GilbertAzRN

Abrazo Health Care System in Arizona has a 3 months (6 months for ICU) nurse residency program called: New Graduate Development Program. They only accept BSN new grads who have passed NCLEX. There were 400 applicants for 32 positions in January. They have 3 programs each year. 32-35 total new grad positions in Six Hospitals in Phoenix: Phoenix Baptist Hospital Arizona Heart Hospital Arrowhead Hospital Maryvale Hospital Paradise Valley Hospital

Abrazo Health Care System in Arizona has a 3 months nurse residency program called: New Graduate Development Program. They only accept BSN new grads. There were 400 applicants for 32 positions. They have 3 programs each year. 32-35 new grad positions in Six Hospitals in Phoenix: Phoenix Baptist Hospital Arizona Heart Hospital Arrowhead Hospital Maryvale Hospital Paradise Valley Hospital

Job market is tough here for RNs as well. It varies depending on your specialty and your experience. Arizona is a Compact State. If your Primary State of Residency is in another Compact State (AZ, AR, CO, DE, ID, IA, KY, ME, MD, MO, MS, NE, NH, NM, NC, ND, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, UT, VA, WI), you should not apply for licensure in AZ unless you are declaring AZ as your Primary State of Residency (www.azbn.gov) If you move permanently to Arizona this is then your "primary state of residence" and you have to apply for a "License by Endorsement". The application, fingerprint card fee totals $200. My experience is that it'll take about 4-5 weeks for them to do their verifications, etc. You can pay an extra $50 and get a temporary license (if you have practiced as anurse for 960 hours or more in the past five years) and that takes 1-2 weeks. Here's the link so you can check out more details: http://www.azbn.gov/documents/applications/App%20Packet%20Downloads/RN_LPN%20Endorsement%20Pkt%202009.pdf Good luck to you! :)

My fellow New Grads - KEEP THE FAITH, you will get a job. I took me six months of persistent applications and rejections, but I just got a job yesterday. Praise God! I have to travel an hour each way, but I don't mind the drive at all. I'm just so grateful to get a position where I'll get the training, mentoring and support I need as new grad in med-surg. I can relate to the responses, I also had been applying several hours from my home and considering living part-time away from my husband and kids so that I could get the experience. In this market you have to be flexible, open-minded and persistent in your job search. Sometimes postings are just up for two days (Mayo) and sometimes they'll just take them down when they are hit a couple of hundreds applicants (Banner). So keep your eyes open on every hospital's jobsite daily. I'm excited but so humble because I know that many of you have been looking for a long long time. You are in my prayers. Just have faith that the right job is out there in the right time. :loveya:

Did you get in? What's it like?

Thanks for the link. I had not checked Abrazo in a week or so, so thanks for the heads up. After I applied, about a week later, I got an "on-line interview" from Gallup. It was more or less a personality profile to see your personality type and the kind of work ethics you have. It is timed. Questions no big deal. It took about 20 minutes. I have not heard anything since. I pray I'll hear something after the holidays. This is my only lead besides Banner. Anyone else heard back from them?

Yep, that was my experience. Once they got my application, my money and received my transcript directly from the school, I got the ATT letter a couple of days later. If you stay on your school, call the Board, and check the Board website, they are good about getting it right out to you. I was also impressed by the Board turn-around time on getting my license. I took the NCLEX on a Thursday and by Monday I was licensed. The challenge is now getting a job as a new grad. Good luck on the NCLEX.

Hi Sarah - I feel your pain! All I want for Christmas is an RN job too! I'm so discouraged getting nothing but reject e-mails in my inbox because they want experienced nurses. There are such few "new grad" positions in the area and hundreds of applicants - many of which are "fellows" or has experience doing clinicals in those hospital. Many positions gets filled by in-house applicants. I also feel like I have a disadvantage since I went to school out of state even though I have a BSN and two years hospital experience as a Nurse Tech. The only positions I've found lately which are new grad positions are Banner Health and Abrazo Health but I'm sure you have already found those. Feel free to PM me if you want to compare application notes. Keep applying and keep the faith. Sooner or later you'll get a job.