Any nurses out there who moved to CA from another state???

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To any nurses who moved to California after they graduated:

When did you start looking for a job/interviewing with hospitals? If I graduate in Dec, when do you think I should start looking and contacting hospitals?

I moved to the SF area from out of state last summer. I found the hosp I wanted to work in, walked into thier human resources, and found they were busy, walked onto the unit and asked for the manager, she gave me an inpromptu short tour, and started me on the road to working there. I was orienting on the unit in 2 weeks (I did have to do some paperwork scrambling, driving to Sacramento to get my license, get fingerprints get my proof of RN from the other state, etc.). We are a small hosp and have an opening for a new grad, so I can imagine, with all the hosp in the SF area of all sizes, that there are numurous job openings for new grads to super experienced. When I graduated, I ONLY got a job because I tried everywhere (even places 2 hour drive from my home) but finally my bosss (I was a CNA at a hospital) gave pity on my and hired me per diem night shift as a float pool nurse and that got me in then door. things have changed... I wouldn't worry about a thing. You may not get your desired shift or specialty right away, but I wouldn't worry about getting in the door as a new grad nurse these days!!

Just my .02

im a lil confused by ur post... you said you got hired right away at san fransisco...

but then you said that you moved from out of state and applied everywhere within a 2 hour radius from where you lived?

Did you work at the san fransisco hospital after you had already worked in another hospital first?

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Specializes in med/surg, telemetry, IV therapy, mgmt.
I would love to live and work in the San Diego area. Is there any area to live that is affordable on a RN and LVN salaries (myself and dh). Is Imperial close by. I noticed some very small homes in that area. They are still 2X what we pay here in the midwest!!!!!

Many thank you's!!!!!

Yes, everything is more expensive out here. Imperial Valley is about an hour's drive from SD. It is also another one of those isolated California areas where salaries are a little bit lower, so homes might be priced a little lower as well, but not by much. There are only 2 community hospitals in the Imperial Valley area that I remember. Both only have about 100 beds unless there have been changes since I lived there. Difficult medical cases or large traumas have to be triaged to San Diego hospitals. Many San Diego doctors have offices they see patients in one or two days a week in Brawley or El Centro.

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It is never too soon to look. But honestly I could have done as well or even better if I had waited until I arrived in CA.

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