Calling NJ & NY RNs! I need your help.

Nurses General Nursing

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Hi, everyone!

I am an RN from California and relocating with my family (husband, two kids – 5 & 1.5 yo) to New Jersey in the summer, due to my husband's military orders to Woodbridge, NJ. I am torn between living in NJ and commuting to NY for a job, or living in NJ AND working in NJ.

I need your opinions on the commute, schools, and hospitals within the area. I currently work in the ED at a Trauma Center (teaching hospital) and would like to work in the same setting (…but not exactly a deal-breaker if I don't :)). I've already acquired my NYS licensure and need to start working on getting my NJ RN license as well.

Also, some of the main questions I had about moving:

1. What are some family-friendly” places to live?

2. On average, how much time should I budget” if I use public transit to work, if I work in NY?

3. Do the changes in weather really affect commute, because if so, working within NJ may be more realistic.

4. How strictly are patient/nurse ratios enforced in the East Coast?

I welcome ALL INPUT! I'm sure I've left out more things to consider…so feel free to bring it up!

Thanks in advance.

Specializes in ICU.

Commuting can be rough. I did a simple search for you on the nj transit website and it looks like it's a 45-60 minute commute by train from Woodbridge to NY Penn Station, at a cost of $310 for a month pass. Changes in weather do affect commute, as to delays on rail lines, construction, etc. There are no mandated patient/nurse ratios on the east coast. The only hospitals that I know of that have them are ones that are union and have it written into their union contracts. I can't answer all of your questions, but as a former New Yorker I would advise you to live and work in NJ. It will be much less stressful without having an hour commute before/after your shift, and the city will always be nearby to go visit.

Thank you, this was very helpful.

Specializes in CRNA, Finally retired.

Former NYC commuter here. Don't. Consider it unless young and single.

Specializes in ICU.

Work in NJ. I heard St Joesph in Patterson is pretty good. Don't commute with that weather. You're kids will be in NJ and what if you needed to get them from school early or something emergent? I never lived in NJ or NY but, just going to visit people in NJ when I am in NY takes time via train. Driving is 15 dollars into NYC. Woodbridge is closer to Staten Island depending on where you live in Woodbridge. Maybe working in Staten Island as opposed to Manhattan is not as bad of a commute.

Specializes in PICU, Sedation/Radiology, PACU.

NJ RN here. I strongly advise against commuting to NYC unless you're living somewhere it's a single-stop ride like Jersey City. Traffic can be a brutal, public transit gets backed up, and it's expensive. Yes, snow storms, ice, and high winds can cause delays or cancellations in the trains, as can accidents, mechanical failure, maintenance, and worker strikes. NJ has some really nice areas- of course, you'll end up paying more to live in the better school districts. If you're looking for hospitals around Woodbridge- Robert Wood Johnson and St. Peter's are both good systems. I'm not familiar with the ratios, as I haven't worked in either place personally. If your goal is to live around Woodbridge, I'd try to avoid working farther north, because Garden State Parkway traffic in that area can be nightmarish as well. South Brunswick, East Brunswick, West-Windsor Plainsboro, and Berkeley Heights are all ranked in the top 20 school districts in the state. I happen to be in love with Princeton. It's beautiful, quaint college town and also boasts the best school district in the state- just expect to pay for it. If you want to go a little further north, Short Hills, Summit, Chatham and Madison are also popular. Feel free to private message me for more info. Welcome to NJ!

P.S. Start your NJ endorsement process as soon as possible. They are notoriously slow.

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