Rosewine

I am in my 2-3rd week of orientation on an unit, which is 30-40 mins away from my home. Recently, I had an interview with the another unit, which belongs to the same health system. I would love to work on the latter because I heard it is good and I really like the specialty. Furthermore, it is just 10-15 mins away from home. I think this would be easier for me as I would be working nights. The latter's manager knows that I am orienting in another unit. I find it really hard to bring this topic to my present manager. How could I discuss with her? A manager will naturally be pissed when the orientee asks to transfer to another unit after just 2-3 weeks of orientation. I feel really bad.

When there's a will, there's a way. Thank you for replying. :) I really appreciate it. I'm jobless no more. I just had an experience with one 'cocky' student nurse.

I am looking at all the RN wage differentials...If I am not wrong, the hospitals in Portland seem to have comparable base rates. However, OHSU seems to have the highest night differential. I wonder. *curious*

ShemRN, It is hard to break into the industry here. I was told that the schools are producing more graduates than the hospitals can possibly offer. The hospitals (I am not sure which ones) are kinda obligated to accept the in-state graduates first because of some 'agreement' they made years ago. I find this totally ridiculous. We are licensed by the OR state board of nursing. What is this called? Protectionism? Discrimination? Is this legal? I was told some in-state graduates even go out of state to get into the fields that they want. The no of hospital beds per head is also lower than the national average. Are they controlling health care costs or is it that the economy is not in a good shape? I don't know, isn't this terrible? I have my spouse to think about. It is either I travel very far or stay put in an unhappy job/jobless situation.

The job scene I obtained now was that.... about 3 years ago, the schools and hospitals sat down and reached some kind of agreement. The schools are to increase the enrollment and the hospitals are to take their students....now, they kind of shoot themselves in the foot...because the number of graduates is considerably more than the number of entry-level vacancies.... Well done.

Indy, thank you for your advice. I am going to do it... WIL, CA..do they need a lot of nurses there? WIL, at least you have 6 mths of experience. Excluding clinical and voluntary experience, I have 0. Actually, if WIL's visa has problem, I think the recruiters will voice it out. Anyway, it is better to ask them otherwise they won't tell us what's wrong. Sometimes, I wish the recruiters will be more honest. For my case here,...the demand for new RNs is not that high...It is not a 'shortage' area. Hospitals seem to take in grads from the schools here first...so there is a preference issue here. I believe I am sidelined as my deg is from out-of-state and I am an inexperienced 'Alien'. So it sucks.

there is a magnet hospital in the state I came from.... several said it is top heavy there...I guess Magnet status...doesn't mean everything... I was rather taken aback..as I thought the recruitment (mgr + HR) would treat potential nurses, regardless of origins, at least with ...I thought they were being rude. Perhaps I met the wrong ones. But it is ok, they have their priorities.

Thank you. I know the programs for new RNs come only at certain times of the year. I just hope there are enough for all new graduates. I really like Portland... but I am jobless...*self-pity* What about Adventist? Are there other hospitals around here? I tried contacting Providence but was unwelcomed. Kaiser Permante....I'd been to the clinic but where's the in-patient hospital? I heard it is quite far away. I wonder if there are any nursing homes or rehab facilities (not belonging to the above mentioned health systems) around here.

I called the HR after I submitted the application once....but the answer would be something like,"We have many applicants....no time to answer everything...if you receive no reply, that's it" I had seen some of them in one of the hospital's Open House. All smiles but no reply. Felt very dejected.... Go in and talk with a nurse recruiter? Go and see them in person after I submit the application? What if I pose as a patient's family member and asked to speak to a nurse manager? Ok, sounds good. However, should I make appointment with them first? Do I just barge into the HR office? Security will stop me, won't they? I was taught to be polite and orderly in my home country...so....????

My BSN is from the midwest. I guess I should have just stayed there where almost all my former classmates are. I came here because my spouse is working here. I am looking at hospitals further from Portland. However, commute time is at least 1 hour of driving one way. For a 12 hour shift, there won't be much time left for sleep. It is hard to live separately. In addition, there is no guarantee that jobs will be available. I am just sad to stay at home and being jobless. I just have to keep trying. Is it common for nurses to drive so far off to work everyday? Meanwhile, I guess I have to get a RN license from neighboring states ...just in case all else fails here. It is really hard on the marriage though.

I'd removed the bulk of my previous posting....as I realize there are some views but not much reply...

I am a foreigner and am in a similar situation as Woman_in_love. I came from another state, armed with a BSN and full of hopes. I just had my RN license in Oregon. To my dismay, I found the recruitment of new grad nurses very rigid in Portland and its vicinity. I tried almost everything...but doors virtually got slammed in my face. Openings for new RNs are limited. There're many nursing jobs in the ad but they need at least one year of RN experience. Where am I going to get the one year of experience? I also found the number of hospital beds below the national average!! Schools seem to be producing nurses like what factories do. It is very depressing for me. I have jumped from a pan of opportunities back in one state to barren grounds in another. It is all but a delusion. *depressed*

Frankly speaking, most people do not have the patience to listen to someone with an accent. They may just appear like they are listening to you, when in fact, they neither understand nor care to clarify what you are saying. It may help to speak slower. It is hard being an 'Alien'. I know of friends, both native and non-native English speakers, who speak much better than they can write and vice versa. From first-hand experience, it can be extremely hard to find a nursing job without RN experience. Perhaps, harder for people with a foreign accent, among other factors.

I am a new RN (Oregon) and my degree is from another state (with abundance of jobs for new RNs). There are not many openings for new RNs in Portland. That is what I'd encountered. I submitted applications online, called the HR and went for open house. However, I received no favorable reply. I asked to speak to nurse managers but the HR virtually slammed the door in my face. There is a hospital just 5 mins from my doorstep....but .....sigh. Portland is a beautiful place, and I just passed my NCLEX but I am jobless. It is very frustrating and depressing. I gather that there are not enough openings for everybody esp so if you are a new RN without RN experience. Further, I can't find nursing homes here. SIGH. Further, I realize there is quite a high number of new nurses produced by the schools here...I guess the hospitals will take them first through various channels. I also found that the number of hospital beds in Oregon is lower than the national average. The primary prevention must be pretty good for Oregon to forgo the beds. I am truly disappointed. I came all the way from another state to be with my spouse, only to realize the job market is just a delusion. It seemed like I jumped from a pan of opportunities into the fire.

i come from out-of-state. i've been trying to find a job for new rn in oregon but in vain. it has been really hard. there are many ad for nurses...but they mostly need at least one year of experience! i find it really frustrating and depressing. it is good news to pass the nclex but only to realize it is all just a delusion. it is not easy to just move to another state. this is because you have the family to think about. your spouse needs to work too! work is not easily found even if you are highly educated. i am really sad...and there are so many nursing students been produced by the schools here. such a large supply, but where is the demand?