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Specializes in Step Down ICU.

I am just about finished (30 more days) with my first year of nursing! I have been working on a step-down ICU unit an Oklahoma City hospital. I am going to be moving to California in February or March and I am looking at the Long Beach area. My question is how is the job market there? I am looking at surgery but would consider other areas as well. I only have my associates but I am going to start schooling for my BSN in January. I have read on applications they only consider BSN degrees is this true or am I okay since I'm going to school? Any information is helpful to me. I am also considering travel nursing but I would rather just find my nursing home in one hospital. Thank for your help in advance!

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Specializes in public health.

You may get more response if you post it in the CA forum, under U.S.

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Specializes in burn ICU, SICU, ER, Trauma Rapid Response.

I can't speak to the job market in Long Beach. However it is mostly true that "only considering BSN" means exactly that. Anywhere from about to start a BSN program to one test away from completing your degree = ADN and NOT BSN. YMMV

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Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.
My question is how is the job market there?
The nursing employment market in southern CA, including Long Beach and all of Los Angeles County, has been oversaturated with new grad nurses for the past five years. It has reached the point where each typical hospital new grad job opening will receive anywhere from 300 to 1,200+ applications.

I am looking at surgery but would consider other areas as well. I only have my associates but I am going to start schooling for my BSN in January.
Apply to any and every job opening you see. If you only want surgery or the OR, you might be unemployed for a year or longer because you want a specialty that many others want.
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Specializes in L&D, infusion, urology.

California has a 43% unemployment rate for the first 18 months for new grad RNs, and that's average. The cities have a higher rate. That includes those with BSNs and connections. I would STRONGLY urge you to wait until you have signed the dotted line on a job before you make such a move. Your best bet is to get a couple of years in at a hospital out there, where the market is better, obtain your BSN, then come to CA.

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Specializes in Emergency, Trauma, Critical Care.

Pretty much what everyone said. It's a hard place to get a job. I was one of the lucky few in 2009. Most places that would hire you (inland empire, not LA/OC) you probably don't want to work at. If you are hoping to change specialties, that's going to be even harder. You could get step-down or an ICU job, but switching to OR is not an easy task.

id recommend finishing your bachelors as others have said then attempting the job market. That is a rough area to get a job.

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Specializes in Step Down ICU.

Thank you all for the replies. I may have to look more into travel nursing since the options seem so bleak. I will be changing specialties while still in Oklahoma but I'm unsure about which one would be better for out there. I think my new plan will be to get a job in the OR at the VA center here and the hopefully transfer to VA in California after my bachelor degree is done.

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Specializes in L&D, infusion, urology.
Thank you all for the replies. I may have to look more into travel nursing since the options seem so bleak. I will be changing specialties while still in Oklahoma but I'm unsure about which one would be better for out there. I think my new plan will be to get a job in the OR at the VA center here and the hopefully transfer to VA in California after my bachelor degree is done.

Travel positions require one year of experience in the specialty. You won't be able to get it as a new grad.

I've heard great things about working with the VA. It's one of the places I'm applying to as well, and my VA rep (as I am a vet who graduated using a VA program) is going to try to get me connected for that.

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Specializes in RETIRED Cath Lab/Cardiology/Radiology.

This might be helpful, if you wish to work in the VA system:

Jobs at VA - VA Careers

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