Considering moving to Bay Area

zzbxdo · Oct 8, 2015

Rent is horrible. So will your commute. Those 2 locations are not exactly close so I wouldn't compare them. I've considered moving back home to San Jose and that's 40m commute without traffic to stanford. You need to narrow down where you want to work and where you want to live. Unless you're cool with bleeding rental monies and time commuting that is.

**NickiLaughs, ADN, BSN, RN** · Oct 8, 2015

Pretty much what previous poster said. Rent is terrible wherever you live and ideally you want the option of public transport such as Bart. The streets and freeways aren't worth the battle. My mom loves in milpitas and commutes to and from mountain view, approx 20miles if that and her commute time ranges from 70 to 90 minutes. It also seems that traffic times have quite a range there not the usual 9 to 5 traffic. It can be 6 am or 8 pm for traffic.

as the other poster suggested, pick your target hospital and go from there.

zzbxdo · Oct 8, 2015

Yeah my brother works 10miles away in Mountain view and it be an 1.5 hr commute. It's been pretty bad the few years and will only get worse.

j450n, BSN, MSN, RN · Oct 8, 2015

Thanks for the input guys. My significant other currently goes to school in Palo Alto, so Stanford would seem like the logical choice. I'm looking at Menlo Park, Redwood City area. Mountain View doesn't seem bad either. However, UCSF really peaks my interest too, especially since I plan to pursue a graduate degree and the UC tuition discount is appealing.

zzbxdo · Oct 9, 2015

You are forced to work part time if you wish to attend a UC with tuition discounts. This is probably more of an issue for those interested in getting vested efficient at it. Likely doesn't apply to you but a lot of nurses in la go to the local csus instead of UCLA for that reason.

j450n, BSN, MSN, RN · Oct 11, 2015

Thans zzbxdo.

Does anyone know how to get into critical care down there? In Seattle, all the larger hospitals have a Critical Care Consortium, where nurses looking to get into ICU apply to it and once they are hired by the ICU, they attend this consortium that has classes on critical care nursing, in addition to having their preceptor at their workplace too. I see postings for ICU positions, but most of them seem like they're looking for experienced critical care nurses.

**NickiLaughs, ADN, BSN, RN** · Oct 11, 2015

If you don't have ICU experience it's rare to get hired in. Most want you to hit the floor running. Your best bet would be to try to get in a unit you're experienced in and then transfer after smoozing to the nurse manager of the department. Or you could get some ICU experience where you are now and then transfer.

Uc nursing programs are full time. They usually do not have a part time option. I had several coworkers at Uc Davis who had a rough go because they had to do ft work and school. :)

DatMurse · Oct 22, 2015

Thanks for the input guys. My significant other currently goes to school in Palo Alto, so Stanford would seem like the logical choice. I'm looking at Menlo Park, Redwood City area. Mountain View doesn't seem bad either. However, UCSF really peaks my interest too, especially since I plan to pursue a graduate degree and the UC tuition discount is appealing.

Read pms. I work at Stanford

MrsRoseDEWxXx · Mar 28, 2017

I moved to the bay area back August of 2016. I started the nursing process via endorsement in Baton Rouge Louisiana on August 8, 2016 and did not get licensed until October 25 2016 and others tell me that is fast. I live in Pittsburg, Ca and travel to South San Francisco for a job. The facilities near me want night nurses and 12 hour shifts and for those who already traveled to SFO are relocated closer as they gain seniority in their roles leaving the new nurses to travel (my experience). Our rent is 1000 dollars more per month than we paid back in Louisiana and even in my home state of Texas. The salaries are larger depending if you are hired as full time/perm versus contract. Several roles I am qualified to do they want additional certifications which makes no sense. Not loving the California dream jut yet but yes the train is my new best friend.

MBA, BSN, RN