California Nursing Situation - CINHC's plan to help New Grads

Astonishing. 91% of new grads in the Sacramento area won't find jobs in area hospitals this year. It makes me sick to think about. I was unemployed in Sacramento for two years before I was finally able to leave the state and, thank goodness, found an employer who wasn't overly suspicious about why I hadn't been able to find a job.

I know missouri is a long way from california, but there are 58 PT and FT jobs in my hospital in Springfield, MO...

If they'll consider new grads, post the place, and I'm sure they'll have more apps than they know what to do with. They'll have mine, anyway.

Unfortunately, one of the 'solutions' that's been floating around is establishing 4 month 'externships'; with no guarantee of a job at the end. This means that you work full-time in a hospital as an RN, for free, and are not even guaranteed a position at the end of it.

Sadly, this situation reminds me of the first hospital-based nursing programs, where new grads were taken on as 'apprentices' and then thrown away with the trash when a new class graduated.

I heard about how some graduates from Southern California are having a difficult time finding jobs. Does anyone know which hospitals are hiring in California?

A friend of mine told me that UCLA is on a hiring freeze. LA County USC is not hiring nurses at this time. VA Hospitals take a while to process their new hire applications. I wonder how is the situation like for new nurse graduates seeking a job in Texas, Georgia, Pennsylvania, and Massachussetts?

Wendy79, two years is a long time. Where are you working at now?

This happened to me when I got my teaching certificate. I could not get hired for 2 years, got a job at a private school making $18,000 minus the $5000 they deducted for my certification as a 1st year teacher = $13,000 and no insurance. Then I got laid off and have been unemployed for 6 months. Hence, the switch to nursing. If I don't get a job this time, I'll just wait tables at Chili's or become a grocery store checker while waiting for a job At least I'll know I'm an RN.

I moved to Illinois. I'm happy to say that although I was nervous, I didn't forget everything I knew in the two years--not the important things.