ASN RN with experience looking to relocate from Ohio to Bay area or Sacramento

[neurogirl77]

I am an Associate degree RN with 5 years of acute care experience on a specialized Neurology/Neurosurgery Tele floor at a nationally known hospital in Ohio. I am looking to relocate to San Francisco or Sacramento as early as March and as late as August. I am planning on starting an online RN-BSN program in January so I will NOT have my BSN before moving. I don't want to wait until after I get my BSN to move. I was wondering if I will be able to find a job with my Associate. I would love to work at a hospital preferably on nights. I have heard that I can make anywhere from $45 -$70 an hour in these 2 areas. But I am concerned the most about not being able to find a job because I don't have my BSN. Also, does anyone have any info about places to work or affordable places to rent? I would love to live in the city but I know that its crazy expensive so if i have to move to an outside city then i would be fine with it. I would even consider northern Cali but not southern. No interest in LA or San Diego. Any info would be so helpful! THANKS!!! :)

[NickiLaughs, ADN, BSN, RN]

While your experience is awesome, a lot of hospitals in the Bay Area and Sacramento require a BSN. If it says BSN preferred, the reality is they won't even look at you without it. It took me a year to get any calls back and I had my BSN and my family was here plus my husbands cousin was a head doc at the ER I'm now at. My background was in critical care with post op hearts, transplants, CRRT experience. Your certs are good. I would try the dignity health hospitals, they tend to be more desperate than others because they can't retain staff, get your BSN and then try to move on to greener pastures,