Moving to SF...HELP!

jzprple · Oct 4, 2005

Thanks SherBear!! Now that moving is less than 2 weeks away I'm getting a little more love from the HR people in the area. Now it's just packing, packing, packing!!!

Jzprple,
I currently live not too far from you and I will be moving to the SF area Oct. 10. I passed NCLEX in May, and like you, I am also a new RN.
What the other posts have said about new grad orientation starting in Jan/Feb is true. However, the hospital in SF that hired me said I could start on Med/Surg and transfer to a new grad opening in the Winter if I want. I think I'll stay on the floor I was hired for, though. The patient ratios are AWESOME compared to what I'm used to! They are 1:4/5 in SF and over 10 where I'm at now! The shift are 8hrs and the pay is over $40/hr with a 10% shift diff for evenings and 15% for nights.
PM me if you want more details on the hospital and who to contact. I can't wait to get out there!

SherBearRN · Oct 4, 2005

jzprple,

Sorry I haven't responded sooner to your PM. I just came off of 3 12s, so my brain is a bit fried! LOL Good luck and I hope to see you in SF!

acebsn05 · Oct 8, 2005

Is it possible to get a temp employment as a new grad? I am considering about applying for the new grad ICU program at UCSF as well. Thanks for the info.

When I suggested the UCSF temporary employment pool, I just meant it as a way to find a job, any job to keep food on the table till the new grad programs open up. And if you got a job in a clinical dept., it could help with networking and a more permanent job. Just a thought. Cheers, Dave

acebsn05 · Oct 8, 2005

Hi SherBear and jrzprpl. I am taking my nclex on the 21st. I just moved to SF last Sunday. I am new to this discussion, so I'm not quite sure what PM means. I plan on working in SF, so I don't have to drive. Plus, I just like working where I live. I love SF already! Which hospital hired you with that patient ratio? I myself am looking for a job right now.

Jzprple,
I currently live not too far from you and I will be moving to the SF area Oct. 10. I passed NCLEX in May, and like you, I am also a new RN.
What the other posts have said about new grad orientation starting in Jan/Feb is true. However, the hospital in SF that hired me said I could start on Med/Surg and transfer to a new grad opening in the Winter if I want. I think I'll stay on the floor I was hired for, though. The patient ratios are AWESOME compared to what I'm used to! They are 1:4/5 in SF and over 10 where I'm at now! The shift are 8hrs and the pay is over $40/hr with a 10% shift diff for evenings and 15% for nights.
PM me if you want more details on the hospital and who to contact. I can't wait to get out there!

jzprple · Oct 10, 2005

Hello acebsn05--

did you by any chance go to Drexel's accelerated program? My friend just graduated from that program. Anyway..I have interviews set up with California Pacific Med Ctr and I know they are having some job fair on Fri. Oct. 21st which is when I'm doing my interviews. I've talked to a recruiter from Kaiser but haven't had a lot of luck w/ getting their attention. I missed the start dates @ Stanford, UCSF and Mills Peninsula's new grad programs so now I'm just trying to talk to anyone and everyone.

PM means sending a private message. If you click on the person's user name that you want to PM then it will give you an option to send a private message and basically it's just like email. what kind of job are you looking for (dept.)?? I'm glad you're loving SF...I leave in less than a week and I'm so excited but nervous all at the same time! good luck w/ your search and w/ taking boards...

jzprple

SherBearRN · Oct 13, 2005

acebsn05,

Hello! I am officially in the SF area now. Hubby and I drove in Monday afternoon after my 6 hour stop in Sacramento to get my temporary license. LOL I will be starting my new job next Monday At CPMC (the same place jzprple is interviewing). I am very excited to start and I love the area where I'm living! I can open up my balcony and see the ocean. Coming from the Midwest, this is a treat. :)

Please feel free to PM me if you have additional questions!

jzprple · Oct 13, 2005

yea!!! I leave next Wed. so maybe I'll see ya when I'm there for my interviews. Congrats on the new job and making the move successfully. Any advice on the Sac trip for the temporary license???

SherBearRN · Oct 13, 2005

Yes! Get your fingerprints early! I went to the BON at 9am and they gave me directions to the Dept. of Juctice. I walked in there at 9:20am and didn't walk out until 1:30! Expect a 2-3 hour wait. From there, you have to go back to the BON with your fingerprint form and turn it in. Then you wait for approximately an hour before you get your temporary license.

One word of advice: Make sure you have your application completed before going there. Also, make sure and check whether your state is part of the Nursys database or if you need to mail in a verification form. The state I was from didn't participate of Nursys, so I had to mail in a verification form with $25 so they could send it to CA. I did this 2 weeks before I moved. Nursys is easier because the BON can log into this computer system and see that you have a license. You don't have to go through the hassle I did with verification.

You will pay $66 for the live scan and another $80 for the temporary and permanent licenses.

Welcome to CA! SF is awesome!!! I don't know what campus you will be at Wednesday, but I will be at the Davis campus Mon-Tues, the California campus Wed-Thur, and my home campus, the Pacific campus, the following week. I hope to see you around. When you get here, PM me and I'll give you my phone number.

jzprple · Oct 13, 2005

I heard the fingerprinting thing was an ordeal. Now I have them done already on the paper form but I've heard it's better to go through the live scan process b/c it's quicker for verification. Do you or anyone else know if this is true? I've done the nursys thing so I'm guessing I don't need to take anything with that since they can look it up. I'll pm you when I get into town..I think I'm going to be @ the Pacific campus on the 24th.

SherBearRN · Oct 15, 2005

Live scan is better. It cuts the processing time from 6+ weeks to 1-2 weeks. Since Nebraska is on the Nursys database, you should be okay. Glad to hear you will be out here shortly. Be careful going through Wyoming and the Sierra Nevadas on your way out. You never know if you'll get into snow or not. We did in Wyoming last week!

Selke · Oct 16, 2005

Some of the hospitals will give you money up front to payback your loans if you're a new grad. (Pissed me off because I am still paying off loans and am not a new grad, so I didn't qualify for the nice $5K check!) Sutter Health hospitals (CPMC is one) does this -- I think they will give you $5K a year for four (or is it 2?) years of continuous employment. Maybe Kaiser and others do too.

You can't work as per diem or registry until you have at least one, preferably more, years experience in the field -- so this isn't an option for a new grad.

I had the impression that Sutter Health hospitals and Kaiser had the highest salaries. But while they pay less, UCSF and SF General are fabulous teaching hospitals, with many resources you only get with a world class teaching and research center, also with many cool people working there. Either of those would probably be my first choice were I a new grad.

I just moved from the SFBA to the east coast and miss the area terribly. I tell everyone to move to SF to work. Great weather, pay, people, culture, working conditions. Makes it hard to work anywhere else and settle for lower pay and worse working conditions (no lunches, poor RN:pt ratios). Nurses out here give me a blank look when I tell them there it CAN be different.

Good luck!