New grad: move out of state or should i stay?

U.S.A. California

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Hi everyone. I am a foreign grad and after the struggles, I finally got my RN license in California. I thought everything will be easy right after but I was wrong. It has been difficult for me to land a job in an acute hospital.

After sending applications after applications here in California and Florida. I got two offers:

1. Community Hospital/Telemetry Unit- California

2. Teaching, magnet, nationally ranked hospital/ICU unit- Florida

What are your thoughts/opinions/advises? Should I stay or Will it be worth to move out of state?

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Specializes in ICU.

cali. working conditions in FL suck right along with the pay.

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thank you. are you currently working in florida? may you give more insights about shands hospital?

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Specializes in ICU.

NO, I am currently in California. Shands as in Gainesville, FL pay is crap. Never asked people I know about the working conditions. I just didn't understand getting paid like that. Move around in California. Don't waste your time moving to FL unless its for love.

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lol love wont pay the bills though. do you think i can get to a bigger hospital lets say cedars if i have 2yrs exp in community hospital/telemetry?

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Specializes in ICU.

Cedars sure thing, they are starved for nurses with experience. LA area does not pay well. You make more in Nappa Valley than LA.

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Specializes in Psych ICU, addictions.

CA also offers the protection of mandated nurse-patient ratios. Whereas it's highly unlikely that the hospital in FL has them.

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Thank you guys hopefully I make the right decision

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Specializes in Emergency, Trauma, Critical Care.

California. Nurses move here from Florida because work conditions and pay is so crappy there. No contest. tele is a good stepping stone for ICU as well.

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Los Angeles/So Cal may not pay as well as Nor Cal, but all of California (except for maybe rural health areas, I don't know, really) pays better than pretty much anywhere else in the country. Plus, as someone else mentioned, we're the only state with mandated staff/patient ratios. That makes a huge difference.

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Specializes in ICU.
Los Angeles/So Cal may not pay as well as Nor Cal, but all of California (except for maybe rural health areas, I don't know, really) pays better than pretty much anywhere else in the country. Plus, as someone else mentioned, we're the only state with mandated staff/patient ratios. That makes a huge difference.

For now but....NewYork Bill S782 will work like California once it becomes a law after moving through legislation. It needs Senate approval to keep it moving along. What's in the Proposed Law? | New York State Nurses Association

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Unfortunately, California is rough for new nurses. In my experience, most hospitals want at least 1-2 years of experience for new hires, even for Med-Surg. I've been going to RN Residency route so far and I'm hoping something works out but it's tough out here. I'd say that if you love ICU and the hospital in Florida has better benefits and is a better fit for you, overall, go with that one. You can always come back to California after getting experience and it'll be much easier to find a job. Best of luck to you!

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