weaveworld21

Thanks for the post fairyrage. It is nice to hear some positives about the hospital. I was told the same thing about patient ratios. They are trying to get the patient ratios at 4 to 1 24/7. I accepted a position on a surgical telemetry unit. Still have to pass the NCLEX though. Two weeks to go. Wouldn't be starting until late July.

I am graduating in just a few weeks and heading back to the Portland area from Rochester NY. It seems to be a vastly different hiring process. In Rochester, you can take your pick between hospitals and units. They also hire GNs here, which may explain why the only people in my class that don't already have jobs lined up are people like me who are moving away. In the Portland area, there are definitely a lot more hoops to jump through and a lot more chasing rather than being chased. A few hospitals, like Legacy, have very specific time frames when their internships are even open (I applied to one in March for a pediatric position and it was posted online for less than 3 weeks and the next recruitment for that area is in October) I imagine with some experience you may have better fortunes. Every time I get a hold of the recruiter (or HR) at most hospitals when even just asking for information about when I should apply, most act like I am bothering them and, if I don't get a hold of someone directly, it is rare to get a follow up call (and I have contacted every hospital in the Portland area). It is a little disheartening, but it is a great place to live and work so I guess they can be as picky as they want to be.

It has been interesting reading the conflicting viewpoints on Salem hospital. I just finished up nursing school and applied for their new nurse internship program. I got called back to arrange for a few interviews. I lived a few years in Portland, but don't know much about the Salem region and know nothing about the hospital, so I am both excited and concerned. I will give them a lot of credit since at least i heard something back. A lot of the Portland hospitals don't afford such a courtesy. Since you just graduated last year futureRN07 (or anyone who has worked at Salem Hospital) what is your opinion of their orientation process? Has there really been a mass exodus?

I actually turned down two positions at Strong because my wife is being transferred back to Portland, OR. They were hiring a lot of med/surg positions, some in the ED, some in psychiatric, and the list goes on. I was actually surprised at how many opportunities (and the variety of those opportunities) there were. In Portland, it is pretty much med/surg to start (though possibilities in PEDs and/or OB might exist). Did you want to start in med/surg? You aren't required to at a lot of hospitals here in Rochester and the advice I have received splits about 50/50 as to whether or not it is a benefit if you don't ultimately want to work on those units.

No problem. You will have no troubles finding work if you decide to relocate to Rochester I can assure you. They hire immediately. The interview process is more like them trying to sell you on a position than any questions being directed your way. I shadowed a few places and was offered positions at all of them by the time I got back to the recruiters office. It is strange compared to other places where they seem almost put off by the fact that you are a new grad. The downside is the weather (LOTS of snow) and the pay rates aren't great. The upside is really good tuition benefits for continuing ed through URMC and Highland. I can almost guarantee you would have a position within a week up here.

No problem. If you decide you want to live in the Rochester area, you are pretty much guaranteed a position. The hiring process at all three hospitals is pretty laid back. There isn't an interview process so much as a courting process at most hospitals. The 'interview' consists pretty much of the recruiter and the charge nurse telling you about open positions and trying to sell you on it instead of you having to sell yourself to them. I did two shadows and was offered both positions by the time I got back to the recruiting office in the afternoon. That is not uncommon. The downside is that you have to deal with a LOT of snow and a relatively low pay rate for nursing (though great tuition benefits if you want to go back to school). However, the cost of living here isn't terribly high.

The hospitals I was speaking of are all in Rochester, NY. I have classmates that have already accepted positions in Buffalo as well. I have heard the same for Syracuse. If you are interested in looking at nursing jobs, or even just talking to recruiters for some general information, here are the websites with contact info and job listings for the Rochester area. They hired some of my classmates as far back as December (grad in mid-May). http://www.viahealth.org/ http://www.urmc.rochester.edu/nurserec/apply.html http://www.urmc.rochester.edu/hh/for-nurses/apply.cfm If you want any further information about the area, I am happy to help.

The state of New York lets you work as a graduate nurse, but it depends on specific hospital policies as to whether or not they will hire you until you pass the boards. I am graduating from the University of Rochester and the local hospitals (Strong (now URMC), Highland, & RGH) all are hiring and starting new hires immediately after graduation. Depending on hospital, most new hires are allotted 90 days to take and pass their boards from date of hire. However, I have a classmate that wants to work in NYC, and they basically told her not to bother applying until she was licensed. Hope that helps.