Passed NCLEX but is there a job in SF???????

suzanne4, RN · Oct 17, 2008

The Bay Area is one of the more sought after locales. And they also have a large number of nursing schools, even the local graduates cannot find placement when they finish. There are only about 12 to 15 openings with over 250 applicants for each of the new grad start dates.

If one has two years or more of experience here in the US, then it is easy to find a job in the Bay Area. But as a new grad, it is quite difficult even for those that trained in the US. Jobs also go first to those that did externships in the facility or clinicals so that the managers are familiar with them. This is also happening in other areas as well, and not just in the Bay Area. Trying to get a new grad job in WA or even the East Coast in many areas is quite impossible now as well.

When you are not working in the role of the RN, then any experience that one gets is not considered that as being a nurse. Same thing when nurses from the Philippines take care-giver jobs in the UK for two years, none of that time counts as RN experience.

A travel nurse goes in without any orientation and begins work immediately filling in holes in a schedule. As a new nurse to this country, you are going to need orientation, does not matter that you have experience in your own country, but things are done differently here. Even to get a job as a travel nurse, one needs to have close to two years of experience for most companies now.

Agencies also require experience of at least a year here as you would not be getting any orientation with them either, you are expected to be able to hit the floor running as we call it. You may get orientation for a few hours to a computer system, but that is it. Things are done quite different over here than most other countries.

If you wish to work in a hospital setting, you are going to need to look outside of the Bay Area. Best of luck to you.

NurseCubanitaRN2b, BSN, RN · Oct 17, 2008

Congratulations on passing the NCLEX-RN, now that's one monkey off your back. But you said that you were licensed in your home country for 2 years, but the question also remains did you work as (paid experience) an RN there? Or were you just licensed there? They don't consider volunteer time as experience either. I have to agree with Suzanne, they wont consider your work as a caregiver as RN experience. I have a friend who just graduated from the program and is now an RN and they don't consider her paid experience as an LVN of 8 years as experince. In other words you have to apply to the RN New Grad Program in order to gain experience as an RN unless you were working as an RN in the nursing home then you can apply as an RN II. Her work experience as an LVN helped her land a job into the RN New Grad Program at the hospital where she worked. Your best bet right now is to try to land a job in the nursing home where your shot at getting a job is better. Good Luck.