Best opportunities in OR

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Hi everyone!

I am a new ADN RN from California who is tired of constant sunshine, heat,outrageously expensive real estate, and deserty look of southern CA. My husband and I are trying to relocate somewhere with abundance of forest, rain, friendly people, and possibility to buy a house without working five 12 hour shifts each. I think that Oregon is a perfect place for us. Unfortunately, I got the impression that RN jobs are not plentiful for new nurses in OR. In CA, I got a job for every position I applied with at least 6000 sign on bonus and without even an interview. Not bad. On the other side, due to air pollution, we all suffer from asthma, chronic bronchitis, and severe allergies. Could you please let me know if there are any cities or towns in OR that have plentiful opportunities for new nurses. I currently work in L/D: wonderful people, great experience, but I still want to move some time soon before we all get lung cancer and turn insane in CA traffic jams.

Thank you all beforehand!

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Well, Portland is a great city, I live just outside it in Hillsboro. Hubby and I bought a house for a reasonable price, some areas are more pricy than others. Try Providence (St Vincent's, specifically) That's where I had both my kids and the L/D nurses were FABULOUS!!!! It was a GREAT experience for our family. I just looked the other day b/c I was curious and they have some postings for L/D nurses. I think they said they prefer 1 year exp. I also know that the Legacy Hosptal system hires new grads, however not all their hospitals have L/D.

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Well, Portland is a great city, I live just outside it in Hillsboro. Hubby and I bought a house for a reasonable price, some areas are more pricy than others. Try Providence (St Vincent's, specifically) That's where I had both my kids and the L/D nurses were FABULOUS!!!! It was a GREAT experience for our family. I just looked the other day b/c I was curious and they have some postings for L/D nurses. I think they said they prefer 1 year exp. I also know that the Legacy Hosptal system hires new grads, however not all their hospitals have L/D.

Thank you for the information.

I've heard that Portland is not a new-nurse-friendly city because the supply of new nurses from all the schools in the area is higher than demand. I will definately look at Vincent's website. By the time I am ready to move I'll have 1 year high risk L/D experience under my belt.

Thank you again!

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I just went to an info session at PCC for their nursing program and the advisor there stated their graduates have had no problems in finding jobs. You may not find something in L&D right away, but I'm sure you could find something to keep you working and gaining some experience until something in L&D opens up.

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I just went to an info session at PCC for their nursing program and the advisor there stated their graduates have had no problems in finding jobs. You may not find something in L&D right away, but I'm sure you could find something to keep you working and gaining some experience until something in L&D opens up.

Sounds good! I will start applying for positions at different Portland hospitals in about 8 months.I'll see what I can get into. California is a great state for nurses, the only one with 5:1 ratio on the floor. Unfortunately, it is getting too crowded and expensive.

Thank you again!

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Specializes in Med-Surg, ICU.

Portland is generally saturated with New Grads. The schools release 100 or more new grads every few months. Most positions are looking for experienced RNs. Kaiser and the VA do not answer emails, phone calls from new grads. Legacy and Kaiser post new grad internships twice a year. This last year Legacy recieved 350 applicants for 60 jobs I've found the cost of living here has dramatically risen in the last few years, while the rate of pay isn't neccessarily moving with inflation. However, an determined mind will win over a wavering one.

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Specializes in Pediatrics.

Within the Portland Metro area there are about 7 nursing schools. So for that area they are not as desperate for RN. If you go to the Oregon BON website, they have a map showing the areas in Oregon that have critical shortages for RNs.

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Thank you all for your replies. I have already checked BON website for critical areas. Now I need to work on my OR license.:wink2:

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Specializes in LTC.

Another thing you may consider if you have a hard time getting into local Portland hospitals is commuting to other hospitals (I say this because you are from Cali and are probably used to all the driving, hee hee). Oregon City has a small hospital called Willamette View; it's around a half hour commute from Portland. Salem also has a smallish hospital but you probably need to allow an hour to hour and a half. Also, if you're interested in becoming licensed in WA, Vancouver (which is just across the Columbia from PDX) has a Legacy hospital called Salmon Creek which is GORGEOUS. My nephew was born there and they have a fabulous birthing center. There is also SW Medical Center in Vancouver.

I'm a CO transplant myself and totally hear you about the brutal sunshine, LOL. Welcome in advance to OR! :)

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