Planning things - I may move to Portland - what are some hospitals

[TheGoodRN2015]

I am "contemplating" my future by making plans to move to the Portland area to find an RN job.

I have graduated from nursing school last year May with a BSN degree, and I have so far, been only working as a hospital/acute care CNA for a little over one year. I also work as a school nurse and home healthcare nurse as a side job.

Anyhow....I am wondering if you guys can list some hospitals in the Portland area where I can search for an RN position?

Or how about some hospitals in the Vancouver Washington area?

I have both RN endorsement licenses for Washington State and Oregon. So living in Portland and working in Vancouver, WA may not be a problem. I have read another thread on the pro's and con's of working in either city, but in my case, I just want to get the ball running and start working as an acute-care RN.

As for Portland, I only know of the Adventist hospital system, and OHSU's hospital. However, I doubt they will hire me without any prior experience.

I have been to Portland in the past, and while the winters can be chilly, I don't mind making a change in life, and moving up to Portland. I also like the small city structure of Portland.

[LoveMyBugs, BSN, CNA, RN]

There are numerous threads on here about nursing in the Portland area and the hospital systems.

Legacy health and Providence are the 2 largest systems here

Be aware there are over 7 nursing schools in the area so jobs for new grads are hard to come by.

I suggest do a lot of research and don't move until you have secured a job

[TheGoodRN2015]

Thanks for the info on Portland area hospitals, LoveMyBugs.

Yes, I do understand that there are a lot of nursing schools in the Portland area, and coming from out of state may make it harder for me to find an RN job out there.

However, I have been working as a hospital CNA (yup, with my RN license) for almost one year. THe hospital I work at has new graduate academies for most-recent nursing school graduates. However, most of the candidates usually end up working 18-28 months as a CNA before entering the new graduate program. Plus it's super competitive, and unfortunately, there is politics amongst the managers, that are involved in the selection process. Hence, I am keeping an open mind, and may look at moving to Portland to find a job, maybe start a new life out there.