Moving to Pittsburgh area this summer, any advice please

U.S.A. Pennsylvania

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Hi, I'm about to graduate in July and will have my Associates in Nursing. I'm relocating from Virginia to the Pittsburgh area (or right outside of it) as soon as I graduate. I am not familiar with the area at all and would be grateful for any advice I can get as to where they are hiring! I am a former veteran and I also work for the civil service right now. I here they have some VA medical centers up there, and I would love to work there but I hear that the hiring process is rough. I also hear the pay at UPMC isn't that great and some of the workers don't like it there. However, I would be grateful to get hired anywhere. Preferably a hospital. Any suggestions for a soon-to-be new grad? Thanks :)

Welcome to the area. I probably won't be much help since all of my experience is in LTC. There are many hospitals in the Pittsburgh area. If you want to get into the VA system, I think you need to start applying now. UPMC and Allegeny General are the two biggest health systems in the area, there are a few other independent hospitals in the area. There is a Pittsburgh Nurses Facebook page that gets a good bit of traffic. Try asking on there.

Thanks for your reply. I was afraid to start applying now though because I haven't finished school or taken my nclex. Would that matter though? You think I should start applying now?

The HR process at UPMC is looooooong, and for nurses it is intensely competitive.

For example, I recently started a casual position there, and it took 3 months for HR to even INITIATE contact, and I didn't even start work for another month.

For nursing, there are about 50 applicants for each position, on the low side. Doesn't mean don't apply: All of them aren't appropriate and obviously they do hire. But you better bring your A game.

Also, for UPMC, they only hire new grads into the Staff Nurse position, not the Professional Staff Nurse position. When you look at the website, don't be mesmerized by all the spots that appear to be available to you. The Professional Staff Nurse position ONLY hires people with 6months experience.

As for working there, yes, some people aren't happy I'm sure. But that's true for ANY place. Consider the source before you accept the opinion.

The Pittsburgh market overall isn't that great, but it isn't impossible. Yes, I would start your application soon; just getting the process going could be helpful.

Specializes in Ortho.

Go to upmc's career site. There are least 5 Upmc locations in Pittsburgh. Forbes and AGH are also there. Excels Health System has hospitals a little bit to the East of Pittsburgh. I work at UPMC Shadyside.

Thanks for the replies! Seems like a lot of hospitals up there. Hopefully one of them will give me a chance. I'm real nervous about the interview. I'm not much of a talker. The hiring process scares me a little. I have a feeling it will take me a while to get hired because I have to switch all of my stuff over to PA. And I want to buy a house as soon as we get there but I am afraid because I dont know how long I could be without a job. A lot of stress!!

Specializes in long-term-care, LTAC, PCU.

I graduated with my RN in June 2009, applied for 42 separate positions, and had one interview. Thankfully I got the job. The Pittsburgh job market is tough. I know that several of my friends from school started interviewing in December 2009 jobs that weren't going to start until June/July 2009. You might want to consider LTC first just to get some experience. If you drive out about 40 miles east of Pittsburgh, You will come across Excela Health, which is a system of 3 Hospitals and multiple offices, surgi centers, and labs. There is also Conemaugh hospital and the Conemaugh Health System in Johnstown, PA and the surrounding areas. Good luck and keep your head up. You will find something!

Michelle

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