Is it hard to get a job if you went to school in a different state?

[WannabeNurse(:]

The question basically says it all, but as a rising high school junior who's not exactly sure where she wants to live or go to college yet, I'm curious about how hard it is to get a job in, say, Philadelphia (CHOP is my dream workplace) if you went to nursing school in Washington, D.C. (Georgetown is one of my higher choices). Basically, if you go to nursing school in one state and want to get a job as an RN in another, how difficult is that? Thank you!

[Pangea Reunited, ASN, RN]

It all depends on the market where you're headed to. Other than that, I don't think it's too difficult. There can be some expense endorsing to another state, but you won't have to sit for boards again.

[chrisrn24]

I wouldn't think it would matter unless the person who hires you has a sense of state pride and only hires locals.

[Fiona59]

I wouldn't think it would matter unless the person who hires you has a sense of state pride and only hires locals.

I've had that happen when we moved to another province due to my husband's job. I was basically told the jobs went to locally educated nurses first, then nurses educated anywhere in the province and then "newcomers". Didn't matter how qualified you were, locals came first.

[chrisrn24]

I've had that happen when we moved to another province due to my husband's job. I was basically told the jobs went to locally educated nurses first, then nurses educated anywhere in the province and then "newcomers". Didn't matter how qualified you were, locals came first.

Yeah I think some people will always want to hire local people. And others would rather have the best person for the job.

[tots24]

I would add that while you won't have a problem transferring your license, you may have a problem networking. If you were to go to school in the area you ultimately want to work in you might be able to work as a NA during school and then have an "in" once you graduate. I'm not saying it's impossible to go to school in one place and then work in another, but it will certainly be more difficult.

[KelRN215, BSN, RN]

Georgetown is a nationally known school, I don't think a degree from there will hinder your chances though I would guess that in the current job market (meaning there are not a lot of jobs available), CHOP would probably show preference to UPenn grads who may have completed clinicals with them or worked as aides for them. I remember getting emails from Nurse Recruiters at CHOP when I was a senior in college and my school was 300 miles and 4 states away from Philadelphia. Like Georgetown it was a nationally known university with a well regarded nursing program.

[RNsRWe, ASN, RN]

The question basically says it all, but as a rising high school junior who's not exactly sure where she wants to live or go to college yet, I'm curious about how hard it is to get a job in, say, Philadelphia (CHOP is my dream workplace) if you went to nursing school in Washington, D.C. (Georgetown is one of my higher choices). Basically, if you go to nursing school in one state and want to get a job as an RN in another, how difficult is that? Thank you!

No more difficult than anyone else from a different field, as a new grad, trying to find employment anywhere. Networking, brushing up on local culture, how well you fit into the area are more important than the school, UNLESS you are picking some hokeytown that only wants nurses from its own hokeytown nursing school. Bigger cities all have more than one school anyway, so competition is going to be significant as well.