Areas of the country with jobs for new grads?

[SusGob711]

I'm curious as to whether there is a certain region or industry nationally that is willing to hire new grads. In my part of the county, it's close to impossible for someone without at least one year of experience to get a job in a hospital. So, as my topic suggests, are there any parts of the country or certain health care systems (hec, I'd even take a nurse internship/externship) that are desperate enough to hire new grads?

[LindsayLu]

I live in North Dakota, and there are a lot of nursing jobs open here. I don't know whether the hospitals have a preference for experience, but with so many job postings and such low unemployment, I imagine they aren't as picky as places that have to sift through droves of applicants.

[tokmom, BSN, RN]

Yeah, the Fransciscan system in Western WA. I took a cardiac class a few months ago and only a handful of us were experienced. There were 30 some nurses in the class, and easily 2/3 were new grads.

[SummitRN, BSN, RN]

Just think of less desirable places to live that are far from cities and schools... probably less competition there...

[Nurzelady]

Here's another one located in East Texas. Its in the middle of nowhere though. They called me right away and offered me a sign on bonus.

http://www.memorialhealth.org/

[anzean_rn]

North Carolina. They are giving new grads jobs like CRAZY at my hospital. I got into the NICU as a new grad here, and there were new grads in my orientation that got jobs in L&D, OR, and ICU as well. Plus, it's a great state to live in! You should definitely look into it.

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

Your chances of finding a job will increase if you (1) move to an undesirable area where very few people would want to live, (2) move to a city or town that has no schools of nursing within a 100 mile radius, (3) select an area with a decent military presence (this means lots of young families and older veterans who will need care), and (4) stay away from the coasts.

Experience is experience by any other name, and the city or state in which you obtain that experience really doesn't matter. I attended an RN completion program in a large metro area in Oklahoma last year, and noticed that the rural parts of the state were still hiring new grads.

[TPeters73]

I have some friends who are moving to New Orleans to work as a new grad RN's in ICU. I would love to go too, but I depend on my inlaws and parents too much to watch my kids when I'm working and I would only know my 2 friends and I'm funny about who I leave my kids with.

Good Luck!

[alphabetsoup]

Florida.

[SusGob711]

Thanks guys!! It's good to know that there are some hospitals willing to higher new grads. I'm definitely willing to relocate so I'm excited to start looking elsewhere