New Grad (RN) wanting to work in Alberta or British Columbia...

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Hello,

I am from Ontario and I am a new grad (RN). I really would like to work in Alberta or British Columbia. I have heard stories from people saying that other new grads have been able to find work in AB or BC and are making $40/hr. Now I have been researching a bit and have not come across any job postings that are for $40/hr. I'm not sure if you have to go through a specific agency to get this kind of pay. If anyone has worked in AB or BC could you give me some pointers on where to look or which agencies to use.

Also, if you know where some of the better hospitals in AB or BC is I would love to know!

Thank you!

Thanks everyone for all the information. Hopefully ill be able to find some work.

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I'm also a born and bred Albertan...and it is extremely unpredictable and unstable right now. Even people that have been given offers have arrived to find that the rotation they were offered has now been " re-structured" away.

As joanna73 ( and other posters) have stated...working in some of the more rural areas does increase your options, however, we have MANY urban nurses that have found themselves out of their positions and are willing to go where they can find work....so the claws are out!!!! I don't want to sound discouraging...but that is the state of nursing in Alberta right now.

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Specializes in geriatrics.

You'd probably be wiser to look for work in ON. Get at least a year or more of experience, and then apply to AB.

You'll have more options for employment with some experience, and hopefully, within a year or so things will start to improve in AB. The budget was slashed in March, so nursing is terrible at the moment, and this trend is not disappearing anytime soon.

Even if you were hired, as mentioned, positions are cancelled and/or nurses are being laid off. That's not a risk worth exploring, IMO.

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@4_sq thanks for the info post on new grad pay/hr. Do you think the job outlook for new grads will change for the better within the next 3-4 years?

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I too work for AHS and have been here for the past 10 years. Currently there are limited ( very limited) posting for new grads. Keep in mind that there are a few hundred new grads that come out of our programs in Calgary each year who are also looking for "new grad" positions. No new grad make 40 dollars per hour, not unless they are working for a staffing agency and I haven't heard of many of them.

I work in a busy department and I have never had an agency nurse work in our department. Calgary is very expensive to live in and if you have to park a vehicle at one of the hospitals the price for parking is outrageous and is going up 100% by next year. These are all things to consider when making your decision to move to Alberta. I hope it all works out for you.

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Specializes in geriatrics.

With shift differentials, it is possible for new grads in AB to make 40 dollars an hour. However, positions are scarce for both new grads and experienced nurses in AB at the moment due to ongoing budget cuts.

Every other week, AHS has announced layoffs and potential cutbacks to healthcare because they are running a deficit. In reality, the highest paid executives are still receiving their bonuses while front line programs and staff are being cut throughout the Province.

Last week, AHS announced more potential bed closures although no action plan has been disclosed. Cuts and hiring freezes are occuring in Calgary and Edmonton, in addition to smaller facilities closing or reducing hours. The facility in Bashaw is supposedly closing, and AHS wants to reduce the hours at various facilities across Central and Northern AB but many of the town councils are opposed to closures and fighting them.

In order to accommodate displaced workers, positions have been frozen in the system. Now is not the time to consider a move to AB. For those people who are newly hired...beware. Internal staff who are displaced due to position eliminations and layoffs can bump junior staff.

It's hard to say, but the economic climate in AB will probably be dismal for at least another year. Then AHS will start to hire again as they become desperate for staff and realize that the cuts have been too drastic. They're also counting on more nurses wanting to work full time, which won't happen.

Anyone interested in reading the news briefs should google AHS. Since February 2013, numerous articles have surfaced regarding the health care cuts.

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