If you're looking for a career in the healthcare industry, Fort Lauderdale nursing jobs have plenty to offer.

The Fort Lauderdale-Pompano Beach-Deerfield Beach area's education and health services industry employed 96,600 workers during December 2009, according to the U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics. This is up from 95,800 workers during November, but a 1.6 percent decrease from December 2008.

According to Salary.com, the average wage for a staff registered nurse in Ft. Lauderdale is between $58,081 per year and $70,217 per year, while the average salary for a licensed practical nurse is between $36,574 per year and $44,033 per year.

The two main hospitals available to Fort Lauderdale patients are Broward General Medical Center and Imperial Point Medical Center, both of which are operated by Broward Health, which is the third-largest hospital consortium in the nation.

Broward General Medical Center is a 716-bed acute care facility. The hospital is designated as a Level I trauma center and is home to the Chris Evert Children's Hospital and a Heart Center of Excellence, according to Wikipedia.

BGMC also serves as a major training site for students at Nova Southeastern University College of Osteopathic Medicine, as well as students from other schools throughout the area who are preparing for nursing and paramedic jobs.

Imperial Point Medical Center is a 204-bed facility known for its hyperbaric medicine program. The Ft. Lauderdale area also is home to Holy Cross Hospital, a 571-bed facility operated by the Sisters of Mercy. HealthGrades, Inc. named Holy Cross to its 2007 list of the 50 best hospitals in the country.