CA RN needs to move out of state

MomRN0913 · Feb 20, 2011

Being on the other end of the spectrum now in nursing management and going on a hiring spree myself I am not hiring new RNs at this time, however, that's because we just hired a bunch, and we need some with experience to train the next set, which I will probably consider for new grads.

I work for a less than a year old for-profit LTACH which is growing. Look into a newer place that is hiring. The idea behind that is more seasoned nurses will not leave a place of security for a start-up. The new grads aren't leaving anything huge behind, so they must be hired at some point.

Keep looking. Come to NJ. I'll be hiring some new grads again about 6 months. Although going to NJ from CA may not be all that appealing. My dad lives in NY, and him and his wife went on a vacation to CA. He had an MI there, and the first thing he told me when he got out of the cath lab was "you gotta come work here! beautiful hospital, 1:1 ICU ratio all the time (I come from ICU) he took pics for me! However, I can't drop everything and move cross country (single mom, exhusband works for the state of NY, the law wont let me leave!)

Anyhow, keep looking. Dig deep. use any connections you may make.

lsvalliant · Feb 20, 2011

I used to live in Los Angeles and still have many friends that live there... They said the jobs out there have pretty much dried up, especially for new grads. My first job as a new grad in 2009 in Cali had over 600 applicants for 76 positions. And the specialty I went into had 60 applicants for 4 positions as an internal hire. I was a lucky one back then and things have gotten way worse. Here is my advice to you. I moved to Pittsburgh last year and got hired right away doing flu shots that starts in the fall (PM me if your interested in the Company name). They will hire just about anyone with a license. Here in Pittsburgh they did not have enough nurses to fill all the shifts, I was getting bonuses for traveling to clinics and working extra days. If you cant find anything by summer, I would apply to do this so you get some experience under your belt. Pick an area where there are alot of nursing jobs in general. Some areas like Charleston, Sc are just totally dead, experienced or not. Go on a site like Monster and do your research.

allnurses Guide · Feb 20, 2011

Definitely do NOT believe the hype that continues to perpetuate on this board for some reason that Texas is the end all and be all for new grads. Are there still new grad positions available? Yes. Is there massive competition for each position? Yes.

Border towns and more rural areas in Texas will indeed give you a better shot, but as with most anything there are reasons that is true. The major metroplex areas are completely saturated. Dallas alone has tons and tons and tons of schools cranking out new graduate nurses every three months.

TheCommuter, BSN, RN · Feb 20, 2011

Get a license in Texas (It is a compact state) and move to Texas. Right now they are hiring New Grads.

I am originally from California and have been living in a major city in Texas since 2005. My advice is to not move here without a firm job offer in hand. The major metropolitan areas of Houston, Dallas/Fort Worth, San Antonio, and Austin have increasingly difficult job markets since there are a bunch of nursing schools in these areas that pump new nurses into the employment pipeline all the time.

In addition, it seems that experienced nurses have been moving to Texas in droves over the past few years. I personally have met nurses who have moved here from California, Maryland, Iowa, Alabama, Virginia, New Mexico, Oregon, Mississippi, Georgia, New York, New Jersey, New Hampshire, Missouri, Utah, Oklahoma, Kansas, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Florida, Louisiana, Ohio, Arkansas, Arizona, Massachusetts, Kentucky, Colorado, and a few other states that I have forgotten.

As previous posters have said, move to a relatively isolated area that has no nursing schools. This is your best bet for finding a job, since a city or town with no nearby nursing programs depends on nurses from out of the area to fill their staffing needs.

Caid · Jun 19, 2011

I'm a charge for an Endoscopy department in San Diego, CA. My director just hired a new grad to work in Endoscopy.. At first I couldn't believe that she (my director) would have the nerve to hire a new grad in this area without ANY previous hands on patient care experience. NONE. I only say this because when I graduated from nursing school in the early 90's, it was unheard to have a new grad train to work on a specialty floor without first getting the basics down by working on a med/surg floor for at least 2 years! But after she told she had been looking for a job for just under 2 years, my jaw dropped! I am so glad that we hired her. She is like a sponge and I put the word out to all the other units that she needs to have some med/surg experiences. It is going to take some time.. maybe even 6 months, before she can actually be on her own as the RN during an endoscopy procedure, but I know it will be great!

My advise to new grads?... get your foot in the door, even if it means taking a sitter position for minimum wage. I guarantee you that once you show your determination and commitment for your job, you will be hired as an RN. Sucks! I know.. but at least you will be working and gaining some experience... The other reason this would be good, is because as a sitter, you will be floating to different units. This will give you a sample of each floor and you will then learn what type of nurse you want/or don't want to be! When the time comes that they need to hire a nurse, you will most likely be first choice because most organizations have a policy about hiring within the facility as opposed to outside. Sorry so long winded but I really felt the need to share. Caid... RN