New graduate ADN Moving to Seattle in August from Texas

Bandaide, ADN · Jan 14, 2012

Don't count on getting a job right away. Half of the 2011 new grads from the program I attend now don't have jobs yet. There are around 25 nursing programs in Western Washington alone, so there is a surplus of new, inexperienced grads. Some of the hospitals are magnet hospitals, and don't hire many ADNs, and many of the others prefer BSN prepared nurses. Most want 1 to 2 years hospital experience. You might have better luck if you are open to out-of-hospital jobs.

CCL RN, RN · Jan 14, 2012

Out Of state applicants must be fingerprinted in addition to the regular application process. This can take 6 weeks.

WA allows one to practice under a temporary permit which they issue PDQ after the paperwork is received.

New grad jobs are tough anywhere, you'd have just as hard time here as anywhere else. Keep checking the hospital websites for the few positions that open up.

Good luck! August is the most wonderful time of year up here!!

HULIYO · Jan 24, 2012

I moved from South Carolina in November last year. I applied for endorsement before I left S.C. but after I got here (WA) I got back my endorsement forms cause I had forgotten to sign one page. I signed and mailed it back and received the FBI fingerprint card. I went to a state fingerprinting place which did not tell me they did not do the Department of Health fingerprints and after lining up for about 30 minutes I paid for the prints and had them done. I gave them the FBI fingerprinting card but they decided to use their own and said it was okay. I sent it to Department of Health and after several weeks had it returned to me with instructions to do it on the enclosed FBI card. I went back to the same place I had done them and that is when they asked me what I was having them done for (a question they should have asked me the first time before taking my money). When I told them it was for a nursing license, they told me they did not do the Department of Health ones and gave me names of people who do those. I went and had them done the next day and that is more than three weeks ago and I still have a temporary permit and "pending" under my name on the WA state dept of health website. I have been applying for jobs but every time the employer sees the "pending" and "temporary permit and not renewable", they don't bother calling me back.

Reno1978, BSN, RN · Jan 24, 2012

Job market is tough, but my only suggestion would be to get your WA license and forego the TX one unless you plan on working in TX. There's no reason to get a TX license after you graduate - this will only delay your WA license, since you can't start that process until you're licensed as a RN in TX.

Reno1978, BSN, RN · Jan 24, 2012

But to answer your original question, it didn't take me an awfully long time to endorse from NV to WA. I did this back at the end of 2008, though. I accepted a job offer up here in November and my start date wasn't until January, and I was licensed in WA with plenty of time to spare. I want to say it took about 2-3 weeks.

Again, if I were you, I'd go to the WA Dept of Health site and look up their instructions for licensure by examination and not bother with the TX license.

Home Health Columnist / Guide · Jan 24, 2012

Agree with Reno's advice- Apply for initial license in WA.. Link to all Boards of Nursing at bottom every page:

Washington State Nursing Care Quality Assurance Commission

CCL RN, RN · Jan 24, 2012

the instructions are all in the supplied fingerprint packet and are pretty clear to read. If you make a mistake, then it will certainly delay licensure.

...I still have a temporary permit and "pending" under my name on the WA state dept of health website. I have been applying for jobs but every time the employer sees the "pending" and "temporary permit and not renewable", they don't bother calling me back.

This has nothing to do with why they won't call you back. They don't care if your permit is temporary or not.

I worked for a long time before my real license came in, mostly because I waited until I hade moved up here before getting the fingerprints done. I'm a big time procrastinator...I think I waited over 2-3 months to finally get the fingerprints done. But my official job offer came while I was still living out of state, and was waiting for my temporary!

So I had an offer based on a -pending- temporary license.

BonnieSc · Jan 24, 2012

Same/same. I also didn't get my permanent license for a long time, though, because of BRN screwup--their application only says that out-of-state applicants MAY have to get fingerprinted and would be sent a card, so when I didn't get one, I figured I didn't need it. I called the BRN once and asked when my permanent would go through and they just said it takes time. Then a month before my temp license ran out, I got a message saying I'd better turn in my fingerprints or I'd have to start over (which means I would have lost my job). Luckily, everything worked out okay in the end. I got my fingerprints at the police station as instructed on the BRN forms.

MrLVNtoRN · Jun 23, 2012

Ok great I really appreciate all the feedback.

tokmom, BSN, RN · Jun 23, 2012

Franciscan and multicare readily hire ADN grads. Swedish in issaquah is hiring. Heck, my hospital has openings, lol.Don't just talk to HR, but walk up on the floor and talk to management.Good luck!

MrLVNtoRN · Oct 18, 2012

Just finally graduated and passed NCLEX just waiting to get word back from WA for endorsement of my RN licence from TX. I think i am going to apply everywhere. We live in Capitol hill so i would REALLY like to get something at Swedish, VM, Polyclinic or anywhere on Pill Hill. It would be great to just walk to work. Also, I think as an added benefit i can ge to work even if weather is bad thats gona be my selling point :up:

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