Better city to work in

[OUxPhys, BSN, RN]

Hello! Which cities in CA are great to work in if you are a nurse with a few years of experience? I really like SF and SD. Any particular hospitals that are great to work for (SF, SD, LA etc)?

[CocoaLoverFNP]

In San Diego, I would recommend UCSD. They offer great pay, great benefits, plus pension when you retire. I have been trying to get a job there but seems like it's hard to get a job there even as an RN.

Good luck to you!

[Mesencephalon, MSN, RN]

In SF, the major hospitals are SFGH and UCSF. There's also Stanford/Lucile-Packard in Palo Alto if you're willing to travel. The Bay Area is a WONDERFUL place to live (diversity, food, weather) and if you can land a job here, you're basically set.

[Meriwhen, ASN, BSN, MSN, RN]

Kaiser is good to work for if--and that's the big challenge--if you can get in. They pay very well, have great benefits and also offer retirement. They're up and down California (including SD, LA and SF) and in a few other states so you have opportunities to transfer within their system.

The problem is that Kaiser prefers to hire internally first, so it's a tough nut to crack. Knowing someone already in Kaiser who can personally vouch for you will help your chances.