Moving to Philly/New Grad

[Starashe, BSN, RN]

hi! i'm looking into moving to Philadelphia in June/July 2010 and was wondering if anyone is having a hard time trying to find a job in Philadelphia. I live in Oregon right now, and SF, Oregon, Seattle and Chicago all have nightmare job markets. I'm just trying to go somewhere that i'll have a good job... and be near a big city.

Does anyone have any contact information i can look at? I'm also EXTREMELY interested in oncology and i know that it's not really easy to pick a specialty and expect to work in it right now, but.... What's the best Onc hospital in Philadelphia?

thanks!

[bluestates]

unless you know someone you're sure can get you a job, i wouldn't move to philly.

i am leaving because i can't get a job here. there are jobs, but moving to yet another city isn't the best idea. in fact, philly has an extremely large amount of nursing schools in the area. i know many new grads who've been out of school for over six months who still don't have a decent job.

have you considered finding a job and then moving for the job offer? philly isn't a city i would suggest moving to with out job security. infact, this is true for many many fields. i've many friends, not only nurses, who had to move to other cities b/c the job market here is so tough.

good luck

[NRSKarenRN, BSN, RN]

in my 35yr careerm never seen this tight a job market for new grads ...no entry positions anywhere. even nursing hiomes not hiring. in 2008, 5 county philly area graduated 1,600 that passed nclex (i counted up #'s from bon list). i had 2 posisions for experienced rn's and received 40 applications from 2008 grads yet to find inital posiion and few from may grads still looking.

i've only seen new grad positions in berks, lehigh, lancaster and york counties. north central, gessinger still hiring --has supportive new grad program.

best oncology facility that i'd wished i'd worked at: fox chase canter center in ne philly ---nih designated center + ana magnet for 3rd time. they did have new grad program in 09, don't know if they will have next year.

graduate nurses

other facilites: thomas jefferson university, university of pa, pennsylvania hospital, abington all have top noch units---not seen any entry positions past 9 months.

having cna expereince might work in your favor. much oncology is done out patient these days in my area so oncology floors shrinking.