RNcairo

Well I can answer this now that I've been living in the area for over three years. I would say that UCLA and Cedars-Sinai are both good choices to look into. From what I've been told, Cedars has better pay. They do not have a union either, which depending on the nurse could be a good or bad thing. I interviewed at both hospitals and I recommend that you do the same if you're considering moving here. I can't speak for Kaiser as I've never stepped foot in any of their hospitals. Pay covers my cost of living (and quite a bit more) but I do live with my partner so we share housing expenses. Housing really depends on what area you want to live in and the quality of the place you're expecting. Of course if you want to be near Cedars or UCLA, your rent will be more expensive than living farther away and commuting. I have several colleagues who do both. I'd say if you're looking in the vicinity, rent for a 1br ranges from 1500-2300 for reasonable places. Of course it can get much higher in the poshest of places; for instance, a new apartment building recently opened nearby my place with monthly rent from 5k-30k/month. If if you're willing to commute 45-90 minutes, housing in the valley and east side is cheaper. Some of my older colleagues actually have houses they purchased in the valley, but who knows if that's feasible on an RNs salary anymore. Anyway feel free to ask if you have other questions. I'd be interested in knowing why 1-you want to move to LA and 2- how does this compare to SF? I've often thought of moving there.

I'll continue to study from the DVDs and PASS CCRN book. I suppose I'll look those topics up that she doesn't cover since there's a chance they may be on there. Thanks. Somehow I doubt this.

Hi all. I'm studying for the CCRN exam and have a date set in March to take it. I have been using the Gasparis videos (the ones prior to the Nov 2011 update she put out) and I have the 2007 Pass CCRN book. I was just reviewing the CCRN test plan from AACN's website and I realized how dated the Gasparis content is. For example, her vids say neuro is 7% of the exam. However the test plan as of 2010 shows neuro at 12%. How do you all recommend I go about studying the added information? For example, neurosurgery is listed as neuro content on the exam. I have no guide for how involved I should be in learning that information. I work in a trauma/SICU, so we don't see craniotomies, etc. If I were to learn from the PASS CCRN book, I would spend days learning a few subjects because that's more of a textbook reference than a study guide. The disheartening part is much of the test plan has topics that she doesn't cover. I've heard from most people who have CCRN that all you need to do to pass CCRN is learn her information. However that seems to be inaccurate. Short version: How should I approach learning the topics listed under the AACN exam plan that aren't covered in the Gasparis DVDs without trying to memorize overwhelming amounts of irrelevant information like the PASS CCRN book provides? Thanks!

Thanks Coffee Nurse. :) Do you mind if I ask what your shift differentials are? I tried to message you but, alas, couldn't figure it out. And I thought I was technologically savvy.

I appreciate the responses so far. I realize that the experience varies per unit regardless of how good or bad a hospital is, so I'm hoping to shadow the units I apply to in order to get a feel for them. It seems like UCLA is more what I'm looking and they have positions open in ICU, so I will apply there for sure. The drive is definitely an issue, but we plan on moving to a new apartment once I relocate. Do you guys have anything to mention about nursing in California compared to NC? Obviously your experience may not include NC nursing, but I know California is heavily unionized and we have none of that here. What are your dues like? How involved is the union? Honestly I have absolutely no experience with unions so have very limited knowledge.

TL;DR version: what hospitals do you recommend working at for an ICU nurse in the WeHo/Bev Hills area (although I'm willing to travel somewhat for a better position until I'm able to move closer to the hospital)? 1 year experience in surgical ICU. Partner works in Universal city/studio city so don't want to be far from that either. Hello all. I'm new here and very impressed with the community on the site. I wasn't aware there was so much to allnurses or I would have joined much sooner! I know this type of question has been asked plenty of times before, but I haven't had much luck finding much current relevancy when searching through previous topics. So with that said: What have been your experiences working as an RN in Los Angeles? I'm from North Carolina so I have limited knowledge of the hospitals there. I was thinking Cedars-Sinai, UCLA, or possibly one of the Kaiser hospitals. My experience is in surgical ICU. We get a lot of cardiac surgeries, such as CABGs, valve replacements; vascular surgeries (AAA, etc); thoracotomies; and general medical ICU patients, such as sepsis, and ARDS. Therefore I'm fairly well rounded with my ICU knowledge. I have one year of experience so I feel like I'm fairly marketable. I called Cedars Sinai to ask a few questions about working there and the nurse recruiter was very pushy about getting me to apply, get references, and schedule interviews. I was not prepared for that! So I've sort of been pushed over the edge in regards to getting the ball rolling. I'm fairly flexible about when I move (in the next few months), so I have some time to research the best place to work. I will be living in the Beverly Hills adjacent area, so obviously Cedars is a big plus, but I've heard very mixed things about working there - ie bad leadership, etc. Plus considering how pushy the recruiter was when I mentioned I haven't even told people at work I'm leaving, does that mean there's an issue there - such as the hospital burning through nurses? UCLA looks like a great place to work so I'll definitely apply there. My experience with Kaiser (very limited as far as job search goes) is their site is very convoluted - couldn't find where the RN jobs were. Need to spend more time there. Any advice regarding the pay in the area? I see UCLA has ~$35/hr as the minimum for their positions. Haven't noticed other places and their payscales, but I have heard LA nurses make much less. Thanks all!