Anybody please recommend a region of the country in great shortage of nurses?

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I'm in a 2-year diploma RN program in New Jersey graduating this May/June. I have a BS degree in business. Unfortunately I do not have any prior Health care work experiences. I have to work full-time (in a business setting) over the whole program and did not do any summer externship. Most of my classmates either already work at the health care field, or do the externship at ICU, emergency room, med-surg etc in the summer.

Since some big hospitals in NJ closed due to bad economy over the past years, the market for new graduate in the area is bad, I know it is especially bad for people like me who is not a BSN and have no prior health care work experiences.

I would really appreciate any recommendation of the region of the country that is in real shortage of nurses. I'm single, and willing to relocate to any part of the country. I would like to start working at emergency room, ICU, or med-surg.

I'm also wondering, is it possible for me to apply for a new graduate position far away? say in Arizona. Cause interview is almost impossible (expensive and time-costly). Would hospital just hire new graduate over the phone interview? Or do I need to wait till graduate, move to the area and look for jobs from there?

Thanks for any suggestions...

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i live in central Louisiana and any time you pick up the paper you see many advertisements for nurses, some which are encouraging new grads to apply

try out the newspapers and see what is available

shreveport times

alexandria town talk

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You don't need a great shortage to get a job you just need hospitals and other health care facilities that are hiring. Try the DC metro area. If you're open minded about options you should have a good variety of choices.

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Specializes in Acute Care Psych, DNP Student.

I'm also wondering, is it possible for me to apply for a new graduate position far away? say in Arizona. Cause interview is almost impossible (expensive and time-costly). Would hospital just hire new graduate over the phone interview? Or do I need to wait till graduate, move to the area and look for jobs from there?

Thanks for any suggestions...

I'm sorry you are having a rough time of it getting that first job. Whatever you do - don't just move to AZ because we've heard so much about the nursing shortage being severe in AZ. Due to the economy, new grads in AZ are now having a very difficult time finding that first job. I'm hearing numbers like 1/2 to 3/4 of some graduating classes have not been able to secure new grad jobs in AZ.

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Specializes in RN, BSN, CHDN.

Arizona is not a good choice at the moment the recession seems to have hit us very hard. Once all the negative press has died down I imagine there will be jobs again, we all feel very stressed about the economy in our facility at the moment.

There is no movement nurses are staying where they have some security which means putting up with negative behavior from Docs and management. Rn's who do leave are not being replaced. New grads unless they are an intern or extern are not being given jobs it is very unfair

Ps I am an RN in AZ

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I don't want to hijack the thread, but I have to say that I think the medical establishment is over reacting to the downturn. Curtailing their operations to quickly and to severily. They should use this chance to hire fine new people like yourself and bring them up to speed for the rush that will come.

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Specializes in medicine and psychiatry.

St Louis area is still hiring. Of course the transition to the "bible belt" might be a shock as well as the weather. Humid in the summer and you never know what in the winter. For a future resume Barnes Hospital always looks excellent. It is also a teaching hospital. You'll see everything.

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Specializes in Psych.

Here's a link to an AP article from 4 days ago. They need nurses in Milwaukee:

http://kdka.com/health/nursing.shortage.patient.2.901996.html

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The article in Milwaukee is saying experienced nurses. I have read that parts of Texas is looking for help.

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Specializes in LTC, case mgmt, agency.
The article in Milwaukee is saying experienced nurses. I have read that parts of Texas is looking for help.

They always say experienced up in Milwaukee. I've had no problems with that myself. Milwaukee hospitals are desperate. Don't let the experienced part put you off. Sometimes they'll take determination and persistance over experience. ( that is what happen in my case with case management )

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Thanks for all the replies and suggestions.

I mentioned Arizona because recently I had a personal trip there, mentioned it as an example. Now I know situations there are not good for new graduates. Thanks for the info.

Situations in the area I live in is not good. My friend who is an RN in a City hospital of New York City said the hospital has a hiring freeze, and RN schedule change back from 12-hr shift to 8-hr shift. I know I'm not competitive on the new graduate market. Maybe I can get a job in a Nursing home in the area, but I heard once your first RN job is in Nursing home, it will be very difficult to move to a hospital, and you will be kind of "stuck" there. While there is nothing wrong working at a nursing home, I would like myself to have more options.

Again, thanks for all suggestions. I'll look in the areas mentioned in the posts above. I'm OK with bad weather. Worst case scenario, I can get a couple of years of experience, and come back to NYC metro area later on.

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Specializes in Vents, Telemetry, Home Care, Home infusion.

philadephia is saturated with new grads---first positions hard to obtain.

first big cut eliminiating 400 positions: not only layoffs, but consolidation within crozer-keystone

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