CHEYENNE — For years, Ashley Myers balanced low-paying jobs while raising her children as a single mother, struggling to make ends meet.
Now, she thrives as a specialized nurse in an electrophysiology lab in Cheyenne, pursuing a prosperous career that once seemed like an unachievable dream when she first trained as a certified nursing assistant.
“The opportunities in nursing are limitless,” Myers shared with Cowboy State Daily. “That’s one of the appealing aspects for many entering the field.”
“You can work in education, rehabilitation, and a multitude of specialties,” she remarked.
The electrophysiology (EP) lab where Myers works is among the lucrative specializations in nursing. Here, the heart’s electrical systems are monitored in real time, aiding doctors in diagnosing and treating heart rhythm disorders.
“EP is a highly specialized field, and there’s no way AI is going to replace that,” Myers asserted. “It’s not going to happen. This is what makes nursing and healthcare so attractive; you have endless opportunities.”
Myers embodies a growing movement of Americans, particularly women, who have discovered a pathway to high-paying careers in a field brimming with growth and advancement possibilities.
Moreover, Myers noted significant increases in salaries; she observes starting wages now $20 per hour higher than when she began her career.
According to the U.S. Labor Department, the median salary for registered nurses in the United States stands at around $94,000, compared to $49,500 for all occupations.
Nurse practitioners and those holding advanced degrees command median salaries around $132,000, as per Labor Department statistics.
“I can’t speak for the whole country, but our hospital offered retention bonuses to nurses during the pandemic because many were opting for travel nursing roles,” Myers explained. “Almost all the nurses received a retention bonus.”
Myers mentioned that her retention bonus was added to her already competitive salary, amounting to an additional $10 per hour.
Training Crunch Underscores Trend
There is potential for salaries to continue to rise, particularly considering the demographic challenges the sector faces.
The rising number of aging Baby Boomers is increasing the patient load for hospitals and clinics, while many experienced nurses are retiring, leaving a significant gap in staffing.
Additionally, limited training slots mean that the sector struggles to quickly meet sudden surges in demand.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects a 40% growth in demand for advanced-degree nurses from 2024 to 2034, compared to only a 3% growth rate across all occupations.
While registered nurse employment is expected to grow by just 5%, this creates a substantial gap between capacity and need.
Because of this landscape, professionals like Myers view their jobs as nearly recession-proof.
Nursing schools, including those in Wyoming, are routinely having to turn away qualified candidates due to a lack of capacity.
Sherrill Smith, the dean of the Fay W. Whitney School of Nursing at the University of Wyoming, shared that her program can admit about 60 new students annually, while 120 to 200 interested individuals apply at any given time.
Many applicants are qualified but are forced to seek alternative pathways or transition to different fields, Smith noted.
The main challenge is securing clinical placements for students, as there are limited options in a state like Wyoming, where cows outnumber people.
Maintaining a faculty-to-student ratio of one instructor for every eight students is another major limiting factor, especially amid a current shortage.
“Our faculty must hold a master’s degree to teach,” Smith explained. “One reason faculty are leaving is that new graduates with bachelor’s degrees are earning more than our faculty.”
Federal legislation is being discussed to address this pay disparity, which Smith believes is critical for states like Wyoming.
“The faculty shortage is most pressing in the West,” she added. “This could be attributed to our lower population density.”
AI Proof, Too
Ashley Myers’ success story reflects a broader positive trend for Wyoming.
She is a proud graduate of Climb Wyoming, a program that has assisted over 12,000 mothers in the last 40 years, helping them secure lucrative careers to support their families.
Healthcare is one of several fields emphasized because of its long-term financial benefits, as Climb Wyoming Executive Director Katie Hogarty informed Cowboy State Daily.
“We recognize that these careers, like Ashley mentioned, provide a robust career ladder,” Hogarty continued. “Entry-level positions as certified nursing assistants can lead to advanced degrees and specialized nursing roles. The possibilities are endless through CNA training.”
Since its inception, Climb has reportedly saved Wyoming $138 million by placing single mothers in well-paying career paths, enabling them to financially support themselves and their children.
“Currently, we’re primarily focused on healthcare jobs,” Hogarty noted. “We’re also prioritizing skilled trades and trucking training, as these positions are less susceptible to automation and will effectively address Wyoming’s workforce needs.”
Climb Wyoming is integrating AI training into their program, according to Hogarty.
“We understand that AI will permeate various fields,” she added. “Our goal is to equip mothers with skills that will ensure their long-term success in an evolving job landscape.”
Meanwhile, Myers is enthusiastic about the advancements AI will bring to her work in the electrophysiology lab.
“It’s providing us with better imaging tools for more accurate predictions,” she explained. “I’ve been reading a lot about the emerging AI tools, and the quality of imaging is improving significantly. We find this exciting as it serves as a great resource, but it will never replace human involvement in this work.”
Other States Recruiting Wyoming Nurses
Both in Wyoming and nationwide, nursing remains one of the most promising career paths in America. It is a profession insulated from automation, bolstered by inevitable demographic shifts, and abundant with opportunities for specialization and progression.
However, the ability to fully harness the potential of this transformative career largely depends on opening sufficient training opportunities to address not just the current shortages but also the impending demand as more Baby Boomers retire.
If educational capacity continues to be limited by a lack of clinical placements while the demand for nursing care remains high, shortages will persist, which could drive up salaries and contribute to rising healthcare costs.
This issue is especially pressing in the Mountain West, where the nursing profession already faces significant shortages.
“Every hospital in the state is looking for nurses,” Smith underscored, adding that Wyoming has sought funding to support nursing and behavioral health workforce expansion, as well as emergency medical technicians, all areas with high demand.
“As our population ages and chronic health conditions rise, the nursing workforce will continue to be critical,” Smith noted, emphasizing that this is a career path that offers good pay and job security post-training.
“We frequently receive flyers from across the country advertising open nurse positions,” she shared.
These positions often come with signing bonuses and additional benefits.
This highlights yet another reason why Smith believes Wyoming’s ongoing training challenges for nurses are unlikely to dissipate anytime soon.
Renée Jean can be reached at renee@cowboystatedaily.com.
