New Grad BSN, RN job panic

[madeline125, BSN]

Hi! So I am a new grad who graduated with BSN in Illinois. I am a December 2019 grad who took the NCLEX in February. I didn't have a CNA job or any additional clinical experience during school, and I decided that I wanted to get as far away from that place as possible because it was unsafe. (For the record, I was a high-achiever, I just didn't have to work as a CNA so I didn't- maybe a big mistake).

When my serious boyfriend got a job in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, I thought that it was my ticket to a better life. I think it still is, but the registration process got delayed indefinitely right when COVID hit in March. Therefore I moved back to Oregon where my mom's house is and where my family lives as a kind of middle-point.

Basically, I am in limbo and starting to panic because I just started applying for new grad programs and in some instances jobs in mid-March, and I am super worried that I am late to the game as compared to my cohort who all got jobs right away from being a CNA on a floor, internship, or quite frankly their locality when they applied back in October, November, December, January, February... uhg.

Maybe there are other mysterious factors I don't know about which is also unsettling. From what I've seen on these boards, it DOES matter where you live and where you went to school based on geographical hiring factors. And it was the stupidest thing to move away immediately to another country without a job offer. But hey, I am an idealist. Maybe not the best quality for a nurse though. I am basically firing on all cylinders and applying everywhere from Oregon, Washington State (to be closer to bf), and Illinois. Technically, I haven't heard back from new grad programs yes or no, but I heard it can be very competitive and it just applying and writing endless cover letters feels like climbing a mountain! Any advice, next steps, wisdom from other nurses?

[Michelle Yin, BSN, RN]

First : Did you already passed Uclex ?

Second: Which state your license in?

Third: Which one is more important to you ? your first RN job ? Or your boyfriend?

I believe you will have you would know what to do once you answer my questions above.

[madeline125, BSN]

Michelle, thank you for your response.

Yes, I passed the NCLEX.

OR, IL, WA

My first RN job first, then boyfriend. We easily do long distance, anyway.

As an update, I have been interviewing but the best job offer I received was at an inpatient psych unit in WA at smaller campus of a well-known hospital in a cute coastal town. I don't know anybody there, but it's actually pretty close to my bf. I can think of worse, but my first choice was not psych. It seems like a supportive manager though, but she said there would be a new manager soon and she'll be the director (warming sign?). I am not overjoyed, but I think I should take it with the economy and covid and all the uncertainty. What do you think? I am going crazy being unemployed and there are no guarantees, though I know psych has a reputation. Otherwise I would have to take a chance and apply to other places which is a risk.