Children's Hospital Oakland

Thanks for the info!!! I see from your previous posts you went to CSUEB too!!! I just finished at the Concord campus in December 2008. I kind of figured that was the case with Children's because most places nowadays you need to have connections to get an interview let alone a job. I was unfortunately the victim of the politics of the nursing school. I had a preceptorship set up there with a shift and preceptor, etc.., but it was taken away from me about two weeks before the quarter was to start (this happened to a few other students in my class trying to do a peds preceptorship at Stanford and various people trying to precept at hospital different from where they completed their clinicals). So its frustrating to know that I was so close to having that connection. My dream would be to do pediatric oncology (I precepted and work as an NA in a adult oncology) but since I passed the NCLEX in early Feb no positions have opened in that area for an RN I (I would not think that would be a hugely popular area, but with this economy people are tryin anything they can get their hands on). At this point, I am considering volunteering to just get my foot in the door, if that is what it takes.

I do not have much insider information, but I can tell you about the past few months. There have been a few postings for PICU and only internal postings for the NICU. There has been talk of them posting a group of NICU positions as they did this past fall, but nothing has come of that as of yet. However, with any position and the current new grad job situation it seems that knowing someone on the inside or working/precepting there is the only way to get in. Furthermore, I think having a PICU/NICU preceptorship definitely would help. Also Children's will not hire you until you have your license. I don't know if you are originally from here, but personally, I have found that your geography can play a large role in an orgranization considering you for a position. For example, I live in the Bay Area and I have tried looking into jobs in the Sacramento area, but many facilities will not consider me because I live less than 90 minutes away (even though I am willing to relocate). Lastly, unless you have the financial setup in which you could live here for months to even a year or more without a job in high cost of living area, do not move here until you have a guaranteed position. There are local graduates who graduated as far back as May 2008 who are still looking for positions. It would be wise to choose what is most important to you location or the PICU/NICU placement, because getting both is very, very difficult in these times. If you could go somewhere else and get the experience then move to the Bay Area you probably find more opportunities. Otherwise, Med-Surg would probably be your other route if you want to be in the Bay Area, but even those jobs are difficult come by at this point. Sorry for such a grim outlook, but it's the reality out here so you can make the decision about your next step. Congrats on graduating and Good Luck with the NCLEX!!!