Health care gains in a slow job market
By Ken Alltucker
The Arizona Republic
GLENDALE, Ariz. (Sept. 6, 2009) -- Lisa Beckman knows the long odds that job seekers face in this lousy economy.
So the significance of receiving an unsolicited call on a job opening from Banner Thunderbird Medical Center was not lost on her.
"I really wasn't even looking for a job," Beckman said.
Beckman, an occupational therapist, had sent a resume to Banner Thunderbird more than a year ago, before she took a position last year with a home-health agency, Gentiva Health Services.
She enjoyed her position at Gentiva, where she provided care for patients recovering from traumatic brain injuries. But she missed the fast-paced hospital environment.
It didn't hurt that Banner Thunderbird was in the midst of an expansion that included a $289 million patient tower outfitted with state-of-the-art medical equipment. Plus, Beckman's home is located minutes from the Glendale hospital.
