Impossible New Grad market Tacoma/Lakewood Area?

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Hi WA peeps I've got a question for you. But first he's a little about me.

New grad from an ADN program in Denver CO. My Pops is retired military and my parents live in Lakewood WA and are DYING for us (hubby to grandkids) to move up to the Tacoma area to live closer to them.

I've looked at FHS and MultiCare so far but things don't seem to promising!! The job market for new grads in Denver is non existant with it taking about 6 months for even BSN nurses to get an acute care job in a hospital. Here in Denver if you work LTC or Rehab and you try to move to the hospital you can forget it, they don't consider that acute care, same goes for working in a Dr's office or clinic and even home health.

I currently have a license in the state of CO only. So I'm wondering if I need to go ahead and apply for a WA state license and just pay the money up front. Also i'm wondering what it's like for ADN nurses to get hired up there (I start my RN to BSN bridge in the fall).

I don't know a single person up in WA so I don't have a way to really network and try to make contacts except through here. Any advice would be appreciated. After looking for a job here in Denver I feel like I wasted 2 years of my life on a degree that isn't worth the paper it's printed on. :-/ Thanks for taking the time to read this!

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Specializes in Phlebotomist, nursing student.

With more than 25 nursing schools in the state of Washington, there are lots of new grads you would be competing with for jobs. About 1/3 (maybe 1/2?) of our ADN class that graduated this June have found jobs so far, and I think all are on units where they worked as techs or where they did their practicums. Good luck!

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That's better than here in Denver. Not a single person from my class has a job yet :-(. Not having any connections is really going to hurt I think. That's a bummer. With my parents being in their late 60's who also have some health issues of their own it sure would be nice to live closer to them. So hard to get that experience when no one is willing to give you a chance to get any. :-/

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I just moved from WA a year ago although i was not a nurse when i lived there. i can say as i worked as a cna and 4 of my family member were new RNs that its not as hard as some say! My previous work hired new grad rn/lpns CONSTANTLY, It was HRC manor care gig harbor (much more upscale then the Tacoma ,Lakewood ones but they still aren't that bad!) its a SNF/Sub acute that take ALOT of post op med/surg patients when when st Anthony's in gig harbor is full so you'd be able to gain acute exp as well as long term. Its not a fancy hospital job but i can say after working with people that went from cna to rn/lpn and having alot of friends that worked there as new grads that its not bad at all. they pay isnt bad either i believe (dont quote me that a new rn is around 25) i saw many go onto jobs at the hospitals and so forth! there are ALOT of places to work as far as nursing homes, home-care, agency (some YIKES hire new grads), clinics, and so forth! If you need suggestions on the area let me know ! Im from gig harbor and family lives in lakewood! Also western state (state job) hires new grads to, good poay but its mental health.

Any questions let me know!

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Specializes in Certified Med/Surg tele, and other stuff.

Try Franciscan Health Care. Our hospital (don't want to name it here. PM me if interested) hires new grads/ADN.

I think having your WA license might be something you should get sooner rather than later though. That's my humble opinion. :)

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Don't forget to look at the Providence Hospitals in Olympia and Centralia.

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Thanks you guys!!!!! I would PM you TokMom and Amanda but I haven't posted enough yet :( so I can't do that. It seems I automatically get a rejection letter within 48 hrs from every job I apply for at the MultiCare facilities. I don't have a WA license yet but I have applied for it. I figured maybe I will just keep getting rejection letters until I can update my resume with my WA RN License number. I've applied to FHS. St. Claire is the closets to our house and I've also applied at the one in Enemclaw (sp)? I haven't received a rejection letter from every FHS I've applied for yet. *LOL* I had to look up Olympia on the map and it's only 20 or so miles away so that's not bad at all! I'll be looking at the Providence hospitals for sure. I really do appreciate the comments. I don't feel so bad now. *LOL* If you guys would be willing to email me (do I stink of desperation)?? my email is Lorad1275 at gmail dot com. I'll also be visiting Oct 5-8th to visit my daughters new school and look at preschools for my son.

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Specializes in Certified Med/Surg tele, and other stuff.
Thanks you guys!!!!! I would PM you TokMom and Amanda but I haven't posted enough yet :( so I can't do that. It seems I automatically get a rejection letter within 48 hrs from every job I apply for at the MultiCare facilities. I don't have a WA license yet but I have applied for it. I figured maybe I will just keep getting rejection letters until I can update my resume with my WA RN License number. I've applied to FHS. St. Claire is the closets to our house and I've also applied at the one in Enemclaw (sp)? I haven't received a rejection letter from every FHS I've applied for yet. *LOL* I had to look up Olympia on the map and it's only 20 or so miles away so that's not bad at all! I'll be looking at the Providence hospitals for sure. I really do appreciate the comments. I don't feel so bad now. *LOL* If you guys would be willing to email me (do I stink of desperation)?? my email is Lorad1275 at gmail dot com. I'll also be visiting Oct 5-8th to visit my daughters new school and look at preschools for my son.

I tried to email, but it bounced back. I will try again

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Specializes in Certified Med/Surg tele, and other stuff.

Says it's not valid.

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that's cause I can't type! Stupid Keyboard!

Lorax1275 at gmail . com

Sorry about that :dead:

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Specializes in Certified Med/Surg tele, and other stuff.

Ok, sent you another email.

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Specializes in Cath Lab/ ICU.
Thanks you guys!!!!! . I don't have a WA license yet but I have applied for it.
I hadn't even applied for my WA license when I was offered a position.

Luckily, WA gets a temp license out PDQ. And it lasts a good while. The reg license takes a while. And it's somewhat of a pain for out of state applicants as far as fingerprinting is concerned. All in all, it will take a good 6-8 weeks IIRC.

But, like I said, the temp license happens quickly. So you don't have to have everything in order immediately. Just pay the fees here and there to get it going...

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