From NJ to CALIFORNIA

California is pretty big...are you thinking of moving to the North or South? Up here in the Bay Area, things are pricey but we get paid well. Starting day shift is usually about $45ish, give or take a few bucks. Patient ratios are regulated by law. I work tele and it is 4:1. Med-surg is 5:1. Unions have a big presence in Cali and most hospitals here in the Bay Area are union.
BTW my advise would be to secure a job before moving. I have had more than one very experienced nurse tell me it took several months of active looking.

California has state regulated pt. to nurse ratios. The max amount of pts that a nurse can get is 5 patients whereas it is 4 pts in the telemetry floors. Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital, a non union hospital, starts pay at 32/hour with 3-4 night differential.

Some union hospitals in Northern California that I know of in the bay area to be exact, are John Muir Medical Center in Concord (the Walnut Creek campus is non-union), Kaiser Permanente (there are locations everywhere from Northern California to Southern), Sutter affiliated hospitals ( to name a few there are California Pacific Medical Center in San Francisco, Alta Bates Medical Center in Oakland and Berkeley, Solano Medical Center, Eden Medical enter in Castro Valley)

There are more but that are the ones I know of.

The pay for a new grad starts from $42-47/hr so with experience it's going to be more.

I agree with the other posts as well, you should find a job first before moving, unless you can stay with family for free for a while!

Oh and if you like all that technology.. John Muir has computerized charting as well as electronic medication administration..just a fyi...and they are a Magnet hospital.