dmskoka

I moved to Little Rock 18 months ago from the San Francisco Bay Area.. That is the starting pay here.. I had such huge school loans - my school loan is almost the same as my monthly rent here but I made it work.. As you know there are no jobs back home :-) .. I got into a great new grad program and for me it was the best thing... Wishing you the best!! and congrats on a job offer!!! so hard these days........ the rent is cheaper here and utilities and gas but food and everything else the same - even more...

After 6 months I moved half way across the country to enter a new grad position at a state that pays less than half of my home state.. but I got into a great training program, have learned a lot and continue to learn with a great group of people. IT was hard and $$ no doubt about it but I am glad that I was able to move. Just a thought if you are able to move. Some states are easier to get a job in than others.... yes it is very hard... I wish the media would represent what it is really like... Best of Luck to you.....

I graduated from nursing school in Ca in May of 2010. I was in a 2nd degree program so when we finished we all had at least 2 Bachelor degrees, some Masters. Some had medical experience as well, EMT and other experience. I think about 6 people eventually got jobs in the area because they knew someone and still had to really wait. After 6 months I left the state and went half way across the country taking a job that paid half what they did in the area I was living in Ca. It isn't you. It is the economy and area. Very, very hard. I was reading an article that there is a whole lost generation of nurses because of what is happening in the West and the East in nursing. Also after a year people don't want to hire new grads. I was told go wherever I have to to get started. I didn't want to but found a very supportive hospital and people that have been very patient with me and giving me the time that I need. I know not everyone can move but just wanted to let you know your story is very common.....Just hoping this all turns around.. Hospitals are missing out on a lot of great people like yourself that already have experience..

I had them through school and now.. They are 3 years old and my feet are just starting to hurt. I got them from a wholesaler at half price. I didn't want to pay 250 for a new pair so spent 125 on some timberlake I think. They are ok but feet started to hurt.. went back to MTB's. I think I need to get a new pair. I got them for comfort. My pants now are tighter after wearing the other but if that is because of the shoes I have no idea have been eating more. I like to think I am exercising more when walking but I got them so my feet don't hurt. I found when standing still one must sway in place otherwise hurt..wish I had just got another pair instead of trying different shoes..

Do you wear only the professional styles?

I left the state and so did 3 of my classmates,, the few that found jobs in the SF bay area knew someone and they had to wait.. some took a year to get a job and some are not working as nurses at all and some part time... most people that got jobs left the SF bay area.

Meant "won" phone correcting me :-)

---- one our teacher of the year award. I didn't have her for health assessment but loved her. People that had ------ for health assessment liked her.

you can get a temporary while waiting. My fingerprints went back so still waiting on the perm one. My classmate already has the perm. It doesn't take long at all. Also a lot of people in my group from Arkansas had a temp license and just took the NCLEX this week. IT did cost me about 200 dollars. 60 goes to the state of Ca. You can get fingerprints in AR free from the state police but I paid 40 in Ca before I left to get it done.

I left Ca for Little Rock Arkansas.. They have a new grad 6 month training program. We have had classroom and a few days on the floor.. Now we are switching to about 3 days on the floor and one day class. We choose a track, some emergency room , some cardiac, some icu , some medical, some surgical etc. We rotate to different floors in the track and then we get matched to a floor after 3 months. We then work with one preceptor for 3 months, then graduate. They are hiring again in March for med-surg and then doing another regular class in June. St. Vincent medical center in Little Rock. I was tired of getting no where in Ca and I hadn't seen another program in the country as long, as this one. One of my former classmates came and liked it , now 3 from my class are here..... good luck everyone.. this is such a tough market

They emailed me that they got my documents.. I did some at attachments

just that they got my application

ahh wish it were so today ...

Where I live there are generally 600-1000 applicants for around 20 jobs for new grads. It is next to impossible to get a job... hiring bonuses aren't even a thought to us new grads. It is even hard to get into a new residency program, ( training with no pay,) that has been established because so many new grads can't get hired and are walking away from nursing. When I started taking my pre-reqs and was volunteering in 2004 it was the exact opposite..

Hi how did your search go? I looked at the Western site and it said that you could bypass a step if you had 12 months experience and another section wanted something from an employer. Did you find out if you needed experience first or if they would take new grads?