New Grad/RN Program in California

nurseteee · Dec 17, 2010

BridgetvdpGn: I know exactly how you feel. People keep telling me that having my BSN gives me such an advantage, but to be honest, it's not really helping me out right now. I don't know what hospitals are looking for. And I'm not sure if I should try to get a part-time job or volunteer in the meantime just so I can seem "active" (in my resume). Or should I resort to searching out of state? Or how about start off at a nursing home? I don't know what to do :/

mkmascare · Dec 19, 2010

It's really tough in San Diego. I just moved from San Diego to Michigan and was thankfully able to get a hospital job in less than a month. A few of my nursing classmates moved out of CA as well, mostly to TX.

L.J. · Dec 23, 2010

I live in Los Angeles and I concerned as I am doing my prerequisites for nursing at a community college and I'm learning that recent RN graduates are having a difficult time finding work. Since the economic recession thousands of laid off workers in CA (and nationwide) went back to school to train as RN's thinking the profession was recession proof. I know that in 2005, our administration issued over 21,000 visas to foreign nurses to fill vacant nursing positions throughout the United States. I thought our government had discontinued issuing visas to other countries for foreign born nurses and now I learn that RN graduates in the last couple of years are not finding jobs. What's going on that no one is talking about? If you are a recruiter of foreign-born RN's to USA, you should not feel proud of what you do--you have a job and you are taking jobs away from citizens of CA and other states who DESPERATELY need to work to support their families. I also blame our politicians for perpetuating this tragedy. This is anti-American and want to know how many more Nursing Jobs can we afford to lose to foreign-born nurses. They not only get visas/green cards, they get housing allowances and other stipends which amounts to millions of $$$ that taxpayer monies are being used for. Why don't nursing schools get the word out so pre-nursing students don't waste their time and money? Please see the article below and let me know what you think so I don't waste my time. Thank you.

CALIFORNIA'S LATEST NURSING WORKFORCE CHALLENGE: THE HIRING DILEMMA OF

NEW GRADUATES

www.cinhc.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/New-Grad-Hiring-Dilemma_0209.p

MSNLeader · Jan 9, 2011

I live in Los Angeles and I concerned as I am doing my prerequisites for nursing at a community college and I'm learning that recent RN graduates are having a difficult time finding work. Since the economic recession thousands of laid off workers in CA (and nationwide) went back to school to train as RN's thinking the profession was recession proof. I know that in 2005, our administration issued over 21,000 visas to foreign nurses to fill vacant nursing positions throughout the United States. I thought our government had discontinued issuing visas to other countries for foreign born nurses and now I learn that RN graduates in the last couple of years are not finding jobs. What's going on that no one is talking about? If you are a recruiter of foreign-born RN's to USA, you should not feel proud of what you do--you have a job and you are taking jobs away from citizens of CA and other states who DESPERATELY need to work to support their families. I also blame our politicians for perpetuating this tragedy. This is anti-American and want to know how many more nursing jobs can we afford to lose to foreign-born nurses. They not only get visas/green cards, they get housing allowances and other stipends which amounts to millions of $$$ that taxpayer monies are being used for. Why don't nursing schools get the word out so pre-nursing students don't waste their time and money? Please see the article below and let me know what you think so I don't waste my time. Thank you.
CALIFORNIA'S LATEST NURSING WORKFORCE CHALLENGE: THE HIRING DILEMMA OF
NEW GRADUATES
www.cinhc.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/New-Grad-Hiring-Dilemma_0209.p

L.J.,

The foreign-born nurses that find jobs are subject to the same licensure and experience requirements that U.S. nationals are. In fact, foreign-born nurses are subject to discrimination and exploitation at a higher rates than RNs who are citizens of the U.S.

The jobs are not available at this time due to hospital fiscal restrictions and limited resources to funding new-grad and orientation programs. Nurses are seen as a "line item" on the budget and it will take a paradigm shift for administration to begin viewing nurses as an asset rather than an expenditure.

Many states, like California, actually promoted the 'trade' of nurses with agreements that brought nurses in from countries who had need of import goods and could 'export' nurses in exchange as their only form of viable currency. This was a boon for the states that received the nurses, but drained those exporting countries of many of their best and brightest nurses who set out to achieve a better quality of life through these processes.

As your attached article noted, the shortage of nurses is a global one. Regardless of the fact that hospitals are hiring fewer nurses & increasing their hiring requirements at this time is a condition of economy. They have the privilege of requiring more because more experienced nurses have returned to practice since the recession (something also noted in your article). When we met for RN Lobby Days in Sacramento in 2009, statistically we could see that prior to the recession, only 60% of actively-licensed RNs were practicing, while after the recession over 80% were practicing. That means 20% of these nurses came out of 'retirement' or dormant status to practice and supplement their familial incomes. One reason employers are now desirous of highly experienced nurses is that they require less orientation/training dollars (the hospital recoups it's educational/hiring investment more rapidly in these employees) & now these nurses are available to work.

I do hope that the hiring strategies of hospitals change. It is difficult to see new grads and good nurses be turned away and unable to engage in the profession! Believe me, the trend will have to change with time simply due to the supply/demand issue. We are still very short on nurses in the state - hospitals are just restricting their hires until they see more market stability. Unfortunately, the almighty dollar is their driving force at this time & it will take policy changes (like enforcement of ratios, etc.) and RN activism to make the changes necessary to protect our patients and preserve our profession.

I wish you the best of luck in your search!

Journeyman · Feb 12, 2011

Any new grad program in socal?

i3urton · Mar 24, 2011

UCLA has a really good New grad program.

Happy_RN · Apr 25, 2011

hi guys! i am a registered nurse here in Ca but no RN job yet. took my NCLEX last January but after about 3 months of job hunting, got few calls for interviews but had no luck in landing one. they prefer the ones with experience. and i cant blame the hospitals for that. but i hope someone will have the heart to hire new grads...

but the good thing is, i got a job now but not as RN, i got in a hospital as a UNit Clerk. i plan to stay there and learn about how the unit runs and then if an opening for RN is again posted, ill try to apply again.

i have also sent my applications to different new grad programs but still no luck. also tried LTC facilities and other rehab centers but again, no vacancies for new grads or those with less than 1 year experience.

Good luck to all of us. keep the Faith!

mosaicism105, MSN · Apr 25, 2011

hi guys! i am a registered nurse here in Ca but no RN job yet. took my NCLEX last January but after about 3 months of job hunting, got few calls for interviews but had no luck in landing one. they prefer the ones with experience. and i cant blame the hospitals for that. but i hope someone will have the heart to hire new grads...
but the good thing is, i got a job now but not as RN, i got in a hospital as a UNit Clerk. i plan to stay there and learn about how the unit runs and then if an opening for RN is again posted, ill try to apply again.
i have also sent my applications to different new grad programs but still no luck. also tried LTC facilities and other rehab centers but again, no vacancies for new grads or those with less than 1 year experience.
Good luck to all of us. keep the Faith!

I've been applying non stop as well. Been going to each and every LTC on our area and apply and submit some resume. Been applying on different hospitals even though I know its 2 hours away from where I live. *sigh* and this facility who interviewed me called me April1st for background interview...and tried calling them 2 days ago for any progress and told me to just wait for the hr call. :confused:

anxiety quin · May 16, 2011

Hey guys! I just got my RN license a week ago. I've been applying everyday, online. I got rejected by 3 different hospitals and I have a Med/Surg, Orthopedic, and telemetry background!! What more the ones without any acute experience!

anxiety quin · May 16, 2011

Hey guys, I have a question. I have a current LVN license and RN license. Can I still use my LVN license and continue to work at my current job as LVN until I get RN job?

waves327 · Jul 14, 2011

you can work as an lvn, as long as it is active, even once you have obtained your rn license. that is what i actually did for several months after taking getting my rn license. they weren't hiring rns, but i could get in as an lvn and they eventually offered me an rn position in the er, which was what i wanted. if you don't mind working for a snf or memory care unit, the veterans home of california in west los angeles is looking for new grad lvns for their new facility and there will be a new grad program starting this fall. the pay is around $21-$26/hr with full benefits. if you want more information you can call.