need some info pls

LOVEJRT · Jan 29, 2009

Hi, Go to the Board of Registered Nursing website for CA www.rn.ca.gov

I don't know if you can apply for a CA license immediately, since you went to school in OK. You might have to apply for a license in OK, and then get a CA endorsement. Please check the website, since I am no expert on the licensing rules. You should be able to apply for the OK license even though you live in CA, and you can sit for the NCLEX anywhere in the country---you do not have to be in OK to take the test itself. Also, the CA application process takes a pretty long time...they handle a lot of folks! If you were to apply in OK, get the OK license, and then apply for a CA endorsement, the CA Board would probably get you a temp CA license fairly quickly... Again, I am not sure about any of this info.... :bowingpur please check that website. Good luck!

kim129 · Jan 29, 2009

Thank you, lovejrt. It's so kind of you. Unfortunately, I have already applied for CA license. I just mailed the application last week. I know I can apply for it. But I had no idea it is gonna take a long time to be approved.

I wana know if I can look for a position for new grad without license here. In OK, there are some positions for new grad with no license or work as a RN but have to pass the test in a period of time.

suzanne4, RN · Jan 29, 2009

Right now the Bay Area is one of the hardest to get hired in as a new grad. There are quite a few nursing schools in the area as well so that makes it even harder to find a job. Most of the facilities only offer new grad programs two to three times per year and they are going to want you to have a license in hand before you can begin.

You will be in a much better place if you have the exam already written and passed before you apply, especially since you are from out of state. The grads from CA are able to write the NCLEX right away as well.

Much has already been written on this topic here, please just do a search. The other newer issue that you up is that hospitals are even cancelling out new grad programs in sone areas where the nurse was already hired and given a start date. Things are economically quite bad in the area as well.

Wish I could tell you that you will be able to find a job right away, but that is not going to be the case at all. We are telling everyone to make sure that they have a job before moving to the Bay Area, things are that bad and especially for a new grad. Those with at least two years of experience in a specialty area are even not finding things as easy right now. Lay-offs and hiring freezes are also in place at several facilities.

Best of luck to you.

(p.s. Licensing usually takes about 6 to 8 weeks before you will get permission to sit for the NCLEX if you have trained in the US.)

kim129 · Jan 29, 2009

Suzanne,your info is so useful. Although it is not very encouraging, it must be the truth. Good to know so I won't be too disopointed. I have trained in the US.But I am not a citizen. I guess it makes things even harder. Well...I may have to try in nursing homes then.

suzanne4, RN · Jan 29, 2009

Do you have a visa that will permit you to work here since you state that you are not a citizen?

Do you have a SSN#? If not, then CA will not issue a license to you.

kim129 · Jan 30, 2009

I have a work permit called OPT which is issued after I graduated. But I have to get hired in three months.Otherwise it will be invalid. Now one month and a half passed, I am still looking for the job,so I am feeling so desperate.I have SSN though. You are so nice listening to me and helping me. Now I don't know what to do,looking for the job or preparing for the test.

Suzanne, is that easier to get a job at nursing home? I wanna get a job first so I can keep my OPT valid.

suzanne4, RN · Jan 30, 2009

If you are on the OPT, this means that you are under the F-1 visa. You are not going to be able to get hired in any hospital in the Bay Area at this time. New grad programs start in a couple of weeks, so you are looking at the summer at the earliest and chances are going to be slim at that as well.

The major issue for you is that once your OPT is completed, you are not going to have the documentation to be able to continue to work here and there are no visas for you to adjust to. I wish that this information would have been given to you before you moved here. There are many that do not need petitioning that are unable to find work at this time.

You are going to have to try nursing homes if you care to work at this time. I wish you the best of luck. You may wish to check out the International Forum as well since much of this is covered there.

We are also telling people not to move up here unless they have a job already lined up. Things are that bad. The area has about a 10% unemployment rate as well.

kim129 · Jan 30, 2009

I am sorry I have one more question. Are you saying the hospitals in the Bay Area don't hire nurses holding OPT work permission? Is that because once OPT is comptelted, I won't be able to continue to work or you mean it's even not allowed to work here if I use OPT? I know peope like me holding OPT are harder to get a job. But it's legal.

Oh..and if I wanna get some info about New grad progam, where can I get it? I would like to try the summer one. I just don't know how and where to get these info. I am afraid next time when summer starts, I still don't know.

Thanks a million times.

suzanne4, RN · Jan 31, 2009

Please check out the International Forum that can be found above the state threads. There is much information that you need to be aware of.

I understand completely about the OPT, it is used by many foreign nurses that train in the US and are under the F-1 visa. The issue is that there is an over-saturation of new grads in the Bay Area to begin with, so chances of getting a job are quite slim as a start. Add into it the fact that you are only going to be able to work the remainder of your OPT and you are going to find that you are not going to get hired. It makes no sense for a facility to invest in a new nurse that is not going to be able to remain there to work after the 9 months or so that you have left.

And waiting until summer, when there is even a larger group of new grads out is only going to give you a month or two at best with the OPT if you already have it.

You are going to have to try a nursing home, that is going to be your only option at this time. Forget about hospitals. There are more than 250 applicants for about 15 to 20 openings and we have even seen some new nurses post that got hired and then there new grad orientation got cancelled. It costs a facility quite a bit of money for every nurse that they hire.

One of the worst locales for having a chance of getting hired as a new grad in the US is the Bay Area.

You will not be able to get into a new grad program in the summer in any form as your OPT will expire and then you will not be able to work here. The OPT is never extended for any reason. Once it is issued, then no changes can be made to it.

Definitely do some reading on the International Forum for more specifics that you need to be aware of.

kim129 · Feb 1, 2009

Thank you,Suzanne. I can change my status depending on my husband. As the spouse of his, I will be allowed to work. Anyway I know it won't be easy to get hired here. My friends in OK don't believe me things are that bad since they heard nurses shortage everywhere. Sigh...

caliotter3 · Feb 1, 2009

Your friends in OK wouldn't think it is so easy to get a job if they were now standing in your shoes. Wishing you good luck in getting this sorted out so that you can begin work as soon as possible. Don't worry about starting in a nursing home. It is better than sitting at home not working, and you will be gaining experience. You can continue to apply to hospitals while you are bringing in an income.