chot2011

There is a discussion on the New Grad RN- Bay Area facebook group, some people say they found a way to upload cover letter, recommendation letters, etc., but you do that after submitting the application (and it's not required, so not sure if it will be read, but probably would only help if anything).

I took the NCLEX-RN for California in February and 2 days later my name was on the Board of Registered Nursing website. You can check the license verification, if your name is there then you passed :). Here is the link: http://www.rn.ca.gov/online_services/perm-verif.shtml If it takes longer than 2 days for your name to show up do not panic, I hear the wait time varies. You receive the paper notification and your license card in the mail after a couple weeks (but I think that part can take up to 4 weeks, especially right after May graduation when the largest number of people take the exam).

Hey lizzieengel, just fyi UCSF cancelled their new grad program for this year but maybe they will open it again next year. Stanford and the VA have new grad programs. Like others have said you should apply to anything you can find, not just hospitals. I graduated with my BSN as a second degree in December 2012, Sigma Theta Tau, did my first degree at Stanford and then spent 3 years working at Google before going to nursing school. It took me 5 months of applying to almost literally every nursing job in the bay area I might be qualified for, and I just landed a per diem RN job at an eye surgery center. That 5 months is not counting the time I spent applying to jobs while I was still in nursing school. I'm happy with my role and think I will learn a lot in a surgery center- but I'm just emphasizing that you should look beyond hospitals because there are very few new grad positions for RNs in hospitals in the Bay Area. It's hard to get the non-hospital RN jobs as well, so apply to anything and everything: travel clinics, nursing homes, small medical practices, you name it. If you move here before getting a job, volunteering is a good way to start making connections. I also moved to back to the area because of my fiance, so I feel you on trying to get a job near them!

I got in as well, but I won't be attending because I just got an offer for per diem employment (yay!!) at an eye surgery center. I didn't list every specific job I applied to, I more explained all the avenues I have tried for finding jobs (volunteering, networking, the breadth of jobs I've applied to since I've applied to way more than just hospital jobs, etc.). I graduated nursing school December 2012. I went to nursing school out of state. Nursing is a second degree for me, and my first degree was local, plus I have some volunteer experience with CPMC. Seems like a great program and best of luck to those attending!

I can list some off the top of my head and maybe others can add to my list: Anatomy Physiology Microbiology Nutrition Developmental Psychology All the actual nursing classes- pediatric, labor & delivery/obstetrics/mother baby (pretty sure this can go by a lot of names depending where you go to school), psychiatric/mental health nursing, etc. It is very hard to reach the CA nursing board. I've gotten through calling 3x per day at different times, day after day, and eventually was able to talk to someone (which turned out to be essential because they were confused about one of my transcripts, and talking to them was able to clear it up). Good luck!

Given your appreciation for nurses, I bet the nurses like you as much as you like them :). Being nice goes a long way!

Thanks for starting this thread! I applied as well. Going to a bay area nursing school is one of the criteria considered in the application, and I went to an out of state nursing school so I'm thinking my chances might not be great. I figured I might as well apply though because then at least there's some chance! I heard that currently the only new grads that CPMC hires come through this T2P program, however I don't know how many they have or will hire. The program stresses that employment is not guaranteed, but again I think having a boost at a chance at employment is worth it, plus getting to improve nursing skills and build your healthcare network. The program also states that if you get an offer for other RN employment during the program they support you leaving to accept the offer, so it's not like you're locked in if something else comes up. Good luck everyone!

Fellow unemployed new grad here. To me the key is the "in this job market". In the Bay Area everyone knows it's extremely difficult to get a hospital job as a new grad. Because of this it's understandable that someone would take a cushier job because they need to work. You could volunteer on the side in a hospital or at a clinic, and use the dermatology office to pay the bills. I personally would not consider you to be taking the easy way out because you are doing what you need to do in this economy. Especially if you volunteer you show that your desire to help those most in need continues.

Hi Maqer, I finished a 2nd degree nursing program out of state in December. California wanted all of my transcripts, to show that I both completed nursing school and filled the pre-requisites such as microbiology, anatomy, etc. I ordered the paper fingerprint card about 6 weeks before graduating, got them 2 weeks later, and the card was included in the packet my school sent with my completed application. It took about 6 weeks from finishing nursing school to getting my ATT to take the NCLEX for CA (other states are faster, CA is known for taking a long time). You will need to send the CA board all of your transcripts no matter what, so I'd say might as well apply first for CA rather than submit paperwork to two boards. I did run into one important snag- my school sent my application as one packet, and the packet included my official school transcript. The CA nursing board thought I'd personally sent the packet, rather than me turning in my portion to my school and the school sending it. Since they thought I sent it they did not count my school's transcript, since transcripts must come directly from the school and not through the student. The CA board sent me a paper letter to let me know they didn't receive the transcript, but after I called the board and explained the packet was sent by the school the board accepted it. Hope this helps and good luck!!

I went to nursing school out of state (but in the US) and got a minimum of 84 hours in each clinical area, right after school I got my CA license so I know my hours were sufficient. Not sure if there are any differences for requirements outside of the US education system. Lectures don't count for clinical time. Hope this helps!

What is the best search on facebook for the new CA group? Strange how we can't get to the old one.

Hi, I realize the last comment was from several months ago, but I have the same questions regarding the Zur Institute and Stop Child Abuse courses- did the CA BRN accept these for the 7 hour child abuse course for those who went to school out of state but have a CA RN license? Thanks!

Adding to this thread that it worked for me too! When I tried to sign up again after taking the test it said "Our records indicate that you have recently scheduled this exam. Please contact your member board for further assistance. Another registration cannot be made at this time". I took the test on a Thursday, and saw my name on the CA nursing board website end of day that Friday, so only took one day for my name to be posted. Here Board of Registered Nursing - Permanent License Verification is where you go to see your name on the CA board website.

Just wanted to chime in to confirm that if the school where you graduated does not list all of the pre-requisites on their transcript, then you DO need to send in transcripts from the schools where you completed your pre-requisites. I did a 2nd degree program and after receiving my transcript the CA board asked me to submit a transcript showing microbiology because that was not shown on my nursing school transcript (I took microbiology at a community college before formally enrolling in a 2nd degree program). You need to send the transcript request form from the CA license application to each school so they can send that form along with your transcript.

For those who applied for the March 2013 UC Davis residency, has anyone heard any updates? Thanks!

An organization does a yearly survey of NPs and PAs regarding their salary information. I don't know anything about the organization, but it looks legit. Here is their 2010 report. Their data show FNP and PNP quite close for average salaries. Hope this helps!

Hi clarkc27, GW required me to return my declaration of intent before I heard back from any other schools, so I went ahead and paid the $275 deposit to make sure I didn't lose my spot at the one school I'd heard from. Once I have enough information (aka, financial information) to decide between schools, I'll let GW know right away if I won't be attending!

I too am deciding between Georgetown and GW (and maybe NYU, I haven't heard back from them). If I get the WHC scholarship to Georgetown that will make my decision for me. We will have those decisions in late May.

Hi LizLemon and others, True to form, GT responded within 24 hours to my email about admitted students day and the scholarship interviews. Here is what they said: "We will be sending out an email shortly with information on our admitted student events and WHC scholarship interviews. The admitted student events will take place in the afternoons of Friday, April 29th and Friday, May 6th. WHC will be conducting scholarship interviews on the mornings of Saturday, April 30th; Monday, May 2nd; and Saturday, May 7th. WHC will then release the scholarship decisions the week following the final interview session on the 7th." I must say that Georgetown has a much better response time to emails than George Washington. I was accepted at George Washington, and have emailed and called with several questions since, but have heard nothing back. I even had to submit my $275 deposit to GW without any of my questions being answered. Not sure that response time can be used to measure program quality, but it's hard to not feel somewhat influenced by this type of thing. Best, Claire

In as well. I replied to ask when the admitted students day and scholarship interviews will take place. I'm guessing that information will come in a second email, but I'm too excited to wait patiently :).

I submitted my DoI on April 7th, but the acceptance letter definitely made it seem like submitting on April 8th should have been OK. Any questions I've emailed or called about in the last month have not been answered. At least you are not alone in them not responding :).