planning to move to California

Nurses General Nursing

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Hi, I'm new here and wondering if you could help me. I'm planning to move to California by next year with my grown-up kids and I am having a hard time where in California we should move, safe neighborhood; what hospital I can apply to and not so expensive apartments. My daughter is planning to go to nursing school too so that's another thing. I'm an RN employed in one of the hospitals in NJ.

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Specializes in NICU.
safe neighborhood; what hospital I can apply to and not so expensive apartments.

Does a safe neighborhood with "not so expensive" apartments exist in California? What is your definition of "not so expensive"?

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Specializes in Critical Care; Cardiac; Professional Development.

Lots of subjective info here. California can be difficult to obtain employment in and housing and cost of living are notoriously exorbitant.

You will want to do a lot of research before you move. A "safe place to live" in a geographical area as large as California and "not too expensive" are all relative to your own situation. You would need to be a LOT more specific. What is "safe" to you? What is "not too expensive" to you? How much do you think you will earn? What percentage of that are you willing to spend on housing? How much will other costs differ in California as compared to where you live now, such as gas, food, electricity, insurance, taxes, etc?

It is a big move. Make sure you know what you are getting into.

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Specializes in NICU, ICU, PICU, Academia.

Just from being on AN- you seem to have chosen the state with the most difficult BON process AND the most difficulty getting a seat in a nursing program. Add to that the incredibly expensive urban housing and I am wondering if it HAS to be California- or do you have options?

Seems like you are making it really hard on yourself and her from the get go.

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Specializes in LTC.

There's literally nothing affordable in California unless you live in the middle of nowhere, and even then its not exactly cheap. Renting a single room in a house in the bay area or LA usually starts off at $1,000 a month. A 2 bedroom apartment usually starts off at around $2,500 a month. It's terrible. I was born and raised here and have lived here all of my life and I can't afford to live on my own. I had to move back in with my parents because it was just too expensive for me to live away from home. Luckily though, I'll be moving in with a close friend soon who owns her own condo and she's giving me a deal on renting a room there.

Also, the process of getting licensed to work here as a nurse is horrendous and takes FOREVER, because they are grossly understaffed. Did you know we have 2 separate boards of nursing? One for RN's and one for LVN's. No other state has that.

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I know and I'm actually hesitant to move but family matters compel me to move to California. I just received my license in California and so planning to make this happen. Thank you though.

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It is a big move but if not for my old folks I could have stayed here, I am doing a lot of research actually on where to settle. Thanks for the comment.

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What about Fresno? Check out this cost of living website... Fresno compares to the average in the USA.

Fresno, California Cost of Living

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