new to California too

Hi,
I am living in the Bay Area, I have recently moved here from UK ...I have just received my interim permit and I am currently attending interviews and job hunting...I was wondering how do RN's obtain IV,and phlebotomy certification in CA...back home it was up to the employer to provide in house training and updates yearly?? I am also reviewing books for the NCLEX, what is the most popular nursing textbook used in training programs in CA nursing programs. My background is cardiac but for the last four years I have been working part time while studying a BSc fulltime....so I guess I am returning to nursing fulltime...I have applied for ICU new grad or return to nursing training programs as I feel i will need to "get up to speed" I get the impression that nursing (like everything else in America) is years ahead of the rest of the world??
Are all nurses PDA equipped and is all charting electronic? What are the typical skills of a newly qualified US nurse....??Basically any information that you can give me about any aspect of a day in the life of a US nurse would help...

Thanks!
Sinead