Vegas to the serene scenery of the desert, The Silver State is a wonderful place for Travel Nurses to work, live, and play
For city lovers, The Silver State’s largest cities include Las Vegas, Henderson, Reno, North Las Vegas, and Sparks. The state’s shining urban star is most certainly Vegas, where you can travel the world all in one city with facsimiles and likenesses of the Eiffel Tower, the canals of Venice, the great pyramids of Egypt, and other worldly locales. If you love neon and kitsch, you are sure to love Las Vegas! In addition to gambling, Vegas is also well known for having some pretty incredible theatrical and musical performances, so you’ll want to take in some shows for sure. Other things to see and do include Fremont Street, the Stratosphere, Siegfried and Roy’s Secret Garden, the Bellagio Fountains, the Mob Museum, the Neon Museum, SPEEDVEGAS, The Strip in general, and so much more.
If you prefer solitude, you’ll love Highway 50 — dubbed the “Loneliest Highway in America.” Nevada also has some wonderful petite towns, including the state capital, Carson City, and Elko. Outside of the city, you’ll also want to explore the famous Hoover Dam, Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area, Fire State Park, Lake Mead, Lake Tahoe, Sand Mountain Recreation Area, Lehman Caves under the Great Basin National Park, the Hickison Petroglyphs, the Ruby Mountains, Bootleg Canyon, and tons more in this beautiful state of mountains, lakes, and deserts.
Nevada’s food offerings are as diverse as its landscapes. From tiny roadside diners to fine dining foodie havens, Nevada offers a little bit of everything for folks to chew on. Shrimp cocktail is a huge favorite throughout the state, but especially in Vegas, where it’s reported that 60,000 pounds of shrimp are consumed each day! While on assignment in Nevada you can also enjoy iconic faves like onion rings, sushi, paella, Thai cuisine, prime rib, bone-in ribeye, steak and eggs, burgers, charcuterie, chateaubriand, tamales, and, of course, buffets galore. Wash it all down with a Bloody Mary or Picon Punch and you’ll be living like a true Nevadan!