Is it the RIGHT time to come to NYC?

dreamon · Dec 9, 2008

I can only offer an outsiders opinion, but it seems to me since you are not a new grad it won't be as hard for you to find work.

If you want to be totally safe then staying where you are is the best bet. But who knows how long it will take this economy to right itself again and for hospital census to go back to what it used to be.

There are millions of people in this city and even if they are staying away from the hospital now, how long can they keep that up? Going to the doc isn't like buying a new car.

Anyway good luck with your decision, perhaps you should send out a resume and if you get an interview or hired then let that be the deciding factor. Unless you are moving here before you find a position?

AWanderingMinstral · Dec 9, 2008

A good friend of mine with three years of experience recently scored a per diem position (with a guaranteed 36 hours per week - at $50 per hour - with no benefits) with NY Presby. It was his only interview. I think the key is to be flexible and consider hospitals outside of Manhattan. I am considering relocating to NYC (I lived there for five years) and moving to the northern Bronx to take advantage of the proximity to Westchester County and additional casual/per diem work. GOOD LUCK! I think everyone should live in NYC at one point in their lives. : )

BettyBoo706 · Dec 10, 2008

I am a new grad in NYC it is hard for me but most of the hosp in the city are askin for nurses with exp

NYCRN16 · Dec 14, 2008

Hi all,
I am a RN is in California (San Francisco Bay Area). I am an ICU nurse with about 5 years of experience. I like my job it pays well staff are nice and all, but I love NYC. I really want to move there. I was thinking about coming out as a traveler to Manhatten, in Feb. 09, however with the news about this fininancial crisis I am now afraid of leaving my job. I know people say nursing is pretty recession proof but I can't help but feel this is not the time to give up a job and start another one. My family and friends give me mixed advice as some say play it safe and others tell me I am just getting scarred and finding reasons not to go.
I would appreciate input from nurses who work in NYC and tell me is nursing really all that "recession proof." I have been reading threads and I know New Grads are having a hard time and I know the new grad market in Cali is tough even those with experience are not finding jobs easily.
I can't help but feel I should be thankful I have a job now and maybe at least for a while get my NYC fix with another trip out there.
Cheers!

Hi there!

I would love to trade places with you right now for a bit, I'll come work in San Fran, you can come work here :wink2: On a serious note, before you make your decision, just remember that nursing in CA is nothing like nursing in NY. A lot of travelers from CA come here and run home crying because there is no such thing as patient care ratios. I don't know what specialty you work in, but in ER for example, you can have no more than 4 patients out in CA. In NYC you may have 15+ patients, and that is including tele, ICU patients. It really doesn't matter what hospital you are at, some may be slightly better than others, but those top hospitals in NYC are no much better than the city hospitals in terms of workload believe it or not. If you think that you can handle anything for 13 weeks than take the chance and do it, but I would at least wait until the warmer weather, its really cold here and it's miserable! My friend is a NYC travel nurse, and according to her, there really are slim pickin's as far as assignments now, and she has heard that many NYC hospitals are on a hiring freeze for staff nurses.

All in all, I would say, def come to NYC and experience it, but I would wait a few months and see how things are then. It will also give you some time to save $$ for when you get here, because you can spend $ here like you never knew you could :eek:

Good Luck!

BroadwayRN, ASN, RN · Dec 15, 2008

Since you have 5 years experience you shouldn't have a problem but do check it out thoroughly before making the move. You can even get a job out here before you actually move. Depends on who needs what at the time and you might even get a moving bonus.