UCSF vs UC Davis vs Mayo Clinic

[Kiwhipple RN, BSN, MSN, RN]

Hello, so I am currently working as an RN at Mayo Clinic in the vascular surgery PCU in Rochester, MN. I was considering moving back home to Sacramento, CA. I moved from CA to MN in February of this year and working for Mayo Clinic has been such an amazing experience but I would like to get into the ICU (preferably the cardiac) once my year is up or maybe a little after that. I do not know if I will stay with Mayo or move back home to California where my desire to work would be UCSF or UC Davis. I was wondering how the nurses who work for these organizations like working there or if the pay for the cost of living is worth it. Maybe just some advice for anyone working at either UCSF or UC Davis. Also maybe considering just staying at Mayo Clinic for my ICU experience before I try to go back for graduate school. Any advice would be appreciated & would help make my decision a lot easier. Please & thank you!

[guest769224]

All three are top-notch facilities. I know for UC Davis, pay vs COL is favorable for nurses. Sacramento is relatively affordable and they have wages pretty high on the scale. Plus CA has ratios and unions, although I'm sure Mayo treats it's employees well.

[Kiwhipple RN, BSN, MSN, RN]

Yes Mayo treats us very well! I love working for Mayo clinic but I am just not a big fan of living in Rochester :/

[Corey Narry, MSN, RN, NP]

I would recommend getting your ICU experience at Mayo then transferring to either UCSF or UC Davis with ICU experience. That would increase your chances of getting hired to the ICU you want. Both institutions put a lot of value in previous related experience preferably in a similar academic institution. It's not so much an elitist thing but more so to make sure that the nurse is familiar with the educational focus of the medical centers where you will work alongside residents and fellows in training as well as the complexity of the patients treated.

All the UC hospitals nurses are unionized through CNA and a new contract was just ratified. There is a planned annual pay increase for the duration of the new contract. In the contract, UCSF pays the most of all the 5 UC hospitals but is also the most expensive city to live in. Rents keep going up for such little space to live in. However, you could save money by living close to the hospital and walking to work or finding a place outside of the city where rent can be lower and commuting to work. Some areas have public transportation options.