Hello / Relocating to NOLA / picking your brains about Area Hospitals + jobs

nola06 · Jul 10, 2016

It's been a while since I was a new grad ( 10 yrs), but I went a number of interviews before finding a job. I know from experience that Ochsner takes a while with the application/interview process. as a new nurse you will probably start out on a med/surg unit. about the license, I didn't know you have to choose b/t a temp or endorsement. LA doesn't allow you to get a temp while waiting for endorsement? I was a travel nurse for several years and had to get many licenses by endorsement some take a few days some take months. I'm not sure how long LA takes. I think an application always looks best w/ a license because if they have to choose b/t you and someone else who has one they will go with that person. They will want someone who is ready to start working.

frenchieRN · Jul 13, 2016

Thank you for your answer @nola06 ! I actually went for an interview at Touro on a Med/Surg unit and was offered a job, which I took! I am excited to start and will definitely be back on the forum to look at articles and advice to make the transition from LTC to Med/Surg as smooth as possible!

Just to clarify, I was debating going straight to get the endorsement because I wanted to be able to put it on my resume - you can get a temp permit only if you have a job offer and a Louisiana address (and I only had one of those at the time). My issue was that if I sent my endorsement application in, i wasn't going to be eligible for the temporary permit anymore, and I thought that could have harmed me as an applicant. It is all sorted out though!

Since accepting the Touro job I heard back from other (Peri-Op/OR) jobs I had also applied to, unfortunately a little too late. I'm happy with my decision to start out in Med/Surg, and I am looking forward to the experience I will gain there :)

nola06 · Jul 16, 2016

congratulations and best of luck at your new job. I'm sure you and your husband will love new orleans

BeachsideRN, ASN · Jul 16, 2016

Hello Louisiana / New Orleans Area Nurses!
I have been creeping on AN for a while and reading a lot of posts and finally decided to write my own to kinda introduce myself.
I just (a few days ago!) relocated to New Orleans with my husband who is starting his medical residency in the ER at UMC. We are coming from Boston where we both went to school (Nursing for me, Med for him); I passed the NCLEX in July 2014 and have been working in long term care since in the Boston Area (same job since September 2014 with a break in employment because of immigration "issues" / adjustment of status). I debated between staying in Boston while I applied for my license by endorsement for Louisiana or coming straight down with my husband when he had to "report for duty". I decided that it would be more fun for the both of us to relocate at the same time.
I have been applying to jobs in the NOLA area hospitals (Ochsner, WJMC, NOEH, CHNOLA) since the week before we came down and haven't heard anything from anyone. I am surprised because a lot of postings encourage new graduates to apply and I already have some experience (both my LTC job and a Summer Camp job I seasonally worked at since passing the NCLEX) - I know it doesn't set me out of the pack (I am still a new nurse and I believe that LTC / Camp experience is not as valuable for an hospital's hiring manager as hospital experience) but thought I would be a bit more lucky than I am. I heard back from ONE job I had applied to in April but I was too far from a potential start date to keep them interested.
I am planning on dedicating this upcoming week to scouting job postings and applying to many many jobs; with that in mind, I was wondering if any of you local and seasoned NOLA nurses have any tips/recommendations/word of advice on how to proceed?
What are the region's hospitals reputations? I have read online reviews but am not sure I can 100% believe them (something along the lines of "unhappy people review a lot more than happy people" makes me take the reviews with a grain of salt.). I have never dealt with hospital or "big" recruiting as both jobs i've had as a nurse were for smaller companies. What are the hiring opportunities for ASN vs BSN (I have an ASN and plan on going back for my BSN in a couple of years/ when I am eligible for resident tuition)?
Would you recommend sending in my application for my license endorsement and forgoing the opportunity to get a temporary license?
Hope I can get some help from y'all!
Thanks in advance :)

The LCMC (group that owns CHNOLA, touro, WJ, UMC, NOEH) *just* received word of adequate funding for 2017 fiscal year. So they will likely be doing some hiring shortly.

All of the hospitals hire ADNs still.

Ochsner is really one of those you either love it or hate it kind of systems. They are very much press ganey/patient satisfaction driven.

BeachsideRN, ASN · Jul 16, 2016

It's been a while since I was a new grad ( 10 yrs), but I went a number of interviews before finding a job. I know from experience that Ochsner takes a while with the application/interview process. as a new nurse you will probably start out on a med/surg unit. about the license, I didn't know you have to choose b/t a temp or endorsement. LA doesn't allow you to get a temp while waiting for endorsement? I was a travel nurse for several years and had to get many licenses by endorsement some take a few days some take months. I'm not sure how long LA takes. I think an application always looks best w/ a license because if they have to choose b/t you and someone else who has one they will go with that person. They will want someone who is ready to start working.

Oh yes. I forgot to add that - ocshner is almost as slow as the government when it comes to their applications and hiring process. Slow as molasses in wintertime

BeachsideRN, ASN · Jul 16, 2016

Thank you for your answer @nola06 ! I actually went for an interview at Touro on a Med/Surg unit and was offered a job, which I took! I am excited to start and will definitely be back on the forum to look at articles and advice to make the transition from LTC to Med/Surg as smooth as possible!
Just to clarify, I was debating going straight to get the endorsement because I wanted to be able to put it on my resume - you can get a temp permit only if you have a job offer and a Louisiana address (and I only had one of those at the time). My issue was that if I sent my endorsement application in, i wasn't going to be eligible for the temporary permit anymore, and I thought that could have harmed me as an applicant. It is all sorted out though!
Since accepting the Touro job I heard back from other (Peri-Op/OR) jobs I had also applied to, unfortunately a little too late. I'm happy with my decision to start out in Med/Surg, and I am looking forward to the experience I will gain there :)

You'll love Touro!